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Cradley Heath artist creates metal work to help forge new links

An amazing piece of steel artwork, constructed in Cradley Heath and which weighs in at about five tonnes, has been unveiled.

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Metal artist Luke Perry, who is based in Cradeley Heath, with is Forward Together artwork

The piece of public art, created by Luke Perry and his team of three men and two women, stands 13 feet high and is 14 feet wide and 50 feet long and represents the diversity of cultures, communities and trades of people across the Midlands.

It was commissioned by a television company for a show that is expected to go on our screens in the autumn but Luke said that terms of the contact meant he could release no further details.

There are 27 people from different communities depicted in the sculpture and these were based on real people, who were invited to attend an unveiling ceremony in Birmingham at the weekend, which will be part of the documentary show.

Because of Covid restrictions it was the first time that the people have met each other and seen the completed artwork.

Metal artist Luke Perry with his Forward Together artwork

The five-tonne structure took the team from IHS Artworks two weeks to complete, while working 17-hour days.

Luke, aged 38, said: "I was approached by a major television company which needs to remain anonymous and asked to design a piece which represented Birmingham.

"Working with some amazing people we created Forward Together which represents the wonderful diversity that we have in the Midlands and the essential need to pull together as a society.

"The piece also addresses the need for equality of representation in Public Artwork and has as many representatives of the mixed Midlands faith, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, class, age and cultural heritage groups as possible.

Luke Perry's Forward Together artwork

"The 27 people represented in the piece were at the unveiling with their friends and family.

"It was a very emotional and exciting day for everyone.

"To me the obvious beauty of the Midlands and indeed the UK is its rich diversity. It was the greatest honour to be able to work with friends to create this piece and to celebrate people who do not have their share of credit.

"It is my sincere hope that this artwork is just a small part of the massive movement to unite rather than divide our communities which, in reality, are already together. We just need to see our common loves rather than our exclusive differences.

Luke Perry's Forward Together artwork

"In essence this piece was made with love, about love and in the hope that it spreads that love. The television company has offered to loan the artwork long-term to Birmingham and the Midlands free-of-charge."

Raaj Shamji, a member of Luke's team, said: "Even though we were in the midst of lockdown we challenged ourselves on getting real people to be models for the monument.

"It would have been far easier if we simply got silhouettes of people that represented the city but we decided to retain the integrity and the soul of the message where together we are stronger."

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