New public art design

A NEW piece of public art, Sculptural Gateway, will be unveiled in Leicester’s Belgrave Circle to mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of Ugandan Asians in the city, writes Anvee Bhutani.

Anuradha Patel, a Midlands-based artist, is behind the winning submission

(pictured above).

She explained the two aspects of the

Structural Gateway

represent the two communities impacted by the expulsion of Asians from Uganda in 1972. The structure is connected at the top, symbolising the transition of a generation of people from one country to another.

Patel said, “It is an exceptional opportunity to acknowledge, celebrate, and commemorate an event which has not only shaped my life, but also the lives of a whole generation in the UK over the past 50 years.

“As a Ugandan Asian of Gujarati origin, I feel strongly connected to the Asian communities in Leicester with so many shared experiences of migration, displacement, resettlement and assimilation in a new country.”

The artwork will be funded by both a CrowdFund Leicester campaign and a contribution from the city council. Locals will also be able to discuss their recollections with Patel at two events organised by the Belgrave Neighbourhood Coop Housing Association this month.