A patchwork fox depicting Leicester’s diversity and rich heritage, designed by De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) student Seema Jaffer, takes centre stage in a local art trail.
The Accounting and Finance student’s design was one of just ten winning local artist creations, picked from a pool of more than 100 entries, celebrating Leicester and the opening of the Fosse Park West shopping centre.
The Fosse Foxes sculpture trail features 45 life-sized fox models bringing life and excitement to the local Leicestershire community. A total of 25 of the models are scattered around the shopping centre. Each fox has been designed by local artists, community groups and sporting clubs, and has a unique QR code that can be scanned to reveal more about their design.
The third-year student from Leicestershire said: “I was very excited when I heard my design won. I am especially proud of the final outcome as I painted the sculpture over several months during the lockdown period while also completing assessments for the final year of my degree.”
“I hope people enjoy spotting the different foxes in the trail around Fosse Park and that it can add some colour to the surroundings.”
Artie, Seema’s fox, is of a patchwork quilt design paying homage to Leicester’s historic textile factories. The colour palette is inspired by Leicester Cathedral’s stained-glass window tribute to Richard the Third entitled ‘Redemption’. Made up of hues of red, gold and blue, Seema believes her fox reflects Leicestershire’s multiculturalism.
“The design is inspired, first and foremost, by home; Leicestershire and its many diverse communities,” she said.
“I wanted to showcase the history of Leicester and its attractions to visitors at Fosse Park. I hope it inspires and encourages people to dig deeper into our history and visit the Richard III and De Montfort University’s Heritage Centre’s.”
Seema has always enjoyed design as a hobby outside of her degree, with her artwork having previously been featured on official merchandise for Leicestershire and Loughborough Libraries, and believes the two disciplines are linked.
She said: “Design and Maths are linked, and I applied the mathematical skills honed during my degree for this project.
“My design uses a carefully crafted, tessellating pattern, which has been created entirely from geometric triangles. Defining the pattern and co-ordinating the colour scheme put my mathematical skills to good use.”
Seema’s love for design and passion for her degree have been catered to throughout her time at DMU. She said: “I chose to study at DMU as I liked the range of opportunities and events on offer, such as the Festival of Creativity.”
“What appealed to me was how my course gave me the practical skills for accountancy as well as the academic theory. My favourite modules have been advanced financial reporting and advanced taxation. I had the opportunity to virtually visit the London Stock exchange and learn about the roles of markets, as well as meet guest lecturers from international accounting firms.”
“Last year, I was also able to intern at the University’s Finance Department as a Taxation Services Assistant.”
Seema hopes to continue designing and displaying her art, and is currently working on a new charity project.
Posted on Tuesday 31 August 2021