Sculpture representing unity installed at UWE Bristol after alum donation

A large stainless steel sculpture symbolising unity and interconnectedness has been donated to UWE Bristol by one of its alum to display at the university’s Frenchay campus.

‘Link of Freedom’, the 5.2m sculpture created by Economics and International Relations alum Cedric Koukjian, is made up of six hand-hammered links.

Cedric reached out to his former university to donate the sculpture wanting to make a meaningful addition to the campus to inspire current and future students and promote connectedness – a quality he says makes UWE Bristol a “vibrant place of learning and growth”.

After completing his degree at UWE Bristol, Cedric went on to study specialised training design at institutions in Geneva and Bangkok. Cedric’s style blends conceptual and industrial art using materials such as resin, metal, wood and stone to create large scale sculptures.

Cedric said: “As a designer today, I attribute much of my journey to the lessons and experiences I gathered during my years at the university. I’ve titled the piece Link of Freedom to reflect the idea that education sets us free. It connects people, ideas, communities, and generations. This sculpture is a tribute to that spirit of knowledge and interconnectedness that UWE continues to nurture.”

The sculpture is now on display for staff, students and members of the public visiting the campus to view.

Justine Thaysen, Creative Director at UWE Bristol said: “This is a generous donation from Cedric with a powerful meaning behind it. We’re really proud of the lasting relationships we have with our alumni community and it’s a brilliant opportunity to demonstrate this through Cedric’s art. ‘Link of Freedom’ represents the connection we have at UWE Bristol with our staff, students and the local community – something we really value as a university.”

‘Link of Freedom’ is one of a number of pieces of public art on display across UWE Bristol’s campuses, including ‘Nanowires’ by artist Alice Channer in the School of Engineering; and the ‘Tiny Wilderness’, bronze and brick clay sculptures inspired by the vital habitats and ecosystem of non-flowering plants outside the student village Purdown View.