Leroy's modern art love letter to Britain
The one-of-a-kind work by Leroy Denis, 54 has taken seven years to create and is attached to the wall at the home he shares with his wife Lisa and their five sons.
It is a love letter to all things British, the culmination of a project to honour HM The Queen on her 90th birthday.
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Made up of more than 1000 separate elements, the work features everything from nods to Churchill, Darwin and the Oxford Thesaurus to pigeon feathers and commemorative coins.
CDs jewellery, batteries and even real crystals form the delicate found-art project.
Leroy first developed an interest in art while working with Friars boss David Stopps as a security manager.
But sadly Leroy and his family have to re-locate to Norwich, which puts the future of the work in jeopardy.
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The artist, who has had other works displayed in galleries and also writes music, hopes that a buyer can soon be found who is prepared to take the entire wall out of the bedroom intact – preserving the work as intended.
He said: “I really became an artist when I travelled the world on tour with Howard Jones and David Stopps, that was absolutely the best experience of my life and it opened my eyes to the fact that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
“That’s what my dad came here from St Lucia for, to give us a fighting chance and the idea is not to let him down.
“This wall represents the last remaining canvas, I had to imagine the wall removed and put out into the world, hence the intricate nature of the piece.
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“I began making the piece in 2010 with two frames on the bare wall, the mirror has also been added later.”
And Leroy added that he would not be leaving the art work for the next buyer of his home.
“He said: “I would destroy it before just giving it to someone, I’m not just giving it away.
“We want to find somewhere for it to be put on permanent display, or have it auctioned off.
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“I have always made art for my own piece of mind and have never wanted to sell it, but I always said to my family that one day I would do one just for us, and this is it.”
Leroy is busy approaching various philanthropists and galleries, and hopes that his work will soon be safe and sound.
He said: “Sadly the Tate Modern has a three year waiting list and we don’t have that kind of time.
“I am hoping to hear from Richard Branson, who is currently running the Voom initiative, I’m sure he would be able to help us.
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“There is lots of appetite out there for modern art at the moment, so I’m hoping that someone will come forward and show and interest.
“At the start of this project I said that this was it, and I need to keep my word, this is make or break and it means a lot to all of us.”
Can you help find a home for Leroy’s work of art?
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