The piece was officially launched at an opening last month, with distinguished guests including the Mayor of Toronto and previous Chief Justice of Ontario Roy McMurtry in attendance.

The sculpture’s theme signifies that people from different ethnic groups, age and gender are all to be equal before the law, based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

It is made from both Corten steel and polished stainless steel. These types of materials were chosen because the polished steel is able to reflect surroundings as well as the hustle and bustle of everyday activity, representing renewal and optimism.

In contrast, Corten steel provides a rust colour on the surface, used as a metaphor for the past. By placing these two metals together, it combines to create a bridge of the old and new.

The colour blue was also used in the sculpture to signify Canada’s Great Lakes and the distinctive landscape of the country which John travelled through whilst working on the project.

‘Access to Justice’ has a number of openings at different heights, which encourages interaction and access for everyone who wants to experience the artwork.

John Atkin is a Reader at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ’s School of the Arts, English and Drama. Speaking about the work, he said:

“This has been an epic journey over the past four years and something of a sprint over the past nine months to get the work completed and installed. I'm grateful for all the positive comments I have received about the sculpture over the past few days whilst installing Access to Justice outside the Law Society.”

Some of his most recent work includes his participation in the Dialogue with the Emperor Qin’s Warriors, which featured artists from every country in the EU as well as Chinese artists who each created sculptures that reflected the ancient collection of terracotta warriors.

For more information, email John Atkin J.Atkin@lboro.ac.uk or visit his blog.