Internationally renowned abstract artist Alex Echo is swapping his canvas for a mammoth sized elephant when he takes on decorating a sculpture on behalf of NEXT for the Stomp Round Leicester art trail, coming to the city next summer.
Stomp Round Leicester will be the biggest public art event Leicester has ever seen and is being brought to the city by LOROS Hospice and Wild in Art, in celebration of the hospice’s 40th anniversary. Alex will be using 40 different colours on the sculpture to ‘honour each year’ of LOROS’s service to the community.
The prestigious artist, who has worked with Paul Smith, Paul Weller and even designed a bespoke guitar for Eric Clapton during his long career, will be transforming the blank Elephant into a beautiful work of art in front of an audience who have been invited to help pour the paint.
Alex Echo said: “A few weeks ago the good people at NEXT asked me, ‘would you like to paint a big elephant?’ Well that’s a question you don’t hear very often so out of curiosity I simply said yes.
“They told me that it was to celebrate the 40th year of LOROS service to the community. I immediately thought of 40 colours to honour each year. Painting is a dance and I didn’t want to dance with an elephant alone, so I suggested inviting people from the Leicester community to join in the painting. Life is a shared dance!”
Alex will be painting his mammoth commission on Thursday 24th October from 12.30pm in the Highcross lower mall, unit SU9. Everyone is invited to come and watch the painting spectacle.
As well as the sculpture, Alex will be designing a 15” elephant ornament and children’s elephant pyjamas – so you can take home and even wear an Alex Echo Stomp Round Leicester design! These product ranges will be stocked in selected NEXT stores and online at next.co.uk from June 2025, just as the art trail goes live. All profits will support LOROS Hospice and its care for patients and their families.
Andy Latham, Group Health, Safety, Environment & Wellbeing Manager at NEXT, said: “NEXT is proud to be part of LOROS's 2025 'Stomp Round Leicester,' celebrating art, community, and compassion. By supporting the creation and sale of a stunning elephant sculpture, we're helping to ensure that LOROS can continue providing vital care to those who need it most. Together with artist Alex Echo, we're not just creating art—we're helping LOROS to continue their fantastic work.”
Rob Parkinson, CEO at LOROS, said: “We’re delighted to have NEXT’s support with Stomp Round Leicester. They are a brilliant Leicester institution who will help bring our 40th anniversary art trail to every community in the city.
“Having an artist of Alex Echo’s reputation is amazing – and we hope he will inspire lots of local artists to get involved and submit their Elephant designs too.”
To find out more about decorating a sculpture or attending Alex Echo’s paint pour, visit stomproundleicester.co.uk
