William Chattaway - Hermes/The Spirit of Enterprise

The flying bronze figure on the east wall of the Roger Stevens building is one of the most prominent, striking sculptures on campus. Originally it was commissioned by the Midland Bank for their London offices in the late 1950s. Chattaway called it Hermes, but his patrons suggested the work be re-named The Spirit of Enterprise because the Greek god Hermes had 'a number of roles, including that of the guardian of less desirable characters'. In 1983, when the Midland building was sold to developers for £30m, it was rumoured that The Spirit of Enterprise was to be sold for scrap. The dilemma hit the national press. Into the breach stepped Chattaway's longstanding patron, Stanley Burton, who sent a cheque to the University of Leeds to purchase the work for campus. The work, weighing four and a half tons, arrived on a low-loader from London and was installed that June. Chattaway was delighted to see the name of the piece revert to his original title, Hermes.

The blank wall is a perfect backdrop to dramatically display Hermes to best advantage and a far cry from its position in London. It is a dramatic example of how public art can change and adapt to new settings and new audiences, creating fresh dialogues with its environment.