A towering statement of Bradford’s vibrant culture
Artist Saad Qureshi’s bold new sculpture, Tower of Now, pays homage to the diverse community of the city that nurtured his creativity
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Artist Saad Qureshi is returning to the city that first nurtured his creativity with a new public sculpture that will form part of the programme of events at Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. Tower of Now, a 15-metre-tall structure that will stand in the Hall Ings area of the city centre from 26 April, is a grand-scale celebration of diversity, belonging and the way that public architecture shapes our sense of place.
Born in Pakistan and raised in Bradford from the age of eight, Qureshi’s memories of arriving in the UK — the vibrant markets, the multicultural community, the range of faces and faiths he encountered — form the foundation for this ambitious piece. That early experience, he says, opened his eyes not just to difference, but to connection.
“It was the first time I was exposed to such a diverse variety of people as I’d grown up in a rural village in Pakistan,” says Qureshi, whose installations have been exhibited around the world, from London to New York, Delhi and Sharjah.
“There’s this interesting juxtaposition — the beautiful backdrop of Yorkshire, especially Bradford, contrasted with the vibrant migrant communities that live there. I found myself surrounded by people who looked like me, shared my skin tone, but spoke different languages and carried different experiences. All of that really enriched me as a person and it’s that richness I wanted to draw on as my initial inspiration for this piece.”
Qureshi has channelled those discoveries into the tower’s design, bringing together motifs from the religious buildings of many different faiths in one cohesive structure.
“It’s a sculpture that weaves and knits together sacred architecture from around the world, so you will see gothic church bell towers, temple spires, synagogue domes and beautiful mosque archways,” he says.
“It’s not a piece about religion — it’s about how the architecture surrounding us anchors us to a specific locality. It’s a portrait of community — the big groups of people that come together to attend these buildings.”
Constructed from steel, wood and fibreglass and coated in sandy plaster, Tower of Now eschews colour to focus the viewer’s attention on its form and texture. The result is a structure that reflects the present, past and future — timeless, as Qureshi intended.
In keeping with its grandeur, the tower is designed to engage viewers on an emotional level. “It’s a visual piece of work, yes,” says Qureshi. “But I hope it gives locals a real sense of belonging and that they see themselves in the art, particularly the younger generation. I hope it offers them a broader sense of curiosity and inspiration.”
The title, Tower of Now, is a powerful declaration from the artist, paying tribute to a moment that he feels his home town has long deserved.
“Bradford should have been celebrated a long time ago for its cultural diversity and everything it has to offer,” Qureshi says. “But now, finally, it’s happening. For me, ‘now’ is forever — it’s eternal. So, the Tower of Now is just celebrating the city in its totality and for eternity.”
The project marks a full-circle moment for Qureshi. It was in Bradford that he first dreamed of becoming an artist, after being inspired by a school teacher who showed him that pursuing such a creative career was a realistic option.
“There wasn’t much to see in terms of visual arts in Bradford when I was growing up, so my dad would take me to look at public monuments,” he says. “Now, I feel like I’m offering something creative to the city.”
Returning to the place that raised him and provided so much early inspiration, Qureshi hopes that the tower work will be viewed by a new generation of aspiring artists as something he didn’t have while growing up — a bold, homegrown symbol of imagination and possibility.
“I want people to see the sculpture and say, ‘If he can do it, so can I,’” he says. “That’s what this is really about.”
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