Uni students put their art on show
UNIVERSITY degree students have been given the opportunity to display their art in a professional gallery in Rossendale.
Art students from the University of Salford and Manchester Metropolitan University, MMU, spent weeks researching at The Whitaker, Rossendale Art Gallery and Museum, in Rawtenstall.
They delved into the attic archives examining many artefacts, immersed themselves in the displays and curiosities and marveled at the museum’s stunning location of Whitaker Park. Each artist then drew inspiration from what they had seen.
Cara Smith imagined the energy of the fairy folk and folklore of the park and designed masks to make a stop motion film and as well as models, crochet flowers and mushrooms.
She said: “We came to the
museum each week, looking at the archive items, but the best part for me was the grounds because there is so much energy.
“I found myself exploring folklore which says if you dance in a fairy ring you are transported into the fairy world and you will dance into exhaustion. That was the inspiration behind my film.”
Katie Frew, also at MMU, was fascinated by the authenticity of artefacts in
The Whitaker and she created a huge display case which challenges the visitor to spot charity shop bargains from the museum’s own exhibits.
The museum’s taxidermy collection inspired several students including Campbell Dempster-Forey, from MMU, who created a plaster cast of his face which he made into a 3D latex mould and then pinned it to a frame.
Salford’s Lucy Claire focused on the taxidermy birds and produced a display of photographs, imaginative birdboxes and a book called The Birdhouse.
Sophie Dickinson created two installations, one also based around taxidermy and a second which blurred the lines between archive artefacts and her modern-day ceramic creations and finds.
Teri Booth, collections’ curator at The Whitaker, said: “The displays will be on show until June 9.
“We have worked with Salford for several years but this is the first time for Manchester Metropolitan University.
“It is also the first time we have given students the chance to hold their own exhibitions and we are planning to repeat it next year.
“This exhibition has been about encouraging other communities to learn about The Whitaker and new arts and giving emerging artists a chance to hold their own exhibitions in a professional gallery.”