TWO exhibitions aimed at championing the talents and voice of a new generation of artists have opened at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery.
More than 60 talented art and design students from both Warrington and Vale Royal College (WVRC) and Priestley College are currently showcasing their work in a professional gallery setting in their hometown as part of their development.
WVRC directly collaborated with the Museum team on ‘From The Collections’ – producing new artworks in response to items they found within the historic building’s vast collection of exhibits and archives.
The students learnt about the importance of research as the foundation of their arts practice and were inspired by a diverse range of artefacts, including an 1842 report on child labour in pin factories, a reticulated python skeleton and even a poster advertising ‘Mr Usher’s Cat Circus’.
Kelly Broughton, subject lead in Art for WVRC, said: “It’s been a real confidence booster for students to see their work exhibited in a gallery, gaining valuable practical experience of working as an artist in the industry which is something we are passionate about at college.
“Huge thanks to the Museum’s gallery and archives teams for their incredible support throughout.”
Meanwhile, Priestley College’s show saw second-year art and design students respond to the themes of resistance, change and activism to celebrate the voice, concerns and aspirations of a new generation for an exhibition called Protest.
The thought-provoking and challenging collection of work, created over 10 weeks, also features some figurative work created by first-year students.
Gary Jones, Art and Design course co-ordinator at Priestley College, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Warrington Museum for providing this wonderful opportunity for our students. This exhibition represents a significant milestone, giving them the invaluable experience of showcasing their work in a professional gallery setting.
“It’s rewarding to witness their creative journeys culminating in a collection that showcases such a broad range of ideas and processes. For our first-year students, this project has been about challenging perceptions and exploring the complexities of stereotypes.
“Our second-year students, given free rein on the theme of protest, have created a diverse body of work reflecting their individual interests and concerns.
“Having more than 50 students contribute to this show, the product of 10 weeks of dedicated work, is a testament to their talent and hard work, and a true boost to their confidence as emerging artists.”
Roger Jeffery, producer at Warrington Museum, added: “Congratulations to all the artists – we’re proud to support Warrington’s young emerging artists with this opportunity and we’re excited to share it with our visitors.”
From the Collections is available to view until March 30 and Protest runs until April 27 .
