Guided Tour
Twenty-seven teenagers with a keen interest in contemporary art created a very interesting tour with intelligent feedback. After a few tips on formalism the art was ready to be unravelled and with quick responses they weren’t far off the mark.
Sara Rees’s work was obviously making an impression as some of the group had already wondered what it was prior to the tour. ‘We passed the artwork last week and questioned why it was there and wondered where it came from because the Marina was full of posh boats and contrasted with a shack like house thing’, (Harriet and Rhian).
Thomas hit the nail on the head ‘I think it is a house from the future, due to population destroying the arctic, big waves will come and destroy the cities and the survivors will start making houses from things that they have found and live in them’.
‘I love the way the plant growing on it represents new life’, (Naomi).
The students took time to concentrate on Torsten Lauschmann’s work, which produced lots of smiles, jumpy reactions and even rhythmic jigs.
‘Big and small objects to blend the sounds in together’, (Rachel).
‘Using everyday electricity creatively’, (Naomi).
‘It’s quite musical and its got beat rhythm mixed together using old and new technology’, (Alun).
When shown Rhona Byrne’s projection the pupils commented on how they thought – ‘it changes your perspective of Swansea’, (Sophie).
‘Contrasting the layout of the city to the country’, (Adam).
‘Disagree that the artist is using a plane for this work as it pollutes the atmosphere’, (Alice).
Both Niamh and Milena’s work brought up questions about war and peace.
When looking at Niamh’s work, Marysia quoted the graffitti artist Banksey’s ‘Book on Wall and Peace’ in relation to the exposed graffiti in the sculptural mural. Marysia was also able to decipher the Czechoslovakian in Milena’s work, which was quite a touching moment e.g. ‘Trada’: a calling for father, ‘Kryjteme’: hide yourself/hide me.
Vojta was an emotional piece for Rachel, Lauren, Marysia, Chad and Naomi.
We ended the day with discussions about Rebecca Gould’s work in the Norwegian Church. The children picking out some excellent observations.
‘Is she looking for a hero?’(Nia). ‘Is she a victim of fashion from Paris signifying the centre of the fashion world and the fact that she’s wearing chanel sunglasses?’(Lauren).
‘The horse looks like the Trojan horse from Troy’, (Hannah).
‘The jacket seems to have patterns just like olive leaves. Just as the horse was made from olive wood’, (Marysia).
‘It is a modern day version of Helen of Troy’, (Sophie).
Looking at Milena Dopitova’s drawings at Swansea Museum
Looking at Sara Rees’s sculpture in Swansea Marina
Watching Rhona Byrne’s film in St. Mary’s Church
Artworks
The students worked in groups producing a wide range of work in response to the exhibition tour on day one. There were examples of small scale sculpture, mock ups of stained glass concepts, books, masks and murals. The students using multi- inspirational, contextual ideas.
One group used a series of photographs that they took during the tour of the day, combined with inspiration from St. Mary’s Church and Rhona Byrne’s projection. Using visuals of fragmentation to form a mock-up of a stained glass window sited on one of the windows in their classroom. Others created interior murals sited in the corridors of the school inspired by Niamh McCann and using quotes and images from Dylan Thomas.
A direct response from Sara Rees’s work was evident in other group work. One in particular was the making of a sculpture using a mobile phone as a symbol of our present day condition and it being washed away by a Tsunami, leaving behind a representation of a house from the future.
I thoroughly believe that if it wasn’t for the students dedication towards the project, that they would never have completed such ambitious tasks which they set for themselves on one day. I was told by the students that the project had been really exciting and can recall several quotes including – ‘Can we do this again next year?’.
The stained glass window
The Mask
The Dylan Thomas Mural
The Tsunami
The Mobile Phone
The house from the future