24 June 2008
Gold, gemstones and India inspire young artists for new
exhibition at City of London festival
Secondary school students from Hackney, Southwark and Tower
Hamlets are showcasing three distinctive collections of
Indian-inspired jewellery at the Guildhall Art Gallery, as part of
the City of London Festival’s Precious East exhibition.
Students from Skinners’ Company School for Girls in Hackney, St.
Paul’s Way Community School in Tower Hamlets and Harris Academy in
Southwark worked under the guidance of professional artists to
create pieces of jewellery, using precious metals and gemstones and
drawing on traditional Indian jewellery techniques and designs for
inspiration.
Precious East runs from 23 June to 10 July, and also features a
new education initiative which is devised by the Festival and The
Worshipful Company of Founders to bring the history and practice of
foundry into secondary schools. The exhibition will also display
bronze art medals, designed by students from the City of London
Academy, which explore the history of the East India Company in
London.
Irene Gunston, who led the foundry workshops with fellow
sculptor and medal artist Danuta Solowiej, said: “It has been a
delight to work with this group of young people, helping inspire
them to create some beautiful pieces. Now that their work is being
displayed in a public art gallery in the City, they can feel part
of that history, and justly proud of their achievements.”
Ruth Oakley, Education & Free Events Manager for the City of
London Festival, said “Most of these students have never worked
with metal, so it’s been very rewarding to watch their confidence
grow as they’ve used various tools to file, pierce, solder and
hammer their designs. Their work is outstanding and now, one of the
students has applied to study for a degree in silversmithing at the
Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media and Design.”
The City of London Academy students have also developed a design
for the Festival Arts Award medal, which is presented to students
who demonstrate outstanding initiative in each the City of London
Festival’s education projects in music, dance, circus, jewellery,
literature and art. This Award medal is also on display at the
Precious East exhibition.
Ends
Notes for Editors:
Precious East Young Artists’ Exhibition is at Guildhall Art
Gallery, Guildhall Yard, EC2, from 23 June to 10 July (Monday to
Saturday 10.00am – 5.00pm; Sunday 12.00 – 4.00pm). Free entry from
30 June to 4 July; gallery admission charges apply at other times.
Foundry students worked with artists Irene Gunston and Danuta
Solowiej. Jewellery students worked with Petra Bishai, Miranda
Falkner, Linda Cremin and Sue King-Brewster.
The project is supported by BHP Billiton, The Goldsmiths’
Company and The Worshipful Company of Founders.
Journalists at the private view at the Guildhall Art Gallery
(Monday 30 June from 4.00pm – 5.30pm) are invited to interview Ruth
Oakley (Education & Free Events Manager) and Ian Ritchie
(Artistic Director) from the City of London Festival and foundry
project leader and professional artist, Irene Gunston, between
3.30pm and 4.00pm.
For more information, interviews and images, please
contact:
Corinne Bass, Education Assistant, City of London Festival,
telephone 020 7796 4949,
Corinne.Bass@colf.org
Ruth Oakley, Education and Free Events Manager, City of London
Festival, telephone 020 7796 4949,
Ruth.Oakley@colf.org