Trent Students create stunning installations for City Arts

As part of their third year degree course, students Emma Henderson and Fern Hawkins from Nottingham Trent University’s School of Theatre Design have designed stunning installations the window and interior of our building. They will be on display until the 29 January 2016.

‘Connected’ by Emma Henderson

“The idea behind my design for City Art’s window, is what I felt was the heart of the charity – Connectivity. I traced the patterns of the roads surrounding City Art’s building then printed them on the pieces of paper, suspended in the window, as they are what connects City Arts with Nottingham. The coloured strands of card that join the crumpled pieces of paper together are the patterns created by tyre marks and footprints, showing how City Art’s brings people and places together.”

“I chose to use paper to show its versatility; from how delicate it may appear up close, to how powerful an effect it can create from afar, mirroring City Art’s understanding that everyone is important and togetherness through art can create something impressive!”

Fern Hawkins

Fern has created an anti-Christmas installation for the post-Christmas period. Inspired by Banksy’s Dismaland, she explores how it feels to be trapped in Christmas, the consumer pressures people face during the festive period, and the economics driving this.

“The idea surrounding this piece is to show how we as a society are wrapped up in consumerist culture. Also, how we contribute to the arms trade through this, but tend to be disconnected from war and gun violence if it is not affecting us directly. We are often materialistic and consumed in the idea of receiving gifts, so I wanted to wrap up the gun as a gift to try and put such an alien, destructive weapon in an everyday context for us, and hopefully to shock us in to realising the fact that guns are being received by people every day. I wanted to illustrate the idea that we wouldn’t be able to continue with this consumerist culture if it wasn’t for war, as war supports us economically. The ribbon is red to signify blood shed due to war and gun violence, and the people are made out of natural clay, to contrast with the man made, mechanical Kalashnikov. I want it to be evident that people are tied up by consumerism, and unable to escape. And that we as a society are tied up in our guilt of this.”