Turf 2
The Gallery at Antenna Studios
June 2005
Turf 2: a project that enabled children in the Crystal Palace area to meet, work with and exhibit alongside professional artists who live and work in the same part of London.
Turf 2 gave children first-hand experience of the visual arts. It offered a fantastic range of opportunities to inspire and encourage artistic talent: from getting to know an artist, to seeing their own work in a gallery show. Many of the children involved had never met an artist, or visited a gallery, let alone exhibited in one.
The project was made possible with a grant from Awards for All.
The Project
Artists were partnered with local primary schools and a youth club in spring 2005. They each devised a timetable of activities that would culminate in the exhibition in June. Creative workshops enabled the children to express their thoughts on their local area, their 'turf', and to explore what is important to them. Children designed and produced a painting on an acrylic panel with special glass paints. An education pack accompanied the project and each school was given a copy.
The Exhibition
The children's artwork formed the centrepiece of the exhibition. The glass paintings from each school and youth club were suspended from the gallery ceiling to create an installation that could be moved through and around.
CP Artists selected pieces of their own work that also relate to the area. The work included paintings, photographs and sculpture. Some of the work made direct references to local features and history, while others took more conceptual or oblique approaches. The artists' work was hung around the perimeter of the gallery and formed a back drop for the central installation.
On Saturday and Sunday there were open family workshops. These offered people the opportunity to make their own glass painted artwork.
Turf 2 was a great project and we would like to say thank you to all the children and teachers who made it such a rewarding and enjoyable experience.
Locations
- James Dixon Primary School
- Rock Mount Primary School
- Stewart Flemming Primary School
- Jus.B Youth Club
Artists
- Carlos Cortes
- Amanda Francis
- Jodi Jones
- Yun Ko
- Mo Lewis
- Stuart Mayes
- Nik Mensah Dika
- Annie Trevena
For further information about the CP Artists Community & Education Programme please contact: info@cpartists.com