Students from the School of Arts & Creative Industries at Teesside University have teamed up with the Ryevitalise Landscape Partnership Project to create a series of installations for The Rye Reflections Art Trail, which can be visited throughout the Summer at Sutton Bank
The Rye Reflections Art Trail is a joint project brought together by the Ryevitalise Landscape Partnership Project in the North York Moors National Park and students from the BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Illustration course at Teesside University, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the UK’s largest funder of heritage.
Graphic Design students created 5 installations which can be seen along the Art Trail – visitors are able to collect a map from Sutton Bank Visitor Centre which shows exactly where each installation is sited. The pieces have been inspired by memory landscape and changing human relationships to nature, agriculture, and technology.
Central to the development of ideas have been oral histories collected as part of the Rye Reflections project. Details of each installation and the accompanying oral history extract can be seen on the Teesside University web page
Students were supported by Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design, Charlie Tait, an inter-disciplinary designer who often works with cultural and heritage based subject matter. Charlie said:
This project has required a deep engagement to develop creative responses that function in this specific environment. I think the students would agree the project has taken them into new areas of practice and given valuable insight into the practical constraints of realising their work.
We have worked together to analyse research, question concepts and test materials – it has been magical to see this work installed and reflect on the journey each student has been on as they respond to feedback to take their ideas forward.
The project has included an initial field trip with artist, Paula Hickey, and photographer, John Arnison, as well as presentations to project officers, Amy Carrick and Francesca Pert. These experiences have helped students gain insight into the collaborative nature of creative work. I would like to specifically thank our expert workshop technicians; their positivity and knowledge of materials has been invaluable.
The installations will remain on the Rye Reflections Art Trail until October 2022 and represent a unique opportunity to see how students in the School of Art & Creative Industries work on live project briefs as part of their degree course. For further information about courses in Art and Design please visit the following pages