Take a stroll through our picturesque Whiteknights campus and it’s impossible not to be struck by the natural beauty of its landscape.
In addition to this natural beauty, you will spy many examples of public art displayed across our estate, from thought-provoking modern sculpture, to the austere oil paintings of our founders that adorn the walls of Park House, looking on at visitors enjoying a drink in the public bar.
Our commitment to public art is not merely decorative; it is a reflection of our values and aspirations as an institution.
Public art has the power to enrich our daily experiences, foster debate, and create new connections. It serves as a statement of support for creativity and quality of life for our students, staff, and visitors. Through our arts strategy, we aim to improve our campus environment, engage audiences, and invest in new artworks that showcase people more than property.
Our art collection puts work by internally recognised artists beside those whose careers are just beginning. For example, visitors to our library can view Willesden Junction, a powerful painting by Leon Kossoff, alongside pieces by our own talented students past and present.
In a university, artworks can remind us that learning, science and discovery of all kinds can be understood in more ways than one. For example, the Floating Garden sculpture, which can be seen between the trees outside our library, incorporates visible pieces of plastic waste, prompting discussion about our environmental and cultural footprints.
In recent years we have launched a ‘sounds of nature’ audio trail to help people learn more about the plants and history of the Harris Garden, and last month saw the official launch of our The World Reimagined Globe Trail Project.
The globe trail is a set of four unique globe sculptures created to help mark the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade. These were originally created as part of a national exhibition and now we are proud to become custodians of these important artworks, that will help us face our shared history so we can learn from it and create better futures for all.
As part of this project, we launched a crowdfunding campaign to purchase the globes, which are now dotted across our Whiteknights campus. I’d like to personally thank all of the donors that contributed towards making this project a reality.
And we want people to come and look. Our new ‘Art on Campus’ map, which can be found on our website, helps people to locate each of the globes, as well as other indoor and outdoor artwork, and provides information about each piece. The map itself is a work of careful design, produced by two of our Typography & Graphic Communication students.
Yet more artwork is currently hidden from view, stored in archives or displayed in non-public parts of the University. We want to open this up to everyone. That’s why we are soon to launch a new digital guide to the University of Reading Art Collection, providing online access to the 1,200 pieces in the collection. This will make our artwork available to people everywhere, with guides in 30 languages. Look out for more information soon.
Art will remain at the heart of our vision for a vibrant, engaging and thought-provoking environment. Looking after our cultural treasures, and creating art in all its forms, is an investment in ideas.
