SOUTH Hill Park Arts Centre is set to host a new exhibition promoting water safety.
Bodies of Water sees Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) collaborating with the centre and with young people to create an art project which encourages the understanding of water as a force of nature.
Staff from the centre commissioned artist Hermione Thomson to work with textiles students at King’s Academy, Binfield, in a series of workshops to create a piece which was composed using cyanotypes.
This is a camera-free image recording process more than two centuries old, and the blue tint from which the process gets its name was used to evoke the reference of water.
Creative media students at Bracknell and Wokingham College were also invited to document the creation of the artwork as part of a work experience program.
The exhibition opened on Friday, May 12, taking pride of place in the grand staircase of South Hill Park’s Arts centre,
Dave Crease, Group Manager, RBFRS, said: “We approached staff at South Hill ark Arts Centre as we wanted their expertise in how we could better engage with young people around the issue of water safety.
“As a fire and rescue service we have been called to a number of tragic incidents on Berkshire’s waterways, and we were keen to explore the use of art to illustrate the dangers of swimming in unsupervised bodies of water.”
Becky Jones, Learning, participation and community engagement co-ordinator at South Hill Park Arts Centre, commented: “It has been such a highlight for South Hill Park to design and produce this project, culminating in a truly poignant, engaging arts exhibition.
“We are delighted to have supported local school students to learn from such an excellent artist, working collaboratively to create thought- provoking prints.
“A huge thank you to everyone involved in this important project.”
Textile Artist Hermione Thomson, said: “It has been a privilege to work alongside such a talented group of people to create a meaningful and educational body of work using the Cyanotype process.
“The exhibition hopes to raise awareness of the dangers surrounding open water.”
Emily Moulton, work experience coordinator for the creative industries at Bracknell & Wokingham College, commented: “This has been a fantastic project for our learners to engage with as a part of their work experience.
“It’s allowed them to gain hands-on, practical creative skills that will strengthen their future employability, as well as allowing them to engage with the community around them.”
