A visit to Houghton Hall’s major art exhibition has now become a staple on the calendar for our Art and Design department and provides a vital opportunity to enrich the delivery of the art curriculum. This year, students had the opportunity to view the work of British sculptor Stephen Cox in his exhibition entitled Myth. (You can read more about Stephen Cox and the exhibition here.) The aims of the visit were to: explore the artworks through personal observation, discussion and primary research; be encouraged to think independently, analyse information and ask informed questions; develop creative thinking, expression and personal growth. Below, you can read about Martyna, Hannah and Molly’s experiences and view photos from the visit. (Click on any photo to enlarge it).
On the trip we were given the freedom to walk around and explore Houghton Hall. The major exhibition at Houghton Hall was Stephen Cox: Myth, which is a unique exhibition of large scale monumental sculptures. I was drawn to some of his work in which he explores the connection between human form with other creatures and animals. His work has inspired me to want to discover these connections in a similar way and perhaps create my own sculptures.
My personal project is ‘Nature’, so I was really impressed and inspired by the walled garden at Houghton Hall. The garden was absolutely gorgeous, it was divided into subsections, each one had its own unique aesthetic featuring a variety of flowers and plants. There were sculptures exhibited throughout the garden and I could appreciate the intentional placement which drew a connection between human creation – the sculptures and fountains, and the creations of nature surrounding them.
I had a lovely time at Houghton Hall. From this visit I have taken plenty of pictures of the exhibited sculptures and the stunning scenery. I found the trip to be very inspiring, reflecting on it has helped me to come up with many ideas which I am planning to use to influence my project moving forward. (Martyna)
I really enjoyed my trip to Houghton Hall and found Stephen Cox’s exhibition to be inspiring. I think it is important to be able to view artworks in real life to help your understanding of artistic processes and meanings; the Houghton Hall trip has helped me with this. Viewing the work of a sculptor has aided me to gain a wider comprehension of the possibilities for my personal project – I have been inspired to work in a large range of materials.
I found it particularly interesting to explore the work of local artists, as it gave me a more personal connection to the art – and therefore helps to inspire my own development. Overall, my trip to Houghton Hall has been very helpful in influencing the development of my personal investigation, and I enjoyed a day out viewing art with my peers. (Hannah)
The trip to Houghton Hall was a really good experience for me to explore art in the local area. I enjoyed immersing myself in a different style of physical work with the sculptures as opposed to photography. I was really inspired by the shapes and different materials used to produce interesting and engaging pieces. I really liked how his pieces were uniquely shaped and up for multiple avenues of perception and meaning. I loved the experience of leaving the College with the art class and visiting an artsy place with other creative individuals. For example, we all looked at a particular piece and all had different interpretations of what the sculpture actually was. I look forward to including my new inspirations within my work. (Molly)
