For one night only on the 19th April 2018, a group of 12 Visual Arts students grouped together from the University of Salford to bring Manchester a night of artwork, sculpture, photography and live performance. I went along to the event to explore the students work, and to see what opportunities studying Visual Arts at Salford brings…

University of Salford student Liam Stevenson with his painting, audio and live performance ‘Out of Our Hands’.

 

It was clear that the students had been preparing for months for the event, and that each of them are hugely passionate about their work. The exhibition was hosted at local venue and studios Paradise Works, which is one of the many up and coming exhibition spaces developing around Salford.

The venue consisted of a large room which split into two, allowing each artist to display multiple works. There was also another room which had been dimly lit, to host three artworks of sculpture and media. One of the students from the group, Mollie Balshaw, curated the exhibition along with exhibiting. Every aspect of the exhibition was organised and run by the group of students, from catering to curating.

 

“This evening has been a great opportunity for the students. It’s been wonderful to see such creative and stimulating work!” – Rosie Miller (Director of Arts and Media)

 

The exhibition was an exploration of the relationship between the digital and physical, with the students challenging perceptions of reality with multimedia artworks, shaping their practice in response to the ubiquity of the online world into everyday lives.

Many members of staff from the School of Arts and Media also attended the event, supporting their students. Events like this are crucial for building a community for new artists, and networking for any students hoping to get into the industry.

University of Salford student Jade Williams with her ink and acrylic pieces ‘I’ll pull your crooked teeth’.

Overall I had a wonderful night, discovering new ways to create and display art, new ideas and ways of seeing. I would recommend student exhibitions to anyone, especially fellow students. Support your peers, and support local art.

 

Special thanks to all of the students and staff for hosting a great exhibition! See the full set of photos from the night over on the School of Arts and Media Facebook page.

 

 

Photography: India Booth