|
Tom
Goddard and Brian Watkins are second year Fine Art - Painting students
at the University of Gloucestershire and they're determined to get
your attention!
 |
| Brian
and Tom are also showing their work at the Locations exhibition
in Gloucester |
From
Tuesday May 6 they will be showing their work at the 'To Let' gallery
in an exhibition entitled 'What the F*!k are you Looking At?'.
The
show aims to highlight fears about the future of their course.
Tom
is totally committed to his art but he is evidently anxious about
the future. "There is a general sense of apathy in the college,"
he says. "And a group of us are worried about the direction
the university is going to take with the Fine Art - Painting course."
Brian
agrees: "We feel we've lost some of our top tutors. When we
started this course we had the likes of Emma Talbot and Neil Walton
on board. They are very highly thought of in the academic arts community
and now they are moving on the Fine Art course here could lose some
of its clout.
What's
really worrying us is that the university might decide to phase
the course out altogether because they don't seem to be employing
any other high profile tutors to replace the ones who are leaving.
 |
| Brian
Watkins |
"What's
really worrying us is that the university might decide to phase
the course out altogether because they don't seem to be employing
any other high profile tutors to replace the ones who are leaving."
In
the last few years the university has closed the Visual Arts and
Ceramics courses along with Fashion Design and Performing Arts.
The
students have a strong sense that they have to do something to save
the course for future students.
Paul
Drake, director of external affairs at the university, admitted
that a number of staff had moved on but he explained that the department
was overstaffed in the first instance.
"With
some staff leaving it puts back the equilibrium," said Paul.
"The remaining staff are of a very high calibre but sometimes
students make personal judgements about which staff are better or
worse.
"All
our tutors are published experts in their field and we have every
confidence in them."
Courses
do come and go and some courses aren't always economically viable.
We have bouyant applications for our media courses and we aim
to serve the local population and beyond by being a vibrant,
forward looking educational establishment. |
| Paul
Drake |
But
Mr Drake has admitted that following the government's white paper
- 'The Future of Higher Education' - the University of Gloucestershire
is currently discussing what 'kind' of university it is going to
become.
"Courses
do come and go, and some courses aren't always economically viable,"
he said.
"We
have bouyant applications for our media courses and we aim to serve
the local population and beyond by being a vibrant, forward looking
educational establishment."
No
proposals
Mr
Drake insisted that there were no proposals about the future of
the Fine Art course at present and in any event current students
would naturally have the future of their course guaranteed.
Brian
and Tom are hoping that by creating a lively arts environment at
the university their efforts will persuade decision makers that
art is integral to university life.
"The
best way to fight for our art is to show how busy we are,"
said Tom. "As long as the college is full of work and paintings
then it's still alive."
The
exhibition features the work of Tom and Brian and their fellow student
Charlie Cook and includes paintings and video pieces set against
the backdrop of a futuristic soundscape entitled 'All My Eye and
Betty Martin'.
You
can see 'What the F*!k are you Looking At?' from May 6 at the To
Let Gallery on campus which is open to students and the public.
| 'What
the F*!k Are You Looking At? |
| Venue |
To
Let Gallery - University of Gloucestershire |
| Date |
Tues
May 6 - Friday May16 |
| Time |
Open
all day |
| Tickets |
Free |
|
