Week-long showcase for University of Chichester fine art graduates

Lauryn Lockyear is exhibiting (contributed pic)

Following a successful degree show on their Bognor campus, the newly graduating University of Chichester BA fine art students have a week-long showcase at The Oxmarket Contemporary from August 8-13.

As Lauryn Lockyear says, during their three years study from September 2020, they worked through interruptions and closures due to Covid and a move to the new St Michaels building on the Bognor Regis campus.

“Despite these challenges, artistic passions and new ideas were developed. This year’s class is a diverse bunch in age, aesthetics and talent. Sculpture seems to one of the shared approaches, with different works using clay, plaster, metals, and fabrics. Harnessing the power of wool and needlework is another highlight.

“Some share a more traditional approach to the fine arts, focusing on portraiture, still life or landscapes while others are more abstract or conceptual; there’s even a lively art installation featuring live singing and musical performance during which a massive abstract expressionist painting is created.”

Tim Sandys-Renton, programme coordinator for fine art and senior lecturer in fine art sculpture, said: “This is an amazing opportunity for these emerging artists, the first truly professional exhibition, out in the real world, since completing their degree. The university celebrates their talent, creativity and confidence in presenting new and alternative ways of responding to the world. I urge you to do the same: to spend time finding out what the intentions were for each work and which contemporary artists were studied in order to develop the subtle particularities of artistic style and visual language that you see before you.

“Starting on August 8, these emerging artists will get a second chance to exhibit their degree show works. With this support from The Oxmarket they will gain a close insight into the art world and gain real professional experience to help them push forward in their future artistic endeavours.”

Lauryn said: “The idea is to capture as much of the essence of the degree show as we can, but some main differences are only nine of the original artists out of 13 are presenting, and some of the arrangements will be different in how they can fit into the Oxmarket.

"The way I’m planning it is to have original images and the official book on the side of the represented work – a sort of graduate homage to the degree show. It could be considered a bit condensed, but overall just a good chance for the artists who are representing to get some good art world experience and another chance to exhibit and sell their works.”

Taking part are: Lauryn Lockyear, Christine Burgess, Jan Cursons, Sophie Buss, Natalia Dygus, Jo Duncan-Smith, Daniel Gent, James McLoughlin and Sam Chara.

For more information on the degree show and its artists, follow the University of Chichester: fine art department on Facebook (Facebook - University of Chichester: Fine Art Department) or Instagram (@chichesterart).