Critchill Artists exhibit in Frome Town Hall

A new exhibition comes to the Town Hall showcasing work produced by the year 10, 11 and Post 16 students of Critchill School. 

Their project began with a story about a little girl called Hana Brady, who sadly ended her life in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany and her story is told in the book ‘Hana’s Suitcase’ by Karen Levine. The work represents acts of remembrance through art.

Post 16 students, Bethia, Mickey and Corrie, explored the Japanese art of Origami, partly because the story of ‘Hana’s Suitcase’ began at the Children’s Holocaust Education Centre in Tokyo.

In the nineties, an American Project called the Butterfly Project and formed part of the Holocaust Memorial programme for students. Critchill students decided to adapt the project to focus instead on Moths, as Moths journey from the darkness towards the light.  Birds often symbolise freedom and the students felt that this theme would present an opportunity to generate something beautiful in memory of the atrocities faced by the Jewish people during the war. The card sculpture of a dove was produced by Tony and Owen, who were inspired by Banksy’s peace dove and wanted to produce something out of waste material. They decided to use only waste card, and manipulate it using a number of processes and techniques.

The wire birds were made by students in Kestrels and Hawks classes, year 10 and year 11.  Students decided to depict birds in flight, having looked at the wire work of artist Celia Smith, as inspiration.

The cloaks which also feature were made primarily from old clothing. This process was used to represent the clothing piles left by those who perished in the gas chambers and the belongings that are left when someone is gone.

Ross who is blind made the ‘red’ cloak said, as he wore the cloak, that, it felt heavy but was like he had wings.

The exhibition will be in Frome Town Hall until July 21st so please call in to view during office hours. There will be a public reception attended by Critchill Students on the 14th July from 3.30 – 5pm.  Members of the public are welcome.

Artists and community groups who are interested in putting on an exhibition should contact info@frometowncouncil.gov.uk.