On Monday 20th May, the Scott Award Committee held the opening night to their annual exhibition of student works in the Norman Rea Gallery.
The exhibition, which is also a competition, will remain in the Norman Rea Gallery untill 1st June.
The Scott Award is an annual competition run by a committee of students. The Scott Award committee also run art workshops and open mic nights throughout the year as a way of promoting t ts within the University.
The theme of this year's exhibition was ‘Censorship and Security’ and was organised by the committee’s curator Senah Tuma. The competition was judged in two categories, still and performance art, with a prize being awarded for both and to an overall winner.
The exhibition was judged by three local artists; Sarah Hall Baqai, Simon Palmour, and Ian Cameron.
In preparation for this piece, I interviewed a handful of the exhibition's attendees, curator Senah Tuma, and the judges, in order to get a range of viewpoints on the exhibition.
The Exhibition
The still art category displayed a pieces of a range of art mediums, including poetry, paintings, textiles and embroidery, and all were unique and of an extremely high quality.
One of the most unexpected pieces was a taxidermy Guinea pig.
“My favourite piece was the taxidermy. I saw it as adhering to the theme because it shows death, which we often shield ourselves from. Taxidermy is also an uncomfortable and unconventional art form. In fact, it’s often not viewed as an art form. I spoke with the artist; she explained the long intricate process behind taxidermy, and the emotional rollercoaster she went through while creating this piece, which made me view it much more like a traditional art piece. It caused a lot of conversation, which the theme was supposed to do.” – Millie, an attendee.
Another favourite piece was a set of two paintings called Exposure I and Exposure II.
“It was visually intriguing, but also adhered to the theme. I saw it as exploring the censorship of women's bodies through the distorted view of the woman, and this made me consider society's expectations and exploitation of women and their bodies.” - Ben, an attendee.
The winner of the still art category was Laura Moseley, who entered a set of intricate embroidered illustrations of women’s bodies which Moseley defines as “marginalised”, challenging preconceptions about beauty. In the accompanying caption, Moseley cited the inspiration for the piece as coming from an from an article about the censorship of women’s bodies on social media. The article talked about the suspension of the Instagram accounts of plus-sized women and the removal of their posts, where they had uploaded pictures in swimwear and underwear, under the guise of ‘community guidelines’ regarding nudity. In contrast, similar shots posted by models and those with ‘traditionally beautiful’ body types have not had the same reaction.
“In an age of Instagram selfie culture, where ‘body positivity’ has become a buzzword in social media-focused advertising, I think it is interesting to think about which bodies have actually been accepted and embraced within this movement. Bodies that are traditionally marginalised - fat bodies, disabled bodies, Black and brown bodies - are still considered a ‘violation’. When they are visible online, it often opens the floodgates to thousands of abusive comments, making this an issue of both censorship and security. As activist Sarah Rosen says in the article “erasure and censorship are documented tools of oppression, and we can’t allow this blatant discrimination of fat bodies to continue.” - Laura Moseley
Each intricate piece was hand embroidered and took over 20 hours to complete.
The piece was a favourite of many attendees. “I really liked the embroidery display. It was simple but effective. I especially liked how a traditionally feminine artform was used to reclaim femininity and challenge and revise standards of beauty.” – Beth, an attendee.
The performance art category displayed one entry, a spoken word/body art hybrid by Rosie Day presenting art and the art world as an extended metaphor for sexism and exploitation, with the speaker completing the piece by painting herself, showing her rebelling by defining herself.
“I admire the guts it took to perform in front of everyone. The poem was beautifully written and very well delivered. The subject really spoke to me.” – Beth, an attendee.
As well as winning the performance art category, the installation was also awarded the overall prize because of the appeal of the subject matter and the quality of the performance. The gallery displays the poem that was performed on the opening night, as well as the frame and paint splattered dress the artist performed in, showing how the structures which previously oppressed her have been left behind.
Interview with the Curator
I interviewed Senah Tuma, the exhibition’s curator to explore her feelings on organising the exhibition.
Why did you choose the theme of ‘Censorship and Security’?
“Last year’s Scott Award committee chose the theme, but I was nevertheless very pleased with variety of the artistic responses to quite a specific theme. It allowed people to tackle and comment on current issues.”
How was it curating your first exhibition?
“Being a part of the Scott Award Committee has allowed me to try something I’ve always wanted to do but have never previously had the opportunity to. It was an intimidating but overall very rewarding experience which taught me how to tackle a range of challenges. For example, how to display pieces in such a range of mediums; taxidermy, collage, textile pieces.”
What do you feel was the challenging piece to put up?
“The performance piece had the most things to consider when setting up for it. The space had to be accessible and central so people wouldn’t walk onto it. I spoke with the artist to discuss it, as the space had to fit the intentions for the performance, and it would have to pay homage to the performance afterwards.”
What pieces were you surprised by?
“The parasol was an interesting take on the theme in a non-traditional medium I wasn’t expecting. It was a unique object and brought an interesting side to the exhibition and theme. Many don’t see really textiles and functional objects as art, but many of the visitors were really drawn to it. I think it helped expand the views of the visitors of what ‘art’ entails.”
How was the exhibition received?
“I feel that the public received the exhibition really well. I was pleasantly surprised with how many people came up to me and gave their compliments for the exhibition and expressed how impressed they were with not only the quality of the submissions, but with the interpretations of the theme.”
Do you have any plans for the future?
“Through my involvement with the Norman Rea Gallery and the Scott Award committee I hope to, in the future, continue to put on exhibitions and help inexperienced curators – like myself – gain experience. Ultimately my goal is to further the involvement of the community with the arts – and I look forward to it!”
Judge's Feedback
The three judges expressed how impressed they were with the quality of the entries this year.
Commenting on the theme, Simon Palmour stated “it really seemed to connect with students.” Indeed, the theme allowed students to have a say on the political and social aspects of the world around them, and express these opinions through their art.
Being his third time judging the competition, Palmour also stated it was the best Scott Award exhibition he had yet witnessed.
Ian Cameron stated "The standard of work overall was amazing, especially as none of the students are specialising in Art as a major." Indeed, it was impressive. It is also a healthy and necessary part of the university for students to have an outlet for their creativity, especially when the products of which can be displayed in a professional setting and garner the respect they deserve.
Sarah Hall Baqai commented on the importance of holding it in the gallery, “making the event a real occasion.” Indeed, the exhibition felt professional and official creating a hub of discussion about the art and topics among all attendees, showing again the importance of allowing a space for art and artistic discussion among students, the public, and artistic professionals.
The exhibition overall was enlightening. It was a joy to see art of such a range of mediums, with each piece approaching the theme in a unique way. It was also uplifting to see the artistic talents of students displayed, and to witness the excitement and support of their peers about their works and ideas.
The Scott Award Committee would like to offer a big thank you to the Committee of the Norman Rea Gallery for hosting their annual exhibition, giving the talents of students the visibility they deserve.
Photgraphy
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