Form 5 visit YSP

A recent trip to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park offered our young artists inspiration and an insight into the work of the acclaimed artist Ed Kluz. Mrs Pearson tells us more about the trip.

Earlier this month the whole of Form 5 had the pleasure of a day out at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. They spent part of the morning having a guided tour of some of the permanent collection of sculptures in the park, learning about the artists and discussing the history and context of the works.

The rest of the morning was spent at the “Sheer Folly – Fanciful Buildings of Britain” exhibition in the main building. It is the largest solo exhibition to date by artist, illustrator and printmaker Ed Kluz who celebrates the eccentric, uncanny and overlooked follies, temples and towers that dot the British landscape.

The pupils were able to take over the main gallery and spend time sketching and designing their own folly. It was a great opportunity to study the artist’s work up close in advance of his visit to school next month. We are very excited (and lucky) that Ed Kluz himself has agreed to come and do a workshop with the pupils early in December and we eagerly await the chance to see the artist at work and learn his techniques first hand.

After lunch we went to the outdoor workshop where the pupils split into small groups to produce their own ‘follies’ using some of the vast stock of materials available. Titles of works included “Leaf it”, “Horrible Homework Treehouse” and the “Magic Maker” to name a few, presentations of the works included performance art in some cases and all were incredibly imaginative. I was delighted that the pupils showed so much enthusiasm, initiative and team work and were a credit to the school.