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Blazing a trail to the degree show Is it art or is it vandalism? That's the question at the centre of the lively debate University of Plymouth art students have taken beyond the campus and into the community as part of this year's Degree Show, which will be welcoming the public between 20 and 26 June. The fine art students behind the mysterious white lines on pavements, grass and roads that appeared at the weekend are Sue Austin and Jack Morris, who created the trails as part of their Freewheeling project, using temporary pitch-marking paint, Sue's specially developed paint wheelchair and a paint bike. The tracks that have sparked the 'art versus vandalism' debate lead to the iconic Roland Levinsky Building on the campus and the Royal William Yard, the two venues for the show which presents the work of final-year students across areas ranging from art, design and architecture to media and humanities. Since their creation, the city has been buzzing with talk about the lines - supporters have been vocal in their appreciation of the ingenuity and creativity of the work while others see the lines as an eyesore and view it as 'vandalism'. Mature student Sue, whose mobility problems mean she needs to use a wheelchair, said: "I created the tracks through the city as a way of drawing positive attention to the wheelchair as a symbol of freedom, power and fun. While we understand people's concern and are aware that some of the lines may have inadvertently caused confusion, it is great our work is creating debate, which is exactly what we believe art should do." Jack filmed the route for his lines from a canoe before encircling the city centre with his paint bike - seen from above, his trail outlines the profile of a face. The third student involved in the innovative Freewheeling project is Shirley Phillips, who has brought the country into the city by creating and installing a plaited grass spiral at Frankfort Gate. From the outset of planning their project the students consulted widely, including Plymouth City Council and local traders in their discussions. Regretfully, due to a misunderstanding, they did not have explicit written permission for a part of their project - the lines on the roads - and the university has apologised for any confusion over this. David Coslett, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Pro Vice-Chancellor, said: "These temporary lines have been created as part of a bold and innovative project aimed at re-shaping people's opinion of the wheelchair as a symbol of power, freedom and fun. The project will be showcased along with hundreds of others at the Degree Show opening on 20 June. It's clear that the work has had an impact and we encourage all our students to be adventurous and ambitious in their projects. However, we apologise for any possible confusion and are working with the council to ensure that any problems, particularly for road users, are dealt with." To find out more about the Degree Show, visit the Arts Degree Show webpages. Related external articles: Radio Devon The Herald |
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