Stunning student artwork showing Northampton’s heritage on display at Lamport Hall

Fine Art students at the University of Northampton will be showcasing their talent at the Forecast Public Art Festival taking place at Lamport Hall over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

As part of the project, the 21 first year students were tasked with exploring Lamport Hall’s rich heritage and unique character and to create temporary artwork that responds to their research and engages visitors.

The artwork has been installed across the gardens and hall and will be open to the public from Sunday 1 to Monday 2 May, alongside Lamport Hall’s Arts and Crafts Fair. Each piece has been installed in the particular location it was inspired by and includes sculpture, painting, print, animation, text, photography, installation and sound pieces.

Ruby Cresswell and Matthew Lewis Crick are two of the students involved in this year’s exhibition. Ruby has created a contemporary representation of the swan motif that is a reoccurring image within Lamport Hall, while Matthew’s creation is a theatre box housing a collection of prints containing mythological imagery from the enchanted stories embedded within the Hall’s history.

Ruby said: “Lamport Hall and everyone involved have really welcomed us with open arms, encouraging our designs and ideas for the Forecast Public Art Festival. Through numerous site visits and on-going contact with Lamport, I feel that we have been able to keep actively involved with fabricating, producing and installing the artwork and we have treated the exhibition as if we are artists working outside of our degrees. It will be incredibly exciting to see our work displayed publicly for the first time.

“It would be wonderful to maintain and extend the friendship with Lamport through years to come so more students are able to experience the opportunity we have been given.”

Victoria Howlett, House Assistant at Lamport Hall said: “We are delighted to be working with the students at the University of Northampton. They have come up with some really innovative ideas, engaging with the story of Lamport Hall and interpreting its history in new and exciting ways.”

Dr Richard Hollinshead, Senior Lecturer at the University of Northampton commented: “This exhibition builds upon 2015’s inaugural event in Northampton’s town centre and cultural quarter; this year’s showcase is to be held at one of the county’s most engaging cultural and heritage venues.

“Within the students’ diverse artwork, there have been several emerging themes and common concerns – most notably that of Lamport Hall’s women – always influential, often overlooked. Stewardship of the land is touched upon in the artwork that reference environmental pollution and green energy, whilst others seek to reveal and promote the beauty of the current gardens and estate, with some iconology from the Hall.”

Find out more about Lamport Hall.