Arts
Timeless timepieces
A collection of works illustrating the significance of
time is to go on show at the University Gallery later this month.
Engineering Nature consists of a collection of beautiful and
functional clocks and sculptures by Suffolk-based artist Robert Simon.
Born in Birmingham in 1926, Simon is an artist, designer, clockmaker
and printer with a background as wide-ranging as his talents. He initially
trained as an engineer and as such has been able to transfer his
understanding of how things are constructed into an artistic context and
develop precision engineering techniques to use in sculpture. He uses a
variety of materials in his sculpture, such as bronze, brass, slate,
Portland stone and acrylic. He has also made nearly 200 sculptural clocks
for private individuals and companies such as British Steel, Henry Ford
International, and Essex County Newspapers.
This exhibition of works will focus on a number of themes including
growth and change in nature, the cycle of the moon, and the interconnected
movements of clocks. Although not a comprehensive overview of his artistic
career, the show does offer the chance to focus on engineering and nature
as two fundamental and constant threads within Simon's art.
Engineering Nature is also able to go beyond the gallery walls
as a couple of Simon's sculptures can be found around Wivenhoe Park. In
1999 a local collector Mary Brittain donated to the University two works
by Simon in the interests of broadening the range of outdoor sculpture on
campus. The Spinney, a work comprising of seven vertical, angular blades
of worked galvanised steel, can be found near to Lakeside House.
Campus expresses its dreams
Inspired by the moving works of Argentinean artist Martin
Weber, a local young photographer recently asked members of the University
community what they dreamt of being, doing and having.
During the recent exhibition of photographs by Weber at the University
Gallery, Christina Fraser, a student at the Colchester Sixth Form College,
spent several days on campus speaking to people about their dreams and
photographing them. In line with Weber's internationally renowned images,
Christina asked her subjects to write their dreams on a slate.
Christina discovered Weber during an earlier exhibition at the
Photographer's Gallery in London. During 2003 she spent several weeks
photographing members of the public in Colchester town centre as part of a
project about the photographer for her AS Level studies. On hearing that
he was later due to appear at the University Gallery she jumped at the
chance to extend the exhibition out into the campus squares. Invited by
Gallery Director Jessica Kenny, Christina spent several days on campus in
January recording the dreams of staff and students. She developed all the
black and white images herself at her home in Ramsey, Harwich.
A window cleaner dreams of winning the lottery
Also in the printed February edition of Wyvern:
- Loriot has audience in stitches
- And 5,6,7,8...
