Arts at University of Southampton

Fidelma O’Riordan reflects: Haroon Mirza

In a series of blog posts, Fidelma O’Riordan – Artswork Creative Apprentice at John Hansard Gallery – will be sharing her thoughts and reflections on various online exhibitions that have taken place as part of the Gallery’s lockdown programme.

Today, in her first piece, Fidelma shares her thoughts on Haroon Mirza’s online video exhibition entitled /\/\/\/\ /\/\/\/\, shown by John Hansard Gallery as part of Southampton Science and Engineering Festival Goes Digital 2020. You can see the exhibition here until Saturday 25 July.

Introducing Fiona Sunderland, Student Insights Coordinator with the Arts team

Fiona has enjoyed finding ways to keep busy during lockdown!

What is your role at Arts at University of Southampton?

I’ll be working as “Arts, Culture and Student Insights Coordinator” which is a fancy title I came up with to look cool on LinkedIn. In reality, it means I’ll be working closely with Louise Coysh and Jen Harris in the University’s Arts and Culture team, alongside our venues John Hansard Gallery and Turner Sims, to look at how we can develop the student experience around the University’s arts and culture offer. This involves supporting the student voice in the Heart of Campus project and city-wide cultural development. I’ll be particularly focused on making sure we have extensive student consultation and input!

🎥 WATCH: Larry Achiampong interviewed by Arts at University of Southampton

Student Arts Ambassador Kate Briggs-Price interviewed artist Larry Achiampong in January 2020, during his solo exhibition When the Sky Falls at John Hansard Gallery, 25 January – 14 March 2020.

Larry and Kate chat about all things – from working across different mediums and taking artistic inspiration from popular culture, to class, race, privilege and the environment (and how they are all connected).

John Hansard Gallery is part of University of Southampton and is funded by Arts Council England. Larry Achiampong is represented by Copperfield Gallery, London.

With thanks to Larry Achiampong and John Hansard Gallery.

Video by Kate Briggs-Price.

Top 10 online resources from Southampton cultural organisations

As promised in the introduction to our Show Must Go Online campaign, we have gathered information and intelligence from across the Southampton area to produce a round-up of the best arts resources from local cultural organisations available online.

We have selected a top 10 choice of our favourites, listed below. Enjoy!

SOTSEF 2020: artist Susannah Pal reflects on her exhibition, ‘Stopping the E Waste Tsunami’

Between 8 and 15 March, for Southampton Science and Engineering Festival (SOTSEF) 2020, artist Susannah Pal took up residence and exhibited a range of oil paintings and ink collages in the foyer of University of Southampton’s Hartley Library.

Susannah’s exhibition focused on the problems of eWaste, the fastest growing waste stream in the world, and was the result of a collaboration with Professor Ian Williams of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Science.

Back in March, much of the original SOTSEF 2020 festival – including the annual Southampton Science and Engineering Day – had to be suddenly postponed due to the then increasing threat posed by COVID-19. Susannah’s exhibition was able to go ahead, however.

Now, the resourceful SOTSEF team at University of Southampton’s Public Engagement with Research Unit have brought the festival back in digital form, with activity taking place between May 22 and July 25 of this year.

To coincide with the digital rebirth of SOTSEF, we are publishing a blog post by Susannah Pal in which she reflects on her exhibition and the experiences she had during the original SOTSEF week.