Girton Youth Project presents Beyond the Brick exhibition

 

A GROUP of talented young artists from Girton are exhibiting their work at a Cambridge art gallery as part of an art project linked to London’s Tate Gallery.

Circuit is a four-year national programme connecting 15-25 year olds to arts in galleries and museums working in partnership with the youth and cultural sector. Led by the Tate and funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, it provides opportunities for young people to steer their own learning and create cultural activity across art disciplines.

The group of young artists whose everyday jobs range from photographer, screen printer and tattooist, are aged between 16 and 24. Members of the Girton Youth Project (GYP), they have spent the past four months preparing for next month’s (May) Beyond The Brick exhibition at the Cambridge Artworks in Green’s Road, Cambridge.

Curator Jack Cornell described the main body of work as ‘urban art’ – art inspired by street youth culture through screen printing, painting, graffiti and photography.

Tim Shuker-Yates, Youth Project Manager with GYP, said: “I’ve been working with these guys for seven years and this to me is the culmination of all this work.

“What’s exciting about all the artists is that none of them have taken the usual educational route in their creative practice. It’s fair to say that none of them have excelled in the sterile environment of school but instead have found inspiration from the rest of the world, so their connection has been Street Art, Urban Art culture and Graffiti.

“Having said that, not all the group are traditional graffiti artists. The work has diversified into photography, screen print, video and tattooing, but it’s true to say that the common ground with the whole group is the spray can.”

The Beyond the Brick exhibition is the first ‘white cube’ exhibition for the diverse and eclectic artists made up of Kyle Warwick, Jamie O’Brien, Kienan Naylor and Kieran O’Brien.

Shuker-Yates added: “With the help of Jack Cornell and the Circuit Cambridge group, connected to Wysing Arts Centre and Kettle’s Yard, this will be their opportunity to reveal just how talent can grow from a less obvious path.”

The exhibition at the Cambridge Artworks starts with a private viewing, open to the public, on Friday 26 May at 6pm and continues on the 27 and 28 May.

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