Art

During this period of uncertainty and unprecedented isolation, art has proven to be a major solace to many. Making art has become a language in which some have found their voice or source of comfort. Artists, ever adaptable, responded to their confinement with a variety of online exhibitions, while major galleries made sure their collections were accessible. Inspired by the Getty Museum’s challenge for people to re-create an artwork with anything they might find at home, we ran our own challenge in which a number of pupils and staff took part, as well as our own in-school version of Grayson Perry’s Art Club. The Art teachers of Emanuel quickly adapted to online teaching and were delighted with the work our students produced. By March 2020 our exam groups were already uploading work to a digital platform which meant that we could carry on with our student tutorials via zoom, advising and shepherding them in developing their work. My colleagues and I were very impressed by the resourcefulness and continued focus that our students demonstrated.

Ms S MacMillan (Head of Art)

Art Scholars

In Autumn 2021 three new Art Scholars joined Saskia (L6SKH) in the Lower- Sixth; congratulations to Esme (L6LAB), Katarina (L6HC) and Freya (L6HC) who were all awarded art scholarships. In Year 9 Beckett (9HLM) joined Finn (9SED), Eva (9SED) and Mia (9SED). Meanwhile, Mia (7AFH) and Madeleine (7HAB) were awarded art scholarships in Year 7, as well as Mizuha (6USC) in Year 6.

Clubs and Activities

We have run a wealth of art clubs and super-curricular provision this year and even introduced Year 9 Clay Club and Year 10 and Lower 6 Illustration Club, as well as continuing with Junior Art Club and Sixth Form Life Drawing.We were also struck during the lockdown by the success of Grayson Perry’s Art Club on Channel 4 (which has been so popular that it has come back for a second series), so set up our own version at Emanuel.This challenge, run by Miss Cottone, saw more than 40 students across all year groups take part.

Trips

In Autumn 2021 our art students were finally welcomed back to art galleries. It was a delight to take our Year 11 GCSE students to Tate Britain and for them to be able to experience drawing from the original artworks. A week later we took our Year 10 artists to the V&A where the gallery invigilator was so impressed by the focused drawings our students were making that she asked the director of the V&A, Tristram Hunt, to come down and see them. He was very pleased to see our students sketching in the Cast Courts and said to please keep bringing our students back to the gallery!

Exhibitions

In 2022, we were able to return to holding our Art A level exhibition and it was a joy to celebrate the outstanding work on display with our students, parents and staff. We joined forces with A level Design Technology and Photography making for a very special exhibition.

Emanuel Art Lockdown Challenge

The Art department were overwhelmed by the quality of submissions for the Art Lockdown Challenge, reaching a decision about winners was incredibly difficult.