Be You Exhibition

Afrotastic

ART

‘Afrotastic’ is a creative exhibition which will be taking place from the 6th June - 17th July, open to pupils, parents, and members of the public. It will feature work inspired by Africa, produced by artists, photographers, and textiles students at Eastbourne College together with a collection of portraits from Ben Wolstenholme (OE) centred on African American culture, all organised by the Be You Race & Ethnicity Group. It came from a hope that we could get people talking and educating themselves about African culture through creative means, as well as give African pupils a chance to re-connect with their heritage. There will be artwork, food, music, videos and most of all, a chance to learn about, talk about and celebrate African culture. So come along – we hope to see you there! Billy, Abi, Rebekah, Liv & Tash

I was inspired by Ivana Besevic, a Serbian painter who specialises in portraiture influenced by drama, cinema, and photography. I photographed Halimat in the studio using the lights to add drama to her features and manipulated them in Photoshop to accentuate the highlights and shadows and increase the vibrancy of the colours like Besevic. – Cecile Farrant

I have always loved the bright colours and intricate patterns within African clothing, and this was something I wanted to explore, and so I designed my own patterns to include in my final piece. I created a mixed media piece, influenced by the printing techniques often used to print patterns onto fabric, and was something I really enjoyed experimenting with. The bright coloured relief patterns were laboriously embroidered. – Evie Sleep

Piece by Jessie Tarrant

Piece by Liv Reeves

This piece describes the masked feelings prior to the Black Lives Matter Protests. The masks look in opposing directions, concealing the anger and disgust towards the racism present. The main figure looks forward towards a new direction in response to the Protests. A new horizon, edging humanity closer to a world without racism. I was inspired by the artist Lucien Freud, as the masks that surround the main figure possess these brushstrokes that make mimic the style. The composition was influenced by the classic “operatic” style as Bohemian Rhapsody. – Joe Kettle I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the Black History Celebration exhibition: A hyper-realist drawing inspired by my art hero, Nigerian artist Arinze Stanley, who integrates his personal experiences into his incredible hyper-realist drawings. The aim of the portraits was to encapsulate each subjects’ personality, whether that be through a cheeky smile, a cheesy grin, or a straight face, achieving a more intimate connection between the viewer and the subject. A third drawing is underway! – Flo Long

ART

After seeing all these amazing pieces of artwork, I can assure that this is not an exhibition that you want to miss. The different techniques and presentations for each of these pieces are so unique and fascinating to observe. Do not miss it! 6th June - 17th July. Please do come along and show your support for all the contributors and producers of this incredible exhibition.