The Riverwalk: Art Hunt

1. KOKKA Company, Ltd. Echino canvas fabric flowers dots butterfly purple Bolt, 2011-2012; Heisei Period. Cotton linen mix fabric. Collection of Durham University.

_{Echino is the range of fabrics by Etsuko Furuya for KOKKA Company, Japan. Usually adorned with fresh, funky and slightly retro designs, this striking design forms layers of eye catching patterns and colours you might see on a summer’s day.  The images are taken from plants and animals at various moments that the artist feels tell their story.}

2. Artist Unknown, Slide, 1868-1914; Meiji Period. Collection of Durham University

_{This lantern slide shows a hanging bridge over River Fuji, Japan. Also known as a magic lantern, the image is printed onto a glass slide and used in an image projector. They were first manufactured in the 17^th century as people began to travel. It allowed people to show photographs, paintings and prints of places, spaces and countries they had seen.}

3. Artist Unknown, Miniature Painting, 1825-1875, Opaque Watercolour on Paper. Collection of Durham University

_{Many summer evenings are spent outside all over the world. Some are with friends and family and others are in complete solitude. The lady depicted in this miniature painting is shown on a terrace, with a traditional hookah pipe. The artist has used opaque watercolours which do not allow the light through, giving the image a chalky appearance.}

4. A. A. Macfarlane Grieve, Untitled, 1908, Photographic Print. Collection of Durham University

_{Born in London, A. A. Macfarlane Grieve became a lecturer in military subjects at Durham University following World War I. Later he became Master of both University College (Castle) and Hatfield College. The photograph albums from which this image is taken, and left to Durham University after his death, provide a glimpse into his life at Durham University. He was an avid rower and could often be found near the water, especially in summer.}

5. Jo Stanness, Apollo Pavilion, 2018/19, Collage.
Collection of Durham University

_{Jo Stanness often uses the brutalist and modernist architecture of the North-East as a central element in her work. Apollo Pavilion consists of architectural cut-outs and is part of a series of works the artist began in 2015. Initially drawn to the clean lines and geometry of brutalist architecture, the artist found their surrounding urban landscape untrue to their intended form. She adds blocks of summer colours following the existing lines of the structures or elements of buildings, as a catalyst for the division of pictorial space.}

6. Bentley Beetham, Birds, 1924, Glass lantern slide
Collection of Durham University

_{Born in Darlington, Bentley Beetham was a photographer and mountaineer who was part of the 1924 Mount Everest climb. His camera went on all his expeditions, including trips to the coast in the North-East of England. He developed a technique for photographing gannets which involved abseiling down cliffs with the rope attached to a stake driven into the ground at the top of the cliff. Beetham at this time used a bulky and heavy Sanderson half-plate field camera.}

7. Craig Oldham, NEVER FORGET NEVER FORGIVE, 2015
Collection of Durham University

_{Craig Oldham is a designer whose work crosses the boundaries of fine art and digital practice. NEVER FORGET NEVER FORGIVE recreates a protest placard in LIAISON type face. This is inspired by the ‘Liaison Committee for the Defence of The Trade Union’ (LCDTU) placards which were distributed throughout the UK Miners’ Strike 1984-1985. The print demonstrates Oldham’s technique of drawing with words.}

8. Tim Mara, Lemon Squeezer, 1991, Screenprint on paper
Collection of Durham University

_{Born in Dublin, Tim Mara studied art at Epsom, Wolverhampton and the Royal College of Art. He became a Professor of Printmaking in 1991 at the Royal College. The screenprints he made in the 1970s reveal his interest in chaotic domestic interiors. This image of a lemon squeezer is part of a series created by members of the Chelsea Art Club’s centenary in 1991. The bright, vibrant yellow is an important summer colour representing happiness and cheerfulness, imagine walking through Durham drinking freshly squeezed lemonade in the sun.}

9. W.R.Robinson (fl.1810-1875) after Richard Parkes Bonington, Fisher Folk and their Catch on the Northern French Coast, 1847, Oil on panel. Collection of Durham University

_{Sandy beaches, blue seas and summer skies. Although in France, this painting depicting a family with their catch of fish on a summer’s day could be reminiscent of past coastal scenes from across the North-East.}

10. Artist Unknown, Chinese Qing dynasty plate (detail), Porcelain. Collection of Durham University

_{This plate was found during excavations in Durham City in 1999 prior to the development of Millennium Place. The strong, iconic, vibrant blue – usually hand painted with cobalt ore under the glaze – is distinct against the white background giving it a bright summer feel.}

11. Alice Stubbings, Hands of Acceptance, 2019/20, Ink and coloured pencil on paper. Durham University Student Art Prize DIVERSITY Winner 2019/20. Collection of Durham University

_{The intention is to represent the definition of diversity and its place within society. The use of colour symbolises people from all social groups and backgrounds. The interaction of the hands represents unity, the idea of acceptance of diversity and that it strengthens society. The quotes on the hands depict that the acceptance of diversity in society has not been straightforward; it is the product of much bravery. The quotes are a commendation and highlight that their calls for inclusivity over oppression shall be remembered, and society (like the coloured pencil over the quotes) has been “built” from this.”} 

12. Jane Flanagan, Profoundly Purple Pansies, 2020, Digital photographic print. Durham Sixth Form Centre student artist 

_{A vibrant, radiant and vivid interpretation of the pansy flower. I study Fashion & Textiles and this was part of my floral photography for one of my assignments to show strong lines and symmetry.}

13. Heather Bryan, Lost in the clouds, 2020, Photographic print. Durham Sixth Form Centre student artist

_{This was part of my photography A-level project as part of my subtheme of objectification. The intention of the photograph was to show how as women we are natural and part of nature as much as the rest of the beautiful Mother Nature and the warm tone of the photo along with the summery blue skies enhance the display of this natural beauty.}

14. Matthew Chapman, El Verano de Setecientos, 2020, Acrylic on canvas. Durham Sixth Form Centre student artist

_{‘The title is Spanish for The Summer of Seven Hundred, which celebrates Lionel Messi’s achievement of scoring his 700th goal for club and country in a 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid on the 30th June 2020.’}

15. Abbie Charlotte Wicks, Kick back and enjoy, 2020, Digital print. Durham Sixth Form Centre student artist

_{This piece is inspired by watching the sun rise at 4am on summer morning. This piece incorporates the colours and tones that lit up the sky as the sun appeared. The large action and motion of the subject in the piece is to signify the energy of summer. A time where you are free to dance, run and do all the things you never had time to do or similarly a time to kick back relax and enjoy the summer.}

16. Rio Hayton, Pocket Full of Sunshine, 2020, Digital print. Durham Sixth Form Centre student artist

_{The frog character is named Artie. This piece incorporates a range of things that I feel strongly about, like the rainbow balloon that I am holding, which represents the pride I have for both the NHS and the LGBT community, as well as being an overall symbol of hope for everything that is happening in the world today. Furthermore, the sunshine balloon that Artie is holding represents the joy and happiness that should be experienced during the summer period. I think the palette that I have used goes very well with the theme provided, and the bright colours reflect the summer season.}

17. Gina Jobling, Our City, 2020, Digital print. Durham Sixth Form Centre student artist

_{I created this piece to capture the beauty of Durham City and how especially during the summer months it emphasises the vibrancy and beauty of my home, which I hope everyone can experience when viewing this image.}