‘Me, Myself and I’, Anna Sherbany
In 2005 HS Projects began an annual collaboration with Shacklewell Primary School that ran for four years bringing professional artists to run workshops in support of the school’s arts programme, contributing to the school being awarded an Arts Council Award.
Each project was focused at a specific age group. For the first project, Year 6 was identified in collaboration with the school and the selected artist, Anna Sherbany, to support the children’s impending transition from Primary School to Secondary School. For ‘Me, Myself and I’, Anna Sherbany used photography as a tool to encourage self-esteem, develop self-image and promote a sense of belonging. The project was both child and group centred, encouraging individuality and group interaction.
The children photographed each other using compact cameras and were encouraged to take photographs out of school exploring their own ideas and environment, with the outcome compiled into individual photograph albums. Identity and representation issues were explored through carefully staged studio self-portrait sessions in which the children chose a character, a part, perhaps a personal fantasy, whatever they wanted to be at that moment. The project aimed to empower the children to develop a ‘visual voice’ through photography and image production, as well as learn how to use a camera and frame a photograph.
‘Me, Myself and I’ was commissioned by HS Projects and funded by the Insight Community Arts Programme (2002 – 2015).
The project ran from July to December 2005.
Research & Development Corporate Arts Partners, Plymouth
Funded by Arts Council South West, HS Projects undertook a research project in 2004 into cultural initiatives to support the urban regeneration plans for the city of Plymouth.
The project assessed the level of interest and involvement in the visual arts within the Plymouth business community both past and present, identified business organisations that could contribute to the cultural initiatives in support of Plymouth’s regeneration plans and established the grounds for such initiatives to happen.
An outcome of our project’s research established that most of the businesses we initially surveyed were curious about how the contemporary visual arts could support their business aims and objectives. Following post survey follow-ups, a viable proportion of surveyed businesses understood how the contemporary visual arts can make an invaluable contribution to achieving their aims and objectives.
The research project identified avenues for the corporate sector’s involvement ranging from developing a programme of workshops for their staff and the community, to sponsoring art events, starting a corporate collection, establishing an exhibition programme, establishing an arts club and setting up a corporate community arts trust. While ensuring that the potential to engage the arts, business world and local community of Plymouth was maximised, the project also outlined a best practice model for communicating big ideas to businesses while maintaining the highest standards for the contemporary visual arts.
During the project we consulted with: Plymouth City Council, Public Art South West, Arts & Business South West, Plymouth City Airport, Urban Splash, Plymouth Gin, ABP (Associated British Ports), Marks & Spencer, Lloyds TSB, Wrigleys, SWEB and P&O Developments, amongst others.
BAA Head Office Collection
Under the BAA Art Programme for their head office collection at Wilton Road, London, we were appointed to commission a series of artworks by emerging artists to reflect BAA’s core values, culture and public image.
Over the period of 1994-1998, we commissioned a number of works, from Sharon Ting’s multi-layered textile work for the Marketing Director’s office; Kate Blee’s richly pigmented dyed textiles; to Keith Roberts’ commission of an airside view of Heathrow Airport with the old control tower in the background for the Board Dining room; and Sandra Blow’s final designs for her monumental glass screen ‘Flight Structure’, conveying an abstracted marshalling and movement of planes at Heathrow Airport.