Ooh Look! The LP Art and Design Show

Posted on 23rd Jun 2020 in School News, Art

‘Ooh Look! The LP Art and Design Show’ is a celebratory exhibition of creative talent taken from across Years 10 – Upper Sixth at Leighton Park School


On Wednesday 17th June, the talented creatives at Leighton Park were delighted to share two rooms of work curated to complement each other and showcase fine art and craft within a virtual space, complete with a musical soundscape by Lower Sixth artist, Joe.
With the world in lockdown, the Art Department aimed to bring the community together again to celebrate artistic talent as a shared experience, in absence of the annual show which takes place in the Michael Malnick Centre.


“Immersing the viewer into a world that reflects on themes that we can all relate to, from the beauty of nature, to experiencing the everyday through fresh eyes. Spending time with the familiar faces of friends and family and helping us appreciate the fragility of the world around us. From the intricate detail, to the bold statement, this year’s show really is a remarkable collection of creativity from the students of Leighton Park. A fitting close to a bizarre year, a lasting memory that awakes our senses and leaves us in a better place.” Commented Head of Art, Mark Wood.


Responsible for the ambient soundtracks in each room, Joe in the Lower Sixth said, “My first piece (Room 1) is actually inspired by some film and game music I discovered. It took inspiration from movies such as Tron Legacy and Aquaman and a game known as Halo. Using the same techniques as the composers of these films/games, I developed a piece that combined these different scores together, forming a mixture of adventurous and ambient music. I also used some artwork of cityscapes and vast locations to give a story to the piece, overall being the primary motivation.


The second piece (Room 2) was composed on the simple idea of mystery. Four simple chords just came to me one day as I was playing on the piano that seemed to be very mysterious and sounded as if there was a sense of unease and a feeling of an open environment, so I developed them overtime to create a slow, meaningful piece of music. It was intended to be used for anything as ‘background’ music.”
Resident Artist and Exhibition Curator, Ella Shepard reflected, “In these unprecedented times the Arts are an industry which has been adapting and experimenting with new platforms to be used, as a little relief from what’s been going on. From the National Theatre screenings to live concerts as well as galleries opening their doors ‘virtually’ worldwide – experiencing creativity has become a staple for day to day life in lockdown.


Taking inspiration from these big arts organisations, I didn’t want LP students to miss out on their final Art and Design Exhibition, which they’ve worked so hard towards. This led me to research ways in which the Art Department could bring the Exhibition to the homes of students, parents and staff alike. I felt it was important for the space to be interactive and when we found we could add music, it really brought the artwork and creativity of the students together into an immersive space.”
Ella continued, “I’m so delighted to be able to share such provocative and beautiful work. More poignant than ever given the current circumstances. While Room 1 showcases a myriad of styles and themes, Room 2 resonates with its echoes of environmental change, distorted forms and contemplative spaces. It’s fantastic to celebrate the talent here at LP; a remarkable reaction to being isolated and an opportunity to be a creative community once again!”