The Artweeks’ CD Show Said Gallery
May 1, 2008
By Sarah Naybour
A trip to Edinburgh was the inspiration for an Artweeks show at Oxford’s Said Business School, where more than 100 artists have produced work within a CD case. Printmaker and artist Sarah Naybour, had always wanted to do something similar to what she saw in Edinburgh and saw her chance with Artweeks this year. After a great deal of effort on her part and an amazing response from Artweeks’ artists, the show is an incredibly creative, thought provoking and visually exciting event that literally showcases the diversity of art from across the county.
We sent every artist who registered an empty CD case and asked them to make a piece of work which would represent their site,
explains Sarah. We were delighted by the response as we have over 200 pieces of all different shapes and sizes: some have done a small drawing or painting and placed it inside the case, others have transformed the case itself into a sculpture, a piece of jewellery, a carving. One even has a speaker which talks to you about the artwork!
Nearly all the work has been kindly donated by the artists and is for sale by bid for the duration of the show. The proceeds are going to Kids@Art and Art4Age, the Artweeks’ charity that raises funds to place artists in Oxfordshire schools and elderly care homes for week-long residences. A special auction is to be held on Friday 23rd May where 30 pieces are to be auctioned, although visitors can place bids on all of the pieces at any time for the duration of the show.
Sarah has been a Kids@Art artist-in-residence herself and sees the value of putting professional artists with children and the elderly. I was very keen that the show should raise money and awareness of Kids@Art having done a mosaic project at Cutteslowe Primary School several years ago. The projects are involve as many children as possible making murals, mosaics, weavings, wall hangings…all kinds of things. Some of the children I worked with had never experienced anything like this before and it was a delight to see them so proud of their work and appreciating the effort that goes in to creating a major piece of art.
If sufficient funds are raised for Kids@Art the residences will continue throughout the year and who knows, maybe the charity will be displaying its own CD project before too long.
The CD show runs from the 11th to 31st May, 11–4pm at The Said Business School, Park End Street, Oxford OX1 1HP. Check opening times variations on 01865 288800. Find out more about Kids@Art and Art4Age at www.kidsatart.org.
Boxed item
Sarah Naybour
An artist printmaker who has shown at Artweeks for several years, Sarah started printmaking with Oxford Printmakers in 2001 when she arrived in Oxford from running a successful mosaics business in Hong Kong. As well as organising the Artweeks’ CD show, she is studying for an RHS qualification in horticulture so didn’t have time for her own Artweeks show.