Art Gallery Manager Lorna Sergeant, reflects on the success of Finding the Value, the contemporary art exhibition at  York St Mary’s.

St Mary’s has now closed for the season the guides have finished packing the last of the artists work ready for collection.

The total visitor numbers for Finding the Value Exhibition at YSM July 4th to November 2nd were 16, 563.

Finding the Value was a very thought provoking and interesting exhibition.

In 2011 Peter Madsen left his estate, including his art collection, to York Museums Trust.

Five artists created new works from the objects of his collection which created a thought provoking and successful exhibition it encouraged discussion from our visitors as to whether the art created was art or vandalism with some interesting discussions in our comments book.

 

However, just a quick evaluation from the post it note feedback “Art or Vandalism what do you think?” gives us a clear indication that most visitors felt the artists had responded well in creating new art.

111 people commented that it was Art, 27 thought it was Vandalism, 33 felt it was a bit of both, 1 thought it was neither and 13 were unsure.

In addition to the main exhibition a pop up exhibition was created and curated by students studying Art & Design Diploma at York College which proved really popular particularly over the illuminate weekend.

Inspired by the themes of the main exhibition, York College students set out a brief for interested artists and chose around 20 works to be put on show, alongside other works by the students themselves.

The students worked really hard and were involved in every aspect of creating an exhibition. The works fitted so well with the artist’s works in the main exhibition visitors thought the pop up exhibition was part of the main exhibition.

A thought provoking and successful exhibition, thank you to everyone who was involved.