Form 4 Art students visit British Ironworks Centre

Despite the weather being immensely cold, a group of Form 4 Art students, dressed in their full waterproofs, went to one of the most famous sculpture parks in the country – the British Ironworks Centre, in Shropshire. We travelled there to have a better insight of what an artist’s life is like and to appreciate creative sculptures and different forms of art.

The very first thing which drew our attention – the knife angel; an angel made up entirely of 100,000 knives, which were actually used in crimes. If I hadn’t have visited the site in person, I wouldn’t have discovered how towering it really was! Standing in front of the angel gave me goosebumps and a sense of inferiority; it revealed the defenselessness of humans in the face of knife crimes. Successfully though, the knife angel has raised awareness of the increasing knife violence in the UK. However, according to the tour guide, the wish of presenting this masterpiece was rejected by the government multiple times, as it was deemed to be showcasing Britain in a bad light towards the public and visiting tourists.

We were split into three groups and being a member of group 2, I went to the ‘showroom’ first for some practical art… We stuck some pieces of decorative paper onto a jar with a white glue in the first room. Afterwards, we had an inspiring lesson on ceramics in the second room. Both rooms were captivating, but the third room was the most memorable of all. In the centre of the room, there was a round wooden table with papers, rusted iron nails and scissors scattered all over the worktop. It was in a state of messiness, but one of the most unforgettable messages from the artist was that the significance of art is to engage the audience. Instead of verbal or literal language, what art provides is a visual interaction, and the only way to succeed at it is to be yourself. Every piece of artwork is unique and it’s fine if someone doesn’t appreciate your design or even criticises your work. The way everyone does their artwork depends on the unique life-cycle of that individual, starting from when you are born, through your very first childhood experiences, and everything afterwards… It doesn’t necessarily need to be perfect.

Unfortunately, time passed quickly and the trip soon came to the end. Despite the day flying by, I strongly believe that everyone learnt something valuable and appreciated the – at times – breath-taking experience. To us now, this is only the beginning.

Wing Hin – F4