University of York Art Collection

LAST CHANCE to see our exhibition Arts of the Islamic World at the Borthwick! The exhibition will be closing on Wednesday 10 July - don’t miss the first ever exhibition of Islamic art to be held at York!
It’s free and open to all - access is via the Library where our lovely reception staff will show you the way exhibition space which is on the third floor at Borthwick Institute for Archives- open every day during library opening hours!

The exhibition features items and photographs from a teaching collection and the opening coincides with the establishment of a new MA in Islamic art at University of York.
The display is located at the Borthwick Institute for Archives and Research Collections in the Library complex and is open for anyone to enjoy!
We are so delighted that this is another display on campus that directly reflects the thrilling research and cutting edge teaching at the university and celebrates art from around the globe!

Get going!!🎉

Amazing!!🤩

Check out this exciting artistic adventure taking over our beautiful city!!💖

This looks very exciting!!⬇️

Come along to this free talk with our Civic Society Manager - Twelve and a half mysteries of Severus Hill!

🗓 Thursday June 13
⏰ 07:30 PM
📍Online

Severus Hill is a treasure trove of historical artefacts and insights into York's past. The hills layered history ranges from the Roman era to World War II, a seemingly ordinary piece of land with extraordinary tales to tell.

Join Duncan Marks as he unpacks just twelve and a half of these mysteries spanning centuries of history.

FREE Event although we welcome any donations of support to our Save Severus Hill campaign here - https://buff.ly/4bREZAn

REGISTER HERE TO JOIN - https://buff.ly/4bREZjR

Such a fabulous idea and so many artworks by fantastic local artists!!👏👏👏♥️

Hurray for 2024! Wonderful to see students, colleagues and friends from across the University of York having so much fun today! Wishing everyone a very joyful - the more colourful the better! ♥️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️💗😍

Yey! Pride day! The parade starts at 12pm 🏳️‍🌈

Reposted: The Micklegate Art Trail is starting on the 1st June!

You can see the work of over 50 local artists in 20+ shops, restaurants, cafes and more all over Micklegate!

There will be several informal ‘Launch’ events in various locations on Sunday afternoon - 2nd June where there’ll be a chance to explore the trail, meet the artists, a demonstration from and DJ set from starting at 3pm!

will be showcasing artists with music from Liz Quigley.

Live sculpting by at the Hooting Owl

Children’s activities

Other venues hosting work include and Holy Trinity Church

Maps available from participating venues!
Look for the sign in the windows.

& much more
Don’t miss out!

Check out this wonderful display in the city centre with links to our exhibition “Arts of the Islamic World” which is still on view at the Borthwick Institute for Archives - free and open to all!

Hurray for the new blue plaque of the sculptor Austin Wright - we’re so happy to have two of his sculptures on campus at University of York! Congratulations to York Civic Trust for such a wonderful launch, it was lovely to have so many people attending and to witness the love and appreciation that Poppleton has for Wright even after all there years 😍♥️🙏

Hurray for the sculptor Austin Wright whose blue plaque was unveiled today! 🎉🍾

Austin Wright (1911-1997) grew up near Cardiff but moved to Poppleton in 1937 and lived there for the rest of his life. Despite not having trained as an artist, he soon established himself as a sculptor and became popular first across the north of England and gradually across the entire country and internationally. In Poppleton, Wright transformed an old barn into his studio, working there with a wide variety of materials from wood to lead, aluminium, bronze and plaster. While his sculptures take on an abstract form, they are inspired by observations of nature, often based on his extensive garden at Poppleton.

We are very lucky to have two sculptures by Wright on our campus at University of York: Untitled (lovingly nicknamed The Avocado) from 1967 which is situated on the ramp leading to the library; and The Dryad from 1984 which is placed in the garden opposite Heslington Hall. In the past, Wright repeatedly exhibited on campus and collaborated with the university architects- that’s how The Avocado became an integral part of the walkway to the university library!

Congratulations to Duncan Marks and York Civic Trust for the wonderful unveiling ceremony today! University art curator Helena Cox - Curator spoke at the event about the close bonds between Wright and the university and about the importance of celebrating Wright’s work both on campus and at Poppleton, the place where he worked and which he so evidently adored.

It was wonderful to hear from Crispin Wright, the artist’s son, who spoke beautifully about his memories of his Dad and about his childhood growing up surrounded by sculptures. It was a real treat to visit the barn which in the past housed Wright’s studio, and the beautiful gardens which used to be full of sculptures.

Here at the university art collection we are so fortunate to have two of Wright’s works on our campus as part of our extensive sculpture trail which is free and open for all to enjoy!

Borthwick Institute for Archives Department of History of Art, University of York

Many thanks to all came to the launch of BRUT by Paul Shields - the inaugural exhibition at the Fairhurst Gallery!

We’ve had the most amazing evening and are very grateful for all the support we had in making this happen!

The evening was hosted by Helena Cox - Curator, and consisted of a fantastic opening speech by Prof Michael White from Department of History of Art, University of York who spoke beautifully about brutalist architecture and its importance for the campus at University of York and worldwide. A wonderful overview of the movement, its history and values. We were very honoured to have Michael open the exhibition for us!!

This was followed by Paul’s presentation which he opened by stating that he is no public speaker only to follow this with an amazing, funny, touching, profound and overall massively entertaining speech - he blew us all away!

We were so excited to see such a crowd attend the launch which included staff and students from across the university as well as members of the committee of the Friends of York Art Gallery, and the wider public - our exhibitions are here for everyone to enjoy!

One of the students from History of Art said this was a welcome break in the exam period - we’re thrilled to bring a bit of relief into these busy weeks and our fingers are firmly crossed for everyone’s success in the exams!! 🤞🥰

We are indebted for the fabulous support from Gary Brannan and Kirsty Lingstadt from Borthwick Institute for Archives for their continuous support on all levels 🙏
Many thanks to the brilliant Estates team, mainly Ian Harrington and Mark Thorpe; to Prof Michael White for the fantastic opening speech, and to the VC Charlie Jeffery & Elke Versmessen for taking the time in their busy schedules to join us for the launch! 🌟

Last but not least, massive congratulations to Paul Shields whose wide-raging talent makes him not only the wonderful colleague we all adore but also a cutting edge artist-photographer in his own right with an admirable body of work which we are delighted he is now sharing with all our visitors! 👏🍾

Our latest exhibition BRUT is up and ready to welcome first visitors tonight!

The exhibition shows photographs by university photographer Paul Shields. Based on his personal project and passion for architecture, the exhibition shows a series of brutalist buildings from the UK and around the world - including several from our very own campus at University of York!

We were delighted to welcome Prof Michael White who came to see us during the installation and even helped with some curatorial and installation decisions 🙏😊 We’re thrilled that Michael will be formally opening the exhibition later today ♥️🥂

The exhibition is free and open to all! It’s located at the Fairhurst gallery at the university Library. If you don’t have a library card just ask the kind reception staff to let you through. The reception staff are wonderful and always helpful 🙏💕

Many thanks as ever to the Estates team, especially Mark Thorpe and Ian Harrington. Special thanks to Gary Brannan and the Borthwick Institute for Archives for all the crucial support! 🙏😍

BRUT - an exhibition of architectural photography by Paul Shields will open on May 23 at the Fairhurst Gallery at the JB Morrell Library at University of York!

Come and see Paul’s photographic tribute to brutalist architecture from York and from around the world. Paul has a great passion for all things brutalist architecture and this exhibition brings together photos he took on campus at York as well as around the globe during his many travels. We’re delighted that this will be the first exhibition to be shown at the newly refurbished space connecting the JB Morrell and the Fairhurst buildings at the Library.

You might have come across Paul in his role as the university photographer but this exhibition will enable visitors to see a different side to Paul’s work. The exhibition is a celebration of brutalist aesthetic which was such an important part of the original campus at York and now belongs among 20th century architectural treasures of our beautiful city.

Many thanks to the Borthwick Institute for Archives and the fab Estates team for supporting this project ♥️🙏

Images:
A photographic portrait of Paul Shields
Poster of the exhibition featuring a photo of the university’s Central Hall
Palm Springs Airport
JB Morrell Library on campus
Millbank Tower London

Paul Shields

When Converse accidentally caption your colleagues… 😁😎

The amazing .shields.photo and wonderful posing in our brand new art store on campus 🎉

So excited for Austin Wright’s blue plaque - we’re so proud to have two large sculptures by Wright on campus at University of York ♥️

We’re celebrating another art store! A brand new art store space has been created and furnished right at the heart of the Borthwick Institute for Archives on campus at University of York where part of our art collection will find its permanent home! This new space will keep our artwork safe while allowing students and the public to come and see artworks which are not on display. We’re over the moon to have this amazing facility available- many thanks to Gary Brannan, Keeper of archives and research collections, who made possible this amazing step forward transforming our collection care and accessibility of the art collection! 🎉

Pictured are Gary Brannan, and Paul Shields - our amazing university photographer whose exhibition BRUT will be opened very soon at the library!

In the meantime we’ve created a new display in the library showing some of our collection artworks reflecting the theme of architecture - check them out while admiring an archival display in the below cases.

What a fantastic night with Northern Lights all over York! 🌟

Upcoming exhibition alert! ‼️ Join us on Thursday 23 May at 6pm for the launch of our new exhibition BRUT showing stunning photographs of brutalist architecture by Paul Shields 📸

‘BRUT’ is the first exhibition to be shown in our newly established Fairhurst Gallery at the Library at University of York. With its celebration of Brutalist architecture, the exhibition symbolically links the original aesthetics of the campus with examples of Brutalism from all around the globe. This inaugural exhibition will highlight the beauty of the original campus and celebrate it in the context of international 20th century architecture!

In Paul’s own words:
My name is Paul Shields and I work as the photographer for the University of York.
“Over the last few years I have been working on a personal project photographing Brutalist and Modernist buildings in various countries as I find these styles of buildings fascinating to photograph. The exhibition will have photographs from different eras, styles and locations to show a range of designs.

“This photographic exhibition of Brutalist and Modernist architecture has 2 objectives. Firstly, to try and counteract the negative connotations of how concrete buildings are perceived and represented within the UK. The term Brutalism is often used as a derogatory term against any modern building that doesn’t fit in to a Neoclassical, Gothic or Victorian style.
Secondly, to make people look at the architecture that surrounds them regardless of which architectural style it may be and to possibly appreciate the design of the buildings that surround us.”

Come and meet Paul at the exhibition launch - everyone is welcome!!

Images:
Poster showing Central Hall
University of London Library
Boyd Orr Building UO Glasgow


Department of History of Art, University of York Borthwick Institute for Archives Helena Cox - Curator

Hurray for York!! ♥️ 🥳💗

The UK’s most popular city has been revealed – and it’s not London Take that, southerners.

Always such a joy to welcome prospective students and showcase artworks and exhibitions on campus University of York ♥️

The amazing students from Department of History of Art, University of York and the fab Estates team have been working all week on a new exhibition which is opening TONIGHT - Thursday 14 March at from 5pm at the Spring Lane Building! Come and join us for the launch - all welcome!!

The exhibition shows several artworks from the Art Collection at University of York together with additional pieces sourced by the students. The overall exhibition consists of four displays curated by student groups:

‘From a Birds Eye View’
‘So to Speak’
‘Chroma’
‘Threads Between’

Prior to creating the exhibition concept, the students visited our art stores and selected artworks for the show. We are especially proud of the reframing and museum standard glazing that we could arrange for some of the pieces making sure more of our collection artworks receive proper collection care. There’s still more to be done but every step gets us closer to our collection care goals!

During the installation the students benefited from working with the amazing technician Mark Thorpe from our Estates Team who demonstrated principles of artwork hanging, safety measures for installations and much more - including making a wooden construction dreamed up by the students for the display of one of the exhibition highlights! The students also consulted with art curator Helena Cox - Curator during the installation process.

We’re very proud of the students and their creativity, originality and dedication to the project! Make sure you pop to the Spring Lane Building and see the exhibition for yourselves- congratulations to everyone involved and we can’t wait for tonight’s launch!!

Borthwick Institute for Archives

New exhibition installation underway! Undergrad students of Curating and Art History are working with our art collection creating a new experimental display!
Join us this Thursday 14th March from 5pm at the Spring Lane Building on University of York campus west for the launch of the exhibition - ALL WELCOME!



Department of History of Art, University of York Borthwick Institute for Archives

Another big step forward: a new art store is born! We’re so excited to hang the first batch of artwork in our external store where the artworks will be so much safer than in their previous locations across small and crammed college stores. Collection management is a complex matter but step by step we are elevating the standards of our collection care, creating new safer spaces for artwork. This means our artwork will be better cared for, easier cataloged and finally much more easily accessible to students and researchers. As you can see on the photos, curator Helena Cox - Curator is over the moon, but this could never happen without the crucial help from the wonderful university photographer Paul Shields and the lovely Jilly Fox from the Library team - thank you both!!🙏♥️

University of York Department of History of Art, University of York Borthwick Institute for Archives