Students find new ways to tell maritime stories for Ferens art exhibition
STRIKING: The piece by pupils at Sirius West
By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor
Students from eight Hull secondary schools have reimagined the city’s maritime stories for a new exhibition on display at Ferens Art Gallery.
From the iconic Spurn Lightship to traditional scrimshaw, the students have used various mediums including painting, sculpture, textiles, creative writing, performance, and music to create Waves of Wonder.
The exhibition brings these works together alongside a selection of art and objects from other Hull Museums collections, exploring how the sea has inspired the city’s artists, storytellers, and makers for generations.
Students from Sirius West explored Hull’s complex but rich history of whaling. Taking inspiration from the whalers’ folk art of scrimshaw, they have made a six-foot whale tail sculpture and decorated it with images that hold personal memories and meaning.
Councillor Mike Ross, leader of Hull City Council, said: “This exhibition is a testament to the incredible talent and creativity of young people right across the city, and their deep connection to Hull’s maritime heritage. It’s a proud moment for our city to see the next generation of artists bring our maritime stories to life in such innovative ways.”
Sarah Linstead of Frederick Holmes Academy, said: “It’s been wonderful to see the pupils so engaged in a local history project. For our pupils so many of them are aware of the docks and the maritime history within Hull and for them to be a part of creating artwork in relation to that is just fantastic.
“The opportunity for our pupils to go and see something they’ve created in a public space is just fantastic. It really gives a value to the work they’re doing.”
The exhibition is a key component of Hull Maritime’s ‘Young Maritime Creatives’ project, which launched in May 2023. The project provided grants to eight Hull secondary schools, enabling students to create artistic responses to the city’s maritime history.
In addition to producing their own artworks, students explored maritime objects, visited heritage sites, engaged with maritime communities, and learned about the intricacies of exhibition curation at Ferens Art Gallery.
The exhibition includes interactive elements, offering an engaging platform for community involvement and learning.
The eight schools involved are: Boulevard Academy, Sirius Academy West, Sirius Academy North, Trinity House Academy, Frederick Holmes School, The Hub School, Venn Boulevard Centre, and Kelvin Hall School.