Harrogate college artists tackle First World War

Young students at Harrogate Collegewere delighted to see the launch of their own exhibition of First World War art this week.

Called Les We Forget, this multi-media show at St Peter’s Church features work by David Monteagle, Erin Younger, Alexander Palmer, Lucinda Kirby and Carl Williamson.

All the work on show is a response to real experiences of The Great War and occasionally features real mementos and memorabilia.

Demonstrating the students’ command of a wide variety of artistic techniques - collage, ceramics, paint, print, muslin and more - each of the students has approached the subject in a different way, though all were influenced by real people’s First World War experiences, often involving relatives or friends.

One of the art students, whose work is currently on show until Monday, January 26, Erin Younger, said: “My work reflects a personal journey in discovering the stories of relatives who fought in WW1, in particular my great great Grandfather – Robert Liddell.”

Erin tried to used materials which echoed the experience of war and so plumped for muslin, which represents bandages, and bone china, which represents human bones.

Erin said: “I have created works that, although inspired by an individual, are relevant to everyone and serve to remind us of every soldier that fought in the war.”

Fellow student David Monteagle said his artwork was deliberately fragmentary in nature using ceramic and print.

He said: “I focused my work around the concept of fragments, pieces of someone’s story fading away with time from a collection of letters from WW1.

“I’ve attempted to represent a soldier’s memories that have now faded with his close relatives.”

The exhibition is open Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm.

For more information, contact davidmonteagle@hotmail.com