Empty Lincoln shops to display students’ art

Postgraduate students from the University of Lincoln will take over two city centre shop units to display their work in contemporary art, ceramics and conservation.

The pop-up galleries will be based in 38 and 47 Sincil Street as part of the students’ final exhibition to try and reach a new audience.

The exhibition, featuring recycled jewellery and mural restoration, is called Vitrine and will start on September 11 for two weeks.

Contemporary art is provided by students from MA Fine Art and MA Design, new research in ceramics and collage from MRes and PhD Fine Art, and a display from MA Conservation of Historic Objects.

The exhibition is supported by Lincolnshire Co-op who lent the students the units, and the university hopes it will encourage students to explore more territories.

MA Fine Art student Rebecca Barmby said: “It’s been a real sharp learning curve as we have had to create an exhibition from scratch.

“It’s been much more of a real life experience as this is what artists have to do in the outside world.”

Steve Dutton, Professor in Contemporary Art Practice said: “Lincoln is currently buzzing with a rapidly growing number of artists and designers who are electing to stay in the city at the end of their studies.

“These artists are proceeding to set up a huge range of projects, events, gallery spaces and studios and are making a real contribution to the cultural life of the Lincoln and the region.

“Vitrine is a welcome addition to this vital scene in which our postgraduate students are taking their work, and perhaps even more importantly, themselves, out of the institution and into the heart of the city.

“It shows what artists do right across the country, which is taking things into their own hands, taking control of spaces and ensuring their work gets seen in more accessible situations. And there will always be someone on hand to guide visitors through the exhibition.”

Residents can view the gallery from September 11 to September 15, between 10am-4pm, and September 18 to September 22 from 10am–4pm.