Inspired by London 2012
When our Head of Photography and Associate Director Innovation, Trevor Griffiths, was asked to set a brief and judge a prestigious national student photography competition, he devised Framing The Nation to capture the local impact of 2012. As our students could not enter this in this in the interests of fairness, we decided to arrange our own internal competition open to all our Arts & Media students and provide a range of speakers around the subject to help them engage with it.
Students and staff have been inspired by our wonderful guests who shared their experiences of previous Olympics and preparations for London 2012:
Richard Breese Paralympic Archery judge
Sarah Beamish, Paralympic Archer
Yvonne McGregor MBE, Olympic cycling medallist
Gareth Copley, multi-award winning sports photographer
Daryl Goodrich, award winning filmmaker, whose short films clinched London's successful bid to host 2012
Our students are now busy working on their competition submissions of photography, illustration, graphics and art. Our second year National Diploma in Photography students have also worked on a group project called Power and Glory about food as fuel for the body. They are researching what Olympians eat - and how College can incorporate this to maximise student performance. The food art photographs are going to be displayed around College buildings and a book is currently in publication called Yum - Food Art. All competition entries will be displayed in the Bradford Gallery at the Yorkshire Craft Centre from the end of may until 14th June so that everyone else can be inspired!
The best entries selected by a panel of judges will then feature in an exhibition called Framing Olympic Innovation, which will also include special studio portraits taken by Trevor and his team of our wonderful speakers, plus some surprises! Darren Baker, the Official Olympic Artist will judge these final selected pieces to decide a competition winner. This exhibition forms part of Bradford Council’s Gallery One exhibition 2012: You Inspire Me …. which also features 2012 and 1972 Olympic Prints plus sport related originals from the Council’s art collection.
Framing Olympic Innovation officially opens on Saturday 23rd June, the day before the Olympic flame is carried through the City Park just outside the gallery, but there will be a special preview on 22nd June to celebrate Positive Bradford Day.