Students display artistic talent

The winners of this year’s College Art and Photography competition discuss the inspiration behind their prize-winning entries in a new video released today.

A stunning photograph of the night sky above a Neolithic monument, a fast-paced film showing the hustle and bustle of the College kitchens, and a striking image of the modernist architecture of the Cripps building are just some of the impressive entries in this year’s College Art and Photography Competition.

A total of 93 entries in six categories including photography, sculpture and digital film, were submitted by creative students to the popular annual competition. All entries are currently on display in the Library’s Exhibition Area. In the video below, the winners of all six categories discuss their pieces and the inspiration behind them:

Brett Wilson won the category for College Life Photography with a shot of one of the walkways in the Cripps Building, illuminated by the morning sun. “Many people disregard Cripps as an ugly part of College”, Brett said, “but I don’t see it that way at all. I think the photograph I took captures the sort of things you can see on a daily basis in St John’s without even realising, and shows that there is beauty in the new structures of the College as well as the old”.

The relatively new category of Digital Film this year featured a behind-the-scenes look at the busy world of the College kitchens, showing the effort that goes into preparing for a dinner in Hall. “I was interested in the ritual of preparing food for Hall because students know these events very well but they don’t see what goes on behind the scenes”, said film-maker Gabor Tajnafoi. “There is a lot of work that goes on in the kitchen which we don’t realise”.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Photography

Black and White: Ian Ostericher, Mongolian cattle-rancher

Colour: Ian Ostericher, Star trails over the Ring of Brodgar

College Life: Brett Wilson, Cripps building

Fine and Applied Arts

Paintings and Drawings: Ed Kendall, Brighton pier

Sculpture: Archie Squire-Lindsay, Red and white vase

Digital Film: Gabor Tajnafoi, The Kitchen

All pieces entered into the competition can be seen in the Library Exhibition Area, Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00.