Student exhibition 2010: Artistic Legacies: Sir Michael Sadler and Quentin Bell

This year, the Art Gallery and Museums Studies MA students had to create two displays in the Gallery Education Room at Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery at the University. The students were divided in two groups, the Ceramics Group and Works on Paper Group. The Works on Paper Group was asked to select a number of works from the 'Bloomsbury Group' and 'Camden Town Group' to display in the upright cases and provide interpretative text for the visitor.

During the handling session we decided to put together an exhibition that told the story of the Bloomsbury and Camden Town Groups, their personal relationships within the group and Leeds through people like Sir Michael Sadler and Quentin Bell.

We selected several drawings and books to create an overarching narrative structure. We wanted to create a story that could be read visually, making it more accessible to the visitor who does not want to read through everything. However, our narrative was not as clear as we had hoped, and we attempted to do too much by deciding to have an exhibition leaflet, a laminate, an activity sheet and a poster. A simpler theme and better time management would have improved our exhibition.

This project gave us the opportunity to learn how to work in a team, be aware of the challenges that exist in setting up an exhibition, and to put in practice the work done in class.

'Artistic Legacies: Sir Michael Sadler and Quentin Bell' will be at the SABG until the 23rd of December 2010

Thanks to Abigail, Layla, the University of Leeds Library Special Collections, and the works on paper group.