'Artworks for new Westfield School, Sheffield, 2006

Gillian was commissioned under the percent for art scheme to produce artworks as lead artist for the New Westfield School, a PFI development by Academy Services with Kier Build as main contractors. She collaborated with artist Peter Griffiths and altogether they designed, made and installed nine artworks.

The school has many sports facilities including a swimming pool which are also open for community use. One of the purposes of the artwork was to highlight this and to lead people to them. Gillian produced a series of related outdoor works; ‘Wave’, an entrance sculpture which can be seen from the main road on one side of the site, a trail of 21 direction markers fixed to lampposts and walls and ‘Big Wave’, a ten metre long sculpture by the pool car park and entrance.

Gillian chose as a theme hands and feet as their action defines the particular skills for different sporting activities. She worked with 30 young people, both in school and in her studio, drawing, casting and making hands and feet. The casts, now in bronze, and the sculpture the young people constructed in steel are incorporated into the sculpture.

The final result has changed what would have been a fairly institutional and conventional building into a place where artworks make a significant impact throughout the exterior and interior spaces. They perform a practical function of helping people orientate and navigate, but they also give a sense of the energy and individuality of the young people and make the school environment a more interesting and visually stimulating place to be in.

All images © Gillian Brent