Forty-five Strode College Art and Design students visited Prague this month to seek inspiration for their work from the culture of this vibrant and historical city.
Head of Art and Design and trip leader Petrina Rochester explained: “The educational visits we offer to students make a clear and positive impact on their work, in terms of vision and ambition. Following these exciting trips, the quality of work generated by students shows that they’ve become more receptive to new ideas. I’m sure we’ll see Prague references in the students’ work in the End of Year show this June.”
The students enjoyed a full and varied itinerary and highlights for the students included a Charlie Hebdo retrospective which prompted an in-depth discussion on imagery and artists’ responsibility and the Warhol exhibition where they had the opportunity to screen print a design on a bag.
Other visits included a trip on the funicular railway to view the city from the top of Petrin Hill, a coach trip to visit the Bone Ossuary (a chapel decorated 40,000 skeletons) and Royal Mint, the Sorcerer’s Apprentice at the National Theatre, Prague Castle and St Vitrus’s Cathedral, the Toy Museum and the Mucha, Dali and Warhol Museum.
Lucy Brown, from Glastonbury and previously at St Dunstan’s School, is studying Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art & Design. She said: “I’ll be using architectural references from Prague for my final major project in my set design models. It was also fantastic to visit the National Theatre and attend a ballet performance as I’ve applied to study Stage and Performance Design at degree level next year.”
Previous Art and Design trips have included visits to Florence, Barcelona, New York and Washington, and Paris. Next year’s trip is already being planned. Petrina added: “We are currently considering Berlin but will give students a choice between New York and two European cities.”
Photos:
- Strode College Art and Design students standing on Charles Bridge in Prague
- Strode College Art and Design students at the Karel Zeman special effects museum in Prague.