The Monet in Mind exhibition is on at Ferens Art Gallery until Sunday 4 July.
Young people from Hull are taking centre stage as part of an exhibition focussing on Claude Monet’s stunning landscape painting, Antibes (1888).
The masterpiece – on loan from The Courtauld Gallery, London is currently on display alongside artworks from the Ferens Art Gallery’s permanent collection until 4 July.
The exhibition, Monet in Mind, focusses on the importance of mindfulness and reflection in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Monet in Mind showcases the creative talents of the Future Ferens, a group of young curators, marketers and creatives, aged 16-25 years old, who are all passionate about art.
Over the past year, during lockdown, the Future Ferens met together online to create the exhibition. As volunteers in the Ferens, they have worked in collaboration with the gallery’s team of experts on all aspects of curation, design, writing and promotion of the exhibition.
Mollie Gapper from Future Ferens said: “It has been amazing for us to be involved in curating an exhibition around a painting from an artist as well-known and highly regarded as Monet.
“Our decision to focus on mindfulness was partly in response to the events of the last year which has been challenging for everyone in different ways.
“We hope that the exhibition will allow visitors to take some time to think about what mindfulness means to them, and to pause and reflect on their own thoughts, feelings, and mental health.”
The Monet masterpiece has travelled to Hull for the first time as part of The Courtauld National Partners programme which aims to share The Courtauld’s collection with audiences across the UK whilst its Gallery is closed for a major transformation.
Monet was one of the leading artists of the Impressionist art movement in France in the nineteenth century. Monet’s art is known internationally and has inspired generations of artists. Antibes represents his time in the south of France during the spring of 1888 and captures the ‘magical air’ of the Mediterranean light and weather.
Monet in Mind seeks to showcase the artistic talent of emerging young artists in Hull. The main title exhibition soundtrack, One Summer Long Ago, was composed by composer Adam Pattrick, with The Warren, Hull. Over the past year Pattrick looked to music and sound as an escape from the stresses of daily life, channelling his concerns into art. Inspired by childhood visits to the seaside, this composition seeks to transport the listener to a simpler time, where they may reflect and practice mindfulness, free from the burdens of the present.
Samuel Courtauld, the founder of The Courtauld Institute of Art, wrote poetry about the artworks in his collection. Following in his footsteps many years later, young people from The Warren Youth Project in Hull were inspired by paintings in Monet in Mind to produce new reflective creative writings. Performed and displayed in the gallery and online, these creative writings bring a new dimension to the exhibition and give an opportunity to showcase the works of aspiring writers.
The Future Ferens designed Monet in Mind to be a relaxing exhibition. This is aided by the soundscapes created by Hull College. Inspired by paintings from the Ferens’ permanent collection, new soundscapes were composed to help visitors engage more of their senses and be transported with the artworks.
August McGregor from Future Ferens said: “It’s been an incredible opportunity for us to help bring Monet to Hull in collaboration with the Courtauld, and especially to do so in a way that acknowledges such a critical aspect of recent life.
“Mental health is something that has affected so many people in different ways over the last year, and it’ll continue to have an impact on everyone indefinitely. In addressing mental wellbeing and positive reflection at the Ferens, we hope to not only provide an interesting experience, but a useful one.
“Mindfulness as a practice isn’t a topic that’s often explored in earnest by a lot of people, and bringing it into a public space has been a new, exciting and rewarding challenge for Future Ferens.
“We hope that visitors, and especially young people, can really engage with the reflective aspects of the exhibition and take something away from it just as we have, and that anyone who attends can take a moment to relax and be mindful of themselves.”
Katherine Dunleavy, National Partnership Coordinator at The Courtauld, said: “We’re delighted that so many young people in the local area have engaged with, and been inspired by, the Monet in Mind exhibition, both through workshops run by The Courtauld’s education team, and the Ferens’ collaborations with local organisations.
It has been wonderful to see their creative responses which shed new light on one of the most popular works in The Courtauld Gallery’s collection and highlight the important role that art can play in improving mental health and wellbeing.”
Councillor Marjorie Brabazon, chair of Hull Culture and Leisure, said: “The Monet in Mind exhibition was designed to give young people an opportunity to engage with cultural decision-making. The whole process has showcased the creative talents of young people in Hull.”
All creative writings and soundscapes are available to view and listen to at www.monetinmind.com
Monet in Mind runs until Sunday 4 July at Ferens Art Gallery in Hull. Tickets are free and can be booked at www.hcandl.co.uk/monet-in-mind