Graduate project hits London festival
An interactive art installation by a student from the University of the Creative Arts (UCA) is set to take over the streets of the City of London as part of a major summer festival.
Laura Burwood, who will shortly graduate from UCA Farnham with a BA (Hons) Digital Film and Screen Arts, is recreating a university project for Celebrate the City which takes place 21-24 June.
The 23-year-old from Winchester will take to the streets of London's historic Square Mile to lay dozens of 50cm2 frames of tape that contain QR codes which members of the public can interact with via their smartphone to share their thoughts and feelings at that particular spot in the city.
Laura Burwood said: "Being asked to take part in such a big event is quite a big deal for me because I'm straight out of university and already have my work at a major arts festival - it's great.
"50cm2 is quite an illusive installation, but I quite like that. I am interested in other people's moments, which are captured or related within a space. Also, in the space of just one second, I want to capture one person's thoughts and feelings - to stop them for a moment."
Celebrate the City is a joint collaboration between the City of London Corporation and the Diocese of London to promote the area's magnificent architecture, rich history and heritage through four days of music, exhibitions, walks, talks and special events.
Laura was asked to take part in the festival after organisers saw her previous instalment of 50cm2, which she carried out in the same London location in April for her graduation project. With the technical help of second-year Digital Film and Screen Arts student Aaron Harding, Laura received 66 responses, which she documented in a book that went alongside the work to make up the final project for her degree.
She added: "I was really happy with the reaction to my first piece, especially as it was quite a covert project which people literally stumbled upon, so I'm really looking forward to seeing the responses I receive as part a listed art installation for Celebrate the City."
Laura's work can be seen as part of the Celebrate The City festival, which runs in locations around the City Of London's Square Mile from 21 to 24 June. To find the exact locations of the squares go to: 50cm2.com.
For more information contact:
David Reilly, Press Officer, UCA
T: 01252 892939
E: dreilly@ucreative.ac.uk
