Students highlight degree of creativity

8:15pm Friday 15th June 2007

DOZENS of pairs of used ballet shoes hang from a ceiling, next to which stands a shed with stencilled slates - York St John's Art and Design faculties have pulled out all the stops to produce their annual degree show.

The entrance of the show is a large room lined with hanging wallpaper designed by BA students.

The patterns range from contemporary funky designs to William Morris-like sixties floral prints, each design reminiscent of a different aura or era.

In the design space itself, space-saving solutions are the order of the day - including Elizabeth Law and Jennie Nash's U Cube,' a corner cabinet which opens out into a desk, complete with integral lighting.

At the other side of the building is the fine art exhibition.

Student Laura Steele explained how she made her intricately-sculpted clay figures, which are exhibited there.

She said: "I made them, fired them, burned them, buried them in the garden and then dug them up.

"I wanted to play on the idea of ancient fertility symbols."

In another space hang 60 ballet shoes - danced in and donated by the London Royal Opera House, all in positions which correspond with a dance sequence.

York also plays a starring role, with Peter Woods' digitally manipulated images of the city which exaggerate perceptions of the city's landmarks - so that Clifford's Tower is on the top of a huge mountain and Shambles looks more like Las Vegas, clad in neon signs.

Martell Linsdell, head of programme for contemporary art, said: "The students are establishing partnerships with businesses, such as Creative York and have really engaged with the city."