Earlier this year our students were given the opportunity to create and present artwork that represented the strategic theme of Vibrant and Inclusive Communities. The prize offered was the chance to have their artwork displayed in the Vice Chancellor’s Office alongside a cash prize.
The entries received were very diverse in their depiction of the theme and demonstrated the outstanding talent we have at the University.
On Monday 12 June, at The West Park Teaching Hub, an exhibition showcasing all the art submissions, was held. A frequent comment was how this theme within our strategy ‘Creating Better Futures. Together’ had been brought to life.
Professor Charlotte Croffie, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion commented: "Art has the ability to draw one in, to allow you to consider what is being said, through its very presence it can permeate thought and expression, it can be quite understated, or it can be explosive and vibrant regardless of its shape, it always tells a story.
“And that is what equity, diversity and inclusion is about. EDI tells us a story about who each of us are and how we fit into this kaleidoscope, one that sits within a global environment, that can create wonderful opportunities or put-up barriers that can stifle our ability to recognise, appreciate and value individuality and difference. However over and above this, the best evidence of a vibrant and inclusive community is how we demonstrate it in a live context, in the stories we tell, the sculptures we create, pictures we paint, who we include and how authentic they can be.”
The Vice-Chancellor and President of the University, Professor Nick Jennings added: “Diversity plays a pivotal role in building vibrant and inclusive communities. It is through embracing our differences that we can truly thrive as a society. Art has a unique power to promote dialogue, understanding, and empathy among individuals from different backgrounds and experiences. The artwork showcased at this exhibition serves as a catalyst for conversations, allowing us to appreciate the beauty of diversity and strengthen the fabric of our community.”
In line with the brief, the judging panel selected the following students to have their artwork displayed in the Vice-Chancellors office:
- Festus Iranlade Adeyemi
- Izzy Facey
- Zed Omri
- S. Surabh
- Hannah Stanley
- Duman Bibi Samshad
- Emma Olivia Tracy
- Yurou Zhang
On the evening, the overall winner was revealed as Zed Omri, a second-year Graphic Design student.
Zed described their work, ‘Campus Communities’, as illustrating the experience at Loughborough, where they have made friends from all over the world who all come from different walks of life and cultural backgrounds. Zed said: “I know I am not alone in saying I have found a real home and true friendships that will last far beyond the time I’ll be studying here. My home neighbourhood in a west Yorkshire city wasn’t so diverse, and growing up I was a bit of an outsider. I was always different, having a mixed-race, queer, neurodivergent identity.
“On campus I found people that never make me feel out of place and welcome me in all their weird and wonderful ways and there’s always something going on, whether it’s sports, societies, Union events, or just people gathering to enjoy the sun on the paddock. There’s never a shortage of activity, and everywhere you look you can find community, connection, and something to do.”
All the artwork showcased at the event will be available to view on the Loughborough University website soon and the judging panel encourage you to view this in due course.