Now in its fifth year, the collection features curated works by over 500 artists from across more than 30 of AUB’s specialist BA, MA and Foundation courses, including Costume, Illustration, Film Production, and Fashion programmes.
Curated by Violet McClean, William Hernandez Abreu and Millie Lake and designed by Rasa Vaineikyte and Thaires Vicentini, Suddenly Last Summer transforms AUB’s campus areas into an extensive arts exhibition, with works appearing in AUB’s TheGallery, South House, University House, and CRAB Drawing Studio courtyard.
The exhibition on AUB’s Fern Barrow campus is free and open to the public, and is dedicated to creating a series of immersive installations and experiences. The display of artworks takes viewers on a journey through courses, featuring award-winning works like those of MA Photography graduate Camilla Murray, whose observational documentary project has won awards from the Association of Photographers and the British Journal of Photography.
AUB’s Main Gallery has been turned into a display of colour and shapes with its very own catwalk and vast array of course-specific installations, while the university’s library has been brought to life with the addition of a number of miniature theatre sets. South House, University House and the Northwest Gallery have all been converted into site-specific exhibitions, with the curators responding to and re-shaping the pre-existing spaces.
Suddenly Last Summer will also showcase a collection of work made by BA (Hons) Modelmaking students, who won nine awards at the prestigious New Blades modelmaking show, including Best of Show and Best Use of Technology.
Lead Curator Violet McClean said: “Defying stereotypical assumptions of what an exhibition should look like, Suddenly Last Summer has rejected the image of plain white walls in favour of activating the space through colour and design.
She added: “Rather than a display of separate, individual artworks, the viewer is taken on a journey as they travel from course to course, with the exhibition flowing as a unified experience. Art is for everyone and we’d like our gallery to inspire not just our own students, but the wider region too.”
