Photographs courtesy of PONY © Charles Emerson
Synopsis
Artist Fiona Grady developed a series of interrelated artworks for a new all-inclusive 900 place co-educational secondary school in Bristol, Oasis Academy Daventry Road.
Four integrated artworks utilise the development’s scale to create a significant visual impression, with sensory elements delivering experiential impact which underscores the school as a Place of Growth, highlighting the exceptional education it provides at the heart of the community.
Description
The public art programme aims to elevate the learning experience and enhance the school both in terms of urban design and as a cultural contribution to the city. Designs inspired by Knowle’s natural heritage weave through large-scale artworks which communicate a coherent narrative across the fabric of the new build, rooted in learning, place and legacy to enhance wellbeing and belonging.
The public art programme was informed by student engagement and takes inspiration from the Northern Slopes, an area concealed behind the school’s northern perimeter which is cherished by locals. By shifting the way the school’s physical spaces communicate, the artworks create an inclusive and welcoming environment which positively impacts wellbeing and celebrates the school’s character, community, and natural ecologies.
Architectural-scale window activations are situated at key locations of high circulation frequented daily by all students. Underscored by colour psychology, these sensory interventions aid legibility and charge routines with optimism, joy and pride.
Located at the main entrance, a 2-metre wall-mounted glass sculpture features details which immortalise nearby wildlife. A touchpoint, this work acts as a marker for the students encouraging them to think about the school’s values, the changing phases of the seasons, and their own potential and transformation.
The four integrated artworks enliven the experience of the school, shaping place, enhancing wellbeing, and building identity. Grown from people and place, the artworks present a coherent visual language, amplifying cultural stories to create a connected community and an environment for all students to thrive.
THE ARTWORK HAS HELPED BRING OUR NEW SCHOOL TO LIFE! SEEING IT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING AND THROUGHOUT THE DAY IS A POWERFUL REMINDER OF THE AMBITION, CREATIVITY AND PRIDE AT THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITY. MORE THAN THAT, IT HELPS CREATE A SPACE WHERE EVERY STUDENT FEELS THEY BELONG, FEELS PROUD TO BE PART OF OUR ACADEMY, AND THE OASIS FAMILY, AND IS INSPIRED TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.BETH BUFTON, VICE PRINCIPAL, OASIS ACADEMY DAVENTRY ROAD
"THIS WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE HOW COLOUR AND LIGHT CAN SPARK IMAGINATIONS AND BRING JOY TO EVERYONE SPENDING TIME IN THE SCHOOL”Fiona Grady, Artist
INTRODUCING PUBLIC ART INTO THIS NEW SCHOOL PROVES ONCE AGAIN WHAT A VITAL ELEMENT IT PLAYS IN EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS - CREATING AN INSPIRING PLACE THAT ENHANCES LEARNING, INFLUENCES WELLBEING & FOSTERS COMMUNITYCARISSA ANDREW-SMITH, PONY
WE’RE DELIGHTED WITH THE PUBLIC ART AT THE NEW OASIS ACADEMY DAVENTRY ROAD IT COMPLETELY TRANSFORMS THE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS TO THRIVE. PONY HOLDS AN INTRINSIC UNDERSTANDING NOT JUST OF PUBLIC ART, BUT THE COMMERICAL DYNAMICS OF DEVELOPMENT WHICH MEANT THE ENTIRE PROCESS WAS SEAMLESS. THE PROJECT COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED THE SCHOOL AND HAVING A COLLECTION OF ARTWORKS SO DEEPLY CONNECTED TO LOCAL STORIES IS WONDERFUL TO SEE.MARK CRAIG, MANAGING DIRECTOR, WATES CONSTRUCTION SOUTH
Further reading:
Fiona Grady (b. 1984, UK) is a site-responsive artist whose practice explores the relationship between architecture, light, and installation art, referencing traditional techniques such as fresco painting and stained glass in a contemporary context. Grady’s artworks take inspiration from architectural details, former histories, and urban regeneration, to reimagine public environments through the interaction of light, colour, geometric forms, surface and scale.
PONY is an independent commissioning agency connecting artists, place and communities. They commission, curate, and produce public art, develop cultural strategies, and design wider creative collaborations to inspire engagement with cultural stories. A site-specific approach is underscored by a commitment to delivering positive social outcomes – for artists, communities, cities and society.
