Britainy Rae reviews Rye College’s GCSE students’ exhibition in the Mackechnie Room at Rye Art Gallery until August 30. Opening times 10:30am- 5pm weekdays. Sundays and Bank Holidays 12-4pm Admission free but donations welcome.
“The most crystallised memory I have from Art Class at school is that we were once graded based on our ability to replicate a picture of someone sitting on a chair. The best imitations got ‘A’s and the poorer the replication, the lower the grade.
The pieces were then displayed in the corridor and everyone would laugh at the ‘worst’ ones. Bleak.
Inspired self expression and dark undertones preside over Rye College’s 2015 GCSE Sxhibition, upstairs at Rye Art Gallery
Students have displayed impressive technical skill balanced with naivety and humour, making a surprising, fun and accessible show. Clearly Head Of Art, Lauren Loveless and Technician Stuart Chester can spot and encourage specific strengths.
A raw glimpse into life as a teenager in 2015, the show left me with the impression that school life in the time of iPhones isn’t as different from mine as I expected. Photography captures that ‘on the verge of laughter’ expression we all wore so much at school. Political statements, death references, weirdness and moments of playfulness are present.
If art is supposed to capture emotion, or bring it out in its audience, then art created by people at this intense and unforgettable time should become more of  ‘A thing.’ A refreshingly frank art exhibition.”
