Artwork by Emma Newnham
Durham’s Summer in the City 2021 arts festival will finish with the return of a free outdoor art exhibition at The Riverwalk. The Art Hunt, which is now in its second year, is organised by Durham University and features 16 artworks hidden across the Riverwalk shopping centre for visitors to find. The artworks include digital reproductions of art included in Durham University’s collections as well as work by student artists from Durham Sixth Form and The Girls Network. The exhibition will also feature Emma Newnham’s artwork, the winner of the Durham University Student Art Prize 2020/21.
This year’s Art Hunt theme is linked to Sunderland-based curator Michaela Wetherell’s research surrounding working-class womxn artists who live and work in the North East of England. Highlights include a print from the Oriental Museum showing generations of women working; works from regional artists such as Emma Bennet, Bethany Stead, Abigail Owens and Mark Parham as well as digital prints of works by Finola Finn and Lady Kitt from the University’s art collection. In addition, there will also be commissioned works under this theme from local student artists and teachers on display.
Alix Collingwood-Swinburn, Curator of Contemporary Art at Durham University, said of the exhibition: “The Riverwalk Art Hunt is a fabulous opportunity to be playful with some of the incredible artworks we have in our collections and those by upcoming student artists – presenting them in a new context – for everyone to be inspired by, not just those who’d normally visit a gallery. Some artworks are very easy to find – but quite a few are not! You will definitely need the map to spot them all! And every one is well worth finding.”
Charlie Marsden, Destination Marketing Manager at Tandem Property who manage The Riverwalk, said: “We’re very excited to have partnered with Durham University for the Art Hunt installation at The Riverwalk this summer. Collaborating with Durham University and Summer in the City arts festival was a great opportunity for us, we’re proud to support local artists and students’ achievements. We hope the new visitors, regular Riverwalk shoppers and diners will enjoy this special exhibition.”The Riverwalk Art Hunt is on until 5th September. To download the Art Hunt map, visit https://sitcfestival.org/art-hunt-2021/