Approved: 16.08.2006

Guy Tarrant

Artist, Researcher, Teacher, Writer

Approved: 16.08.2006

My artwork deals with issues relating to the education system at large. My enquiries examine the role of education with regards to high pupil resistance and low pupil well being. I have looked at resistant and unsettled behaviours in over 150 different schools in the London area were I have worked. Although most of my investigations have involved liaisons with senior teaching staff, more recent  evidencing is now seeking direct participation with young people themselves.

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Artist Statement

My artwork deals with issues relating to the education system at large. My enquiries examine the role of education with regards to high pupil resistance and low pupil well being. I have looked at resistant and unsettled behaviours in over 150 different schools in the London area were I have worked. Although most of my investigations have involved liaisons with senior teaching staff, more recent  evidencing is now seeking direct participation with young people themselves.

I have worked extensively in education for 30 years working in various senior capacities including  Deputy Lead Teacher, Respite Deputy Manager, SENCO (Special Needs Co-ordinator), Head of Art, Art Lecturer and Community Artist. I currently work as a Lead Teacher in a small school  specialising in  working with adolescent  pupils with severe SEMH (Social, Emotional & Mental Health) who are LAC (Looked After Childern). I have also worked comprehensively as a Community Arts Team Leader for many years and I am a Trustee for a large sucessful local mental health arts charity based in Bexley. 

My artwork is documentary in nature and seeks to expose evidences of school pupil unsettlement. This involves work which explores found objects and found landscapes. The art project 'Resistantces' utalises found artefacts which attempt to highlight deviant behaviours. Here work is exhibited as large collections of confiscated items or as mostly solitary sculptures 'Resistant Materials' depicting aspects of school vandalism. In the art project 'School-scapes' landscape photographs are collected with older pupils which  convey features of pupil disengagement and sabotage.

I am actively involved in trying to create an alternative education environment centring on  aspects of nuture, much of my work can feed into imroving pupil behaviour and school improvement plans.. 

CV & Education

Qualifications

2009 - MA Community Arts, Goldsmith's College, London

1997 -PGCE Art and Design, Goldsmith's College , London

1994 - MA Art and Design, Sheffield Hallam University

1991 - BA (Hons) Sculpture , Sheffield Hallam University

1988 - BTEC National Diploma Art and Design, East Ham College, London

 

Exhibitions

2017-'Rejected', Rum Factory, Bow Arts, London

2014- 'Out of the Box', The No Format Gallery, Second Floor Studios, London

2014- 'Confiscation Cabinets', Centre for Life, Newcastle

2013- 'Confiscation Cabinets', The V&A Museum of Childhood, London

2013 - 'School-scapes', NICHE-Brighter Futures Programme, Romford, London

2013- 'A State of Un-Play', Atelier 35, Bucharest, Romania

2012 - 'At  Play', South Hill Park Centre/ OVADA, Bracknell & Oxford

2012 - 'Pumped Up Kids', Leeds Metropolitian University Concourse Gallery, Leeds

2010 - 'Alienation,Boredom and Despair', 20-21 Gallery, Scunthorpe

2004 - 'God save the pupils', The Crossley Gallery, Dean Clough Galleries Halifax

2002 - 'God save the pupils', The Stephen Lawrence Gallery, Greenwich University, London

 

Awards

2010 - The Juliet Gomperts Award

2005 - N.I.M.H.E. Positive Practice Award

2001 - Bexley Environmental Challenge Award

2000 - British Civic Society Award 1993

1993-  Sheffield Grammer School Exhibition Fund 1993

1993-  Individual Artists Award -Yorkshire & Humberside Arts

1992 - Foundation for Sports and the Arts

1992 - The Prince's Youth Trust Award

 

Featured Publications

2022 Out of the Box; a celebration of contemporary art  by Tom Buchanan / Sarah Lea, Eight Books

2021 Artists Hands:Touch,Tell and Create-   by Cally Trench, Peculiarity Press

2019 Centrepeices:A story of Mental Health and Art in Bexley- by Britta Von Zweigberg, C.P. Press

2013- 'Artists At Work'  by Jason Haynes