Artists in Residence: The School Looks Around

About

The School Looks Around was a visionary book aimed at mobilising young people to document British life at the time of huge social change following World War II. It became the inspiration for artists Amy Feneck and Olivia Plender during their year-long residencies in east London secondary schools. Presented are materials from the original publication, alongside the artists' commissioned work. Feneck's new film shot on 16mm interrogates the current values and ideals of education by observing the day-to-day activity of a state run secondary school. Plender investigated local green spaces with the students, interviewing a nun and the school gardener. A documentation of the survey process carried out by her and the young people is shown. She will use this material to create a new film to be screened later in the year.