Creative Collaboration with Jane Groves as part of our DCU Residency
Into the Light, was created as part of The Ark’s Residency at Dublin City University, bringing together children, educators, and artists, led by artist Jane Groves and assisted by Olga Vnukova.
This artwork was crafted with reused materials and invites us to consider our relationship with the natural world, the interplay of colour and shadow, and the power of collaboration in artistic creation.
The installation, composed of wire structures and acetate circles, mirrors the emergence of spring buds and new growth. Children from two schools, South City CNS & Paradise Place ETNS and students from the B Ed 3 Visual Art specialism module ‘Artists in Classrooms' with lecturer Dr Lucy Hill were invited to engage with the work through workshops. Their contributions informed this dynamic, evolving artwork that extends into the space, casting shifting patterns of colour and light, transforming the space.
Artist Jane Groves envisioned this piece as a reflection of nature’s rhythms and the shared connections between people, plants, and animals.
“Each child sits within the heart of a unique urban ecology. The sum is the whole of the parts”- Jane Groves
The Ark’s purpose is to realise children’s right to art and culture with ambition and joy. This collaboration between The Institute of Education DCU and the Ark Children's Cultural Centre is a testament to the power of arts education, fostering creativity and cultural engagement in young minds.Through Into the Light, we celebrate art in education and the joy of discovery.
The Ark’s residency is funded by a Young People, Children and Education Residencies Award from the The Arts Council.
Images by Jilly McGrath
