15 May 08

Farfa Abbey in Northern Italy was the site of one of the arts projects

Fourteen students from Oxford University’s Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art are currently displaying their work in north Italy as part of the 20Eventi exhibition.

Each year the event organisers invite a well-known artist who teaches at a foreign institution and this year they chose Ruskin Master of Drawing, Richard Wentworth. Previous collaborations have been with art schools in Paris and Berlin.

Mr Wentworth’s students submitted work which was then selected by the organisers – the cultural Association Arte Multi Visione. In December, the students visited the Sabina area north of Rome, where their work was to be exhibited in the open air, to make contact with the surroundings and to collect materials to be used in the development of projects.

Ruskin Master of Drawing Richard Wentworth said: 'I am delighted we were asked to take part. The students are very interested in collaborating, which is how it would be for them out in the real world. This was a great experience for them and I am extremely proud of the new work they developed for this project, I really think it was exceptional.'

The work produced by the Ruskin students covered a range of styles. Oliver Beer, one of the students who took part in the exhibition, said: 'Just as a wine glass can be made to resonate by running a finger around the top, a room can also be made to resonate at its natural pitches. For the Italian project I made a medieval monastery chapel resound at its resonant frequency using a choir of local singers. Their voices were transformed by the physical properties of the architecture. It feels quite amazing.' 

The project was made into a film which will be shown at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art in Oxford's High Street next week.

Jasmine Robinson, another student taking part in the project, said: 'This is the first time I have taken part in an exhibition out of the UK and it has really opened my eyes to how art can be brought in different ways to a wider audience. It has been fascinating to see the impact art from a "stranger" can make on a community.'

Ruskin graduate Charlotte Crowther said: 'It was a really special experience. I learnt how to adapt abroad quickly in order to develop my ideas and integrate with new people.'

All the works went on display on May 10 in various towns in Northern Italy and are open to the public for viewing until 25 May.