4 July 2004
GRAFFITI GOES FROM STREETS TO THE TATE
Pupils take their spray art to top gallery in London
The Herald
By Stuart Abel
YOUNG artists from Plymouth have taken graffiti off the streets and turned it into modern art on display at one of the country's leading galleries.
Students from Devonport High School for Boys have received a 'children's Turner Prize' from Blur singer Damon Albarn.
Their spray can art, including a surfboard covered in graffiti, is now on show alongside some of the country's most famous artists at London's Tate Modern.
The school was among 32 from across the country chosen to receive prizes at a ceremony in the Tate on Children's Art Day.
Winning creations include a dance performed in Manchester's empty Victorian swimming baths, and a dress made out of gloves.
DHSB artists sprayed large boards with graffiti, which is usually daubed on exterior walls.
Students Levi Rees-Williams, John Reilly and Beau McCarty represented the school at the awards ceremony. They picked up £2,000 for the art department and a limited edition signed print by celebrated artist Marc Quinn. The artist once made a refrigerated cast of his head, using nine pints of his own blood.
About 20 students are members of the art club which persuades youngsters to use their artistic skills legally - rather than 'tagging' or putting their artistic signatures on places such as the toilet blocks.
The club is now so successful that it has been invited to do work for a junior tennis club, spray paint a stock car and create a mural for a play area.
The club, run with art teacher Soraya Phillips, successfully applied for funds for paint and masks and called in professional artists Roy Christie and Barry Briggs to develop their skills. They also exploited the ethics and history of the art form.
Other artists, who wish to remain anonymous due to previous illegal work, also helped with the club. Less graffiti has appeared around the school since the club started.
Levi said: "It was a nerve-racking experience going to collect the award in front of so many renowned artists and celebrities, but one I'm sure I'll always remember!"
John added that it was fantastic to see the work of himself and his friends on display at the Tate Modern. Beau said he was taken aback by the whole experience, but was proud to have his work on display. The work will be on show until July 18.
Beau was also the only pupil to be asked by the Tate organisers to exhibit a physical piece of art in the main hall during the length of the exhibition - a graffiti surfboard.
Mr Christie said: "These boys are pretty special and the environment they have created is magic, a far cry from the back alley art many artists have had to bear".
The competition was judged by a panel including Sandy Nairne, Director of the National Portrait Gallery and Christoph Grunenberg, Director of Tate Liverpool.
The Tate Modern, housed in a converted power station in the heart of London, is the country's premier gallery for modern art. Officials were impressed with the way that the school supported an idea which came from students, and was prepared to take a risk.
