Commuters at Feltham Station in West London are in for a treat, thanks to the artistic talents of students from Rivers Academy.
A selection of photographic work by pupils in Year 9 at the school in Tachbrook Road now graces the walls of the space on the bridge which, since 2022 has served as a community gallery.
The latest Feltham Station Gallery exhibition is the result of a collaboration between Rivers Academy and Feltham Arts Association which offers a programme of arts projects in the local community.
“Feltham Arts have a fantastic relationship with Rivers Academy. We are continuously developing new events and artistic opportunities that the students can be part of, ” says Hanane Dauki, Programme Manager at Feltham Arts Association. “Rivers Academy provided the artwork for the very first exhibition, and last summer students from Rivers were part of our young people’s volunteer programme; their services were invaluable to us. We knew they’d be receptive to working with artist Narvir Singh, who was born in Hounslow, to create something inspiring this time around.”
“We were delighted to be working with Narvir,” says Head of Careers at Rivers Academy, Will Berryman. “The students really engaged in learning about how he uses photography to capture the urban and social landscape.”
The youngsters enjoyed a full day’s workshop with Narvir inspired by the work of artist Dennis Morris whose photographs of London in the 1970s have become iconic. They also learned photographic techniques around composition and were asked to find a line of poetry and a prop to inspire their own work.
“This sort of project work aligns perfectly with our No Limits curriculum,” adds Will. “Part of what makes Rivers special is its emphasis on applied learning, where students engage in real world activities to develop skills of communication, collaboration, creativity and problem solving.”
The project is jointly funded by FAA and South Western Railway’s Station Adoption fund with additional sponsorship from Hardings Print Solutions. Narvir’s workshop was delivered in partnership with Gunnersbury Park Museum. The official unveiling of the images took place on Tuesday March 5th, nearly two weeks later than scheduled:
“We had hoped to unveil the work earlier,” explains Will, “but heavy rain meant we had to postpone it. The students are all thrilled to see the final installation.”
Year 9 student Arash was present for the unveiling:
‘I really enjoyed the workshop. The artist was very knowledgeable and very helpful and we learnt a lot from him. The work at Feltham Station looks really good and I am proud of what we have done.’
The works will remain on display until May and will then form part of the Feltham Arts Festival Exhibition which will take place throughout the month of May.