Wellington Place is more than just bricks and mortar, it’s a thriving community powered by people. This series of interviews aims to highlight some of the people of Wellington Place, share their inspirational stories and find out why Wellington Place is much more than just a place to work…
‘Window Collage’ by MA in Creative Practice graduate Becky Long-Smith is the new art installation on display at 4 Wellington Place
We recently relaunched our Artist’s Windows initiative, a collaboration with Leeds Art University, which gives some of the city’s most talented up-and-coming artists the chance to display their artwork in building windows at Wellington Place.
Alongside four exciting art pieces which will proudly rota and sit in 11 Wellington Place’s window over the next year, 4 Wellington Place has also been given a creative makeover.
Entitled ‘Window Collage,’ the installation gracing the window of number 4 has been created by MA in Creative Practice graduate, Becky Long-Smith.
What’s your background in art?
It’s a total cliche but I have always loved drawing and making things. For me, it’s a form of escapism. I studied a degree in graphic arts at Liverpool John Moores University and after that, I did freelance illustration, mainly for children’s publishing. Over the years my work has developed and changed a lot, most notably in the last two years of my MA course at Leeds Art University (as I hoped and expected it would)!
What’s the inspiration behind your art piece?
It’s a digital collage largely based on Wellington Place but is centred around the idea of perception and how places, buildings, and cities mean different things to different people. The cogs and gears, for example, reference Wellington Place’s industrial past, but they can also be interpreted as a metaphor for creative thought. Many of the elements I have selected for the collage work both as individual elements and collectively. This gives viewer the chance to take meaning from the piece on multiple different levels.
What does it mean to you that your work is displayed at Wellington Place?
Having my work selected to be displayed at Wellington Place is fantastic! It has given me a huge confidence boost, and I love that something I have imagined and created is going to exist in a very real way. Having work on the side of a building is very different from having it printed in a book. It’s kind of demanding attention, isn’t it?! That scares me slightly. People will see it and have an opinion, so I hope they like it!
What are your future plans?
I am applying for lots of different art opportunities in the hope of getting my work out there and being able to make more. My work takes many different forms – this work is more illustrative and reflects the fact that I have always loved imagining or responding to narratives. I hope to find more freelance work that enables me to continue working in this way. I’d also love the opportunity to develop more installations, interactive work and explore ideas of creative play further.
Check out more of Becky’s work in the window of 4 Wellington Place and at @beckylongsmith.com.
