The Wellcome Trust, a global charitable foundation dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health, asked our students to create art to display in the windows of its new London headquarters.
The Wellcome Trust teamed up with Camberwell BA Graphic Design lecturer, and internationally renowned artist, Sigune Hamann and students across various disciplines to commission a large-scale window display.
Following a site visit, students developed concepts, pitching them to a panel including Wellcome Trust leadership and curatorial staff. Ideas included performative, photographic and illustrative artwork.
Kate Forde, Senior Curator at Wellcome Trust, said: "We were delighted with the shortlisted proposals for the Wellcome Trust’s new windows commission which were thoughtful, imaginative and inspired. The students engaged with a challenging brief, showing real vision and commitment to working within our institution."
The winning piece, The Changing Perception of Images, was designed by Camberwell BA Graphic Design student Phoebe Argent.
A folded narrative of an urban dweller moving through space was installed in two 11 metre long windows with a production budget of £35,000.
The project was such a success that the Trust also commissioned the second place entry to the competition, Eye Contact, which was designed by Camberwell BA Graphic Design student Peter Hudson.
The Eye Contact video installation will be displayed throughout 2014 and consists of over 650 coloured pixels, lit by over 16,000 LEDs. It uses real footage of the eyes of 68 volunteer staff from the Wellcome Trust and changes over time, displaying the idiosyncrasies of each individuals gaze.
The eyes will be awake and active through the day and will close at sunset to sleep through the night. Unless, this is, they are woken by a passing pedestrian.