John Lewis, Glasgow has unveiled The Glasgow School of Art sporting sculpture competition
winner. John Lewis launched the competition last month to celebrate its role as Official Department Store Provider of the Commonwealth Games and support local artists.
winner. John Lewis launched the competition last month to celebrate its role as Official Department Store Provider of the Commonwealth Games and support local artists.
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| Myra Ostacchini with her diver sculpture |
Fine Art graduate Myra Ostacchini created her diver sculpture from stainless steel teaspoons, taking inspiration from her own childhood memories of watching the swimming events at the Commonwealth Games.
The teaspoon diver is on show in the Glasgow department store from today. Full details below.
Further information on the GSA
Lesley Booth
0779 941 4474
press@gsa.ac.uk
News Release
From today, Wednesday, 16 July,
John Lewis Glasgow will be the home to a striking sculpture created by recent Glasgow
School of Art graduate Myra Ostacchini. Myra is the winner of the retailer’s XX
Commonwealth Games art competition winning the opportunity to have her
sculpture displayed in John Lewis Glasgow for the duration of the Games and an
iPad to help with her further art studies.
John Lewis Glasgow will be the home to a striking sculpture created by recent Glasgow
School of Art graduate Myra Ostacchini. Myra is the winner of the retailer’s XX
Commonwealth Games art competition winning the opportunity to have her
sculpture displayed in John Lewis Glasgow for the duration of the Games and an
iPad to help with her further art studies.
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| Winner and runners up: Myra Ostacchini, Chloe Fawcett and Ailsa Sutcliffe with their sculptures |
John Lewis launched the competition last month to celebrate its role as
Official Department Store Provider of the Commonwealth Games and support local
artists, giving them a chance to showcase their talent and be trained by popular
sculptor, Billie Achilleos. Billie recently gained
acclaim for her John Lewis Christmas 2013 window designs for Peter Jones and
John Lewis Oxford Street, for which she and her team created hundreds of
woodland animals to bring the retailer’s beloved ‘The Bear and The Hare’
advertisement to life. All the animals were sculpted from products taken from
the shopfloor, including a bear made out of sofa cushions and a hare composed
of hair accessories.
Official Department Store Provider of the Commonwealth Games and support local
artists, giving them a chance to showcase their talent and be trained by popular
sculptor, Billie Achilleos. Billie recently gained
acclaim for her John Lewis Christmas 2013 window designs for Peter Jones and
John Lewis Oxford Street, for which she and her team created hundreds of
woodland animals to bring the retailer’s beloved ‘The Bear and The Hare’
advertisement to life. All the animals were sculpted from products taken from
the shopfloor, including a bear made out of sofa cushions and a hare composed
of hair accessories.
In keeping with Billie Achilleos’ signature style The Glasgow School of
Art students were challenged to create a sculpture inspired by the XX
Commonwealth Games made entirely from everyday household items.
Art students were challenged to create a sculpture inspired by the XX
Commonwealth Games made entirely from everyday household items.
Winner, Myra Ostacchini, who graduated in June 2014, created her diver
sculpture entirely from stainless steel teaspoons, taking inspiration from her
own childhood memories of watching the swimming events at the Commonwealth
Games. The other finalists’ sculptures include a human body made from soft
furnishings and a wing made from beauty tools.
sculpture entirely from stainless steel teaspoons, taking inspiration from her
own childhood memories of watching the swimming events at the Commonwealth
Games. The other finalists’ sculptures include a human body made from soft
furnishings and a wing made from beauty tools.
Myra Ostacchini, 53, who hails from Falkirk, said: “I have always been
fascinated by the last few moments of a dive before the swimmer enters the
water. The human form creates such beautiful shapes whilst suspended in the air
mid-dive and this was the inspiration for my sculpture. To create my sculpture,
I used over three hundred teaspoons. I shaped each one by hand to create the
curves of the muscles or the shape at the heels, before bonding them all
together to create a human form.
fascinated by the last few moments of a dive before the swimmer enters the
water. The human form creates such beautiful shapes whilst suspended in the air
mid-dive and this was the inspiration for my sculpture. To create my sculpture,
I used over three hundred teaspoons. I shaped each one by hand to create the
curves of the muscles or the shape at the heels, before bonding them all
together to create a human form.
“This competition has been a fantastic experience for me and I am honoured
to have been named the winner. I have learned countless new techniques from our
mentor, Billie Achilleos and also from the other students, Chloe and Ailsa. I
am delighted to have my sculpture displayed in John Lewis Glasgow for members
of the public to visit – hopefully they’ll be seeing more of my work in the
future.”
to have been named the winner. I have learned countless new techniques from our
mentor, Billie Achilleos and also from the other students, Chloe and Ailsa. I
am delighted to have my sculpture displayed in John Lewis Glasgow for members
of the public to visit – hopefully they’ll be seeing more of my work in the
future.”
Lindsay Ironside, operations manager at John Lewis Glasgow, said: “Myra’s sculpture is a really clever idea and it’s wonderful
to have it on display in the shop. Billie Achilleos’s work is so exciting and
she has been such a strong mentor to the artists, teaching them skills that
they can use in their future careers. This has not only been an exciting
opportunity for the participants, who’ve had the opportunity to work with such
an exciting artist and create something really special for display to the
public, but also for everyone who will get a chance to visit this amazing sculpture.”
to have it on display in the shop. Billie Achilleos’s work is so exciting and
she has been such a strong mentor to the artists, teaching them skills that
they can use in their future careers. This has not only been an exciting
opportunity for the participants, who’ve had the opportunity to work with such
an exciting artist and create something really special for display to the
public, but also for everyone who will get a chance to visit this amazing sculpture.”
-Ends-
For
more information on the John Lewis Sculpture competion please contact Shaun Bell or Emma Paul at Stripe
Communications on (0131) 561 8628 / 07913 677 332 or e-mail johnlewis@stripecommunications.com
more information on the John Lewis Sculpture competion please contact Shaun Bell or Emma Paul at Stripe
Communications on (0131) 561 8628 / 07913 677 332 or e-mail johnlewis@stripecommunications.com
Notes to
Editors:
Editors:
John Lewis:
John Lewis operates 42 John Lewis shops across the UK (31
department stores, ten John Lewis at home and a shop at Heathrow Terminal 2) as
well as johnlewis.com. It is part of the John Lewis Partnership, the UK’s
largest example of worker co-ownership where all 30,000 staff are Partners in
the business.
department stores, ten John Lewis at home and a shop at Heathrow Terminal 2) as
well as johnlewis.com. It is part of the John Lewis Partnership, the UK’s
largest example of worker co-ownership where all 30,000 staff are Partners in
the business.
John Lewis has three Scottish branches, located in Aberdeen,
Glasgow and Edinburgh. The first Scottish branch opened
in Edinburgh in 1973, although John Lewis traded in the city as The Silk Shop
from 1943. The Aberdeen branch
opened in October 1989, and the Glasgow branch in April 1999.
Glasgow and Edinburgh. The first Scottish branch opened
in Edinburgh in 1973, although John Lewis traded in the city as The Silk Shop
from 1943. The Aberdeen branch
opened in October 1989, and the Glasgow branch in April 1999.
John Lewis, ‘Multichannel Retailer of the Year 2014’ ¹ ,
‘Best Overall Retailer’ ² and ‘Best Retailer 2014’ ³, typically stocks more
than 350,000 separate lines in its department stores across fashion, home and
technology. Johnlewis.com stocks over 280,000 products, and is consistently
ranked one of the top online shopping destinations in the UK. John Lewis
Insurance offers a range of comprehensive insurance products – home, car,
wedding and event, travel and pet insurance and life cover – delivering the
values of expertise, trust and customer service expected from the John Lewis
brand.
‘Best Overall Retailer’ ² and ‘Best Retailer 2014’ ³, typically stocks more
than 350,000 separate lines in its department stores across fashion, home and
technology. Johnlewis.com stocks over 280,000 products, and is consistently
ranked one of the top online shopping destinations in the UK. John Lewis
Insurance offers a range of comprehensive insurance products – home, car,
wedding and event, travel and pet insurance and life cover – delivering the
values of expertise, trust and customer service expected from the John Lewis
brand.
¹ Oracle Retail Week Awards 2014
² Verdict Consumer Satisfaction Awards 2014
³ Which? Awards 2014
The Glasgow
School of Art:
School of Art:
The Glasgow School of Art was founded in 1845 as one of the first
Government Schools of Design, as a centre of creativity promoting good design
for the manufacturing industries of Glasgow. However, the School’s lineage can
be traced to 1753, when Robert Foulis established a school of art and design in
Glasgow, described as “the single most influential factor in the development of
eighteenth-century Scottish Art”.
Today, The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) is internationally recognised as
one of Europe’s leading university-level institutions for the visual creative
disciplines.
Government Schools of Design, as a centre of creativity promoting good design
for the manufacturing industries of Glasgow. However, the School’s lineage can
be traced to 1753, when Robert Foulis established a school of art and design in
Glasgow, described as “the single most influential factor in the development of
eighteenth-century Scottish Art”.
Today, The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) is internationally recognised as
one of Europe’s leading university-level institutions for the visual creative
disciplines.
Our studio-based approach to research and teaching brings disciplines
together to explore problems in new ways to find new innovative solutions. The studio creates the environment for inter-disciplinarity,
peer learning, critical enquiry, experimentation and prototyping, helping to
addressing many of the grand challenges confronting society and contemporary
business. www.gsa.ac.uk
together to explore problems in new ways to find new innovative solutions. The studio creates the environment for inter-disciplinarity,
peer learning, critical enquiry, experimentation and prototyping, helping to
addressing many of the grand challenges confronting society and contemporary
business. www.gsa.ac.uk
Further press information on the GSA. Lesley Booth,
07799414474 / press@gsa.ac.uk
07799414474 / press@gsa.ac.uk
Commonwealth
Games:
Games:
The Commonwealth Games is an international,
multi-sport event involving 71 teams of
multi-sport event involving 71 teams of
athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The
event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years. Glasgow 2014
will be the XX Commonwealth Games and will be held from 23 July to 3 August. It
will feature 17 sports in 11 days of competition with 261 medal events on show.
The Games will play host to 4500 athletes and sell 1,000,000 tickets with the
event aided by an army of 15,000 volunteers. Glasgow 2014 Ltd is the official
name for the Organising Committee tasked with delivering the Games in
partnership with the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Commonwealth
Games Scotland.
event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years. Glasgow 2014
will be the XX Commonwealth Games and will be held from 23 July to 3 August. It
will feature 17 sports in 11 days of competition with 261 medal events on show.
The Games will play host to 4500 athletes and sell 1,000,000 tickets with the
event aided by an army of 15,000 volunteers. Glasgow 2014 Ltd is the official
name for the Organising Committee tasked with delivering the Games in
partnership with the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Commonwealth
Games Scotland.
Glasgow 2014’s official
partner level sponsors are Longines, SSE, Virgin Media, BP, Emirates and Ford.
For more information on Glasgow 2014’s full sponsor family, please visit http://www.glasgow2014.com/games/our-sponsors
partner level sponsors are Longines, SSE, Virgin Media, BP, Emirates and Ford.
For more information on Glasgow 2014’s full sponsor family, please visit http://www.glasgow2014.com/games/our-sponsors