Controversial art banners to go on digital display

Students’ street art banners that were removed from a shopping centre following complaints are to be exhibited digitally in a town.

Electronic versions of the 4.5m-long murals created by students of Abbeygate Sixth Form College will be on display at Moyse’s Hall Museum, in Bury St Edmunds, from October 27.

The physical banners had been unveiled at the arc shopping centre, in Bury, in July, but within days they were taken down after the arc received complaints from upset visitors and residents.

Students and Louise Gridley from Abbeygate Sixth Form College with one of the street art banners that had been on display at the arc. They are with Cllrs Cliff Waterman and Diane Hind. Picture: Supplied by Eastern Education Group
Students and Louise Gridley from Abbeygate Sixth Form College with one of the street art banners that had been on display at the arc. They are with Cllrs Cliff Waterman and Diane Hind. Picture: Supplied by Eastern Education Group

The students drew their inspiration for the artwork following a Horrible Histories tour of Moyse’s Hall and a talk with the Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides where they learned about witchcraft trials and local crime and punishment over the centuries.

With a nod to the Mutiny in Colour exhibition, the students set about creating their own crime and punishment-themed street art.

The work was part of a wider arts education outreach project organised by community artist Louise Gridley and supported with locality funding from West Suffolk councillors.

Artist and teacher Louise Gridley in front of the banners at the public unveiling. Picture: Mecha Morton
Artist and teacher Louise Gridley in front of the banners at the public unveiling. Picture: Mecha Morton

Ms Gridley, who also teaches at Abbeygate Sixth Form, said: “I am delighted that electronic versions of these two huge banners are going to be available for people to see at Moyse’s Hall.

“History is challenging by default while art is challenging by design. It’s important that we learn from our history and that includes acknowledging the brutality of the past as well as modern day justice here and in other parts of the world.

“Confronting that in an art form was always going to be controversial but the students, who are now in their second year of A-Levels, worked extremely hard to create this work and I hope people will go to see it for themselves.”

More than 30 fine art A-Level students were involved in making two large crime and punishment mural banners. This work was the backdrop to a showcase event at St Edmundsbury Cathedral and then these banners were digitally created and displayed in the arc, where they were meant to be until October.

Cllr Ian Shipp, cabinet member for leisure and culture at West Suffolk Council, said: “We are delighted to exhibit the banners digitally at Moyse’s Hall linking them into our crime and punishment displays.

“The museum is, first and foremost, a local history museum. We’ve already collaborated in recent years with Horrible Histories creator Terry Deary to help bring some of our more gruesome local history to life for younger children. This collaboration with Abbeygate Sixth Form students is a natural follow-on from that.

The Abbeygate students created massive banners that were the backdrop to the showcase event at the cathedral and then these banners were digitally created and displayed in the Arc, where they were meant to be until October. Picture: Mecha Morton
The Abbeygate students created massive banners that were the backdrop to the showcase event at the cathedral and then these banners were digitally created and displayed in the Arc, where they were meant to be until October. Picture: Mecha Morton

“This educational project has been supported with locality funding from local West Suffolk councillors and I’m pleased that we are able to make the students hard work available for people to see for themselves.”

The project was supported with a total of £1,450 of locality budget funding by West Suffolk councillors Luke Halpin, Donna Higgins, Diane Hind, Julia Wakelam and Cliff Waterman.

Alongside materials for the murals, the funding covered the crime and punishment showcase event held at the cathedral in July, where over 270 students shared their learning through visual and performing arts.

The physical mural banners that were at the arc are currently at Abbeygate Sixth Form College.



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