On the Rocks: Art Works Review

As hard as it is to admit to myself, I am neither artsy nor cool. In fact, it is one of my biggest life regrets that I was born without […]


As hard as it is to admit to myself, I am neither artsy nor cool. In fact, it is one of my biggest life regrets that I was born without the ability to produce thought-provoking artwork, that I am always about two years behind the trends, and that, no matter how hard I try, I will probably never fit in as a regular at Taste. So naturally, I jump at any opportunity to surround myself with the crowd who fulfills all the above characteristics that I lack, with the hope that some of their effortless edge will seep into me by osmosis.

My dreams came true last night at ART WORKS. A collaboration by Art Society and ST.ART Magazine for On the Rocks, the event not only showcased an impressive range of student artwork, but also provided lemonade, live music, and ST.ART’s highly anticipated print issue. Most importantly, the theater bleachers were perfectly positioned for people-watching and general absorption of the (hip) vibes on the main floor.

Walking in to The Barron Theatre, I was impressed by the amount of thought that had clearly been put into the detail. Lockers filled with tea candles outside, fairy lights for mood lighting, and friendly faces offering freshly Squeeze-d lemonade at the door – even as the most uneducated in the world of art, I felt a little bit more cultured just by having stepped in.

The space had really been maximized to its full potential. There were paintings and photos everywhere you looked, a separate nook with film screenings of this year’s 60 Hour Film Blitz, and the Brass Monkeys were playing in the back- or fore- ground, to be succeeded by DJ Falk Morawitz. If it doesn’t look or feel like the Library, Union, or Tesco, does it even still count as St Andrews?

I wandered around the room, pretending to pensively critique the works in front of me while really just basking in the glory of this fleeting moment of inclusion into my dream world. As promised, the actual content of the exhibit was incredibly varied (and interactive!) – from photography to paintings to a bathtub which was well worth the hype. With just a pinch of imagination one could forget that this was happening in our seaside hamlet.

While I am in no way qualified to critique its substance, the exhibition definitely provided variety to satisfy any sort of art-lover. A particular favorite was the interactive talking shower. Stepping inside fully clothed to listen to water dripping, despite the 0% chance of actually getting showered on, provided a bit of a rush. But maybe that was just me. The dressing-room-transformed-photography-and-sketchbook exhibit was also packed to the brim. Here, guests had the opportunity to be decorated with henna, leaf through various sketchbooks and even try their hand at self-portraits.

My night wound down with an invitation to help compile a collage. What it was for I do not know, but thanks to a hearty supply of National Geographic mags I contributed a couple of creepy bird feet. Transformation to fully-functioning pseudo-artiste: complete.

With guests lounging on the sofas in the vicinity, the atmosphere was relaxed, making my impending return to the Library even more unwelcome than I could have anticipated. This was a fair price to pay in return for the ART WORKS experience, though.

Unfortunately, licensing laws did not allow for alcohol consumption – a blessing in disguise, perhaps, since there was quite some maneuvering to be done amongst the pieces, which was already made difficult by the substantial turnout.

In sum: ART WORKS was a welcome breath of fresh air in our sometimes overly party- or academic talk-oriented social lives. The lowlight was the confirmation that I have missed the boat for a flourishing artistic career in my lifetime. Living vicariously through others is almost as good, though.

By now, those of you who did not attend are probably suffering from FOMO. Not to worry, there is still a chance to compensate for this missed opportunity before the end of the semester. St Andrews’ own S T E R E O S C O P E photography magazine is launching their big issue of the year on 4 May at the St Andrews Boat House. Word on the street is that it is the last student event to take place in this venue. There will be live bands, alcohol, and a balcony looking over the sea…not sure if it gets any trendier than that.

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Image: © Madeline Lucas