SAATCHI ART PRIZE 2017

Bolton School - A Modern Tradition

“Architecture should speak of its time and place but yearn for timelessness” ~ Frank Gehry

In many ways, Bolton School accomplishes Frank Gehry's idealistic view of good architecture. As one of the oldest schools in Lancashire, the origins can be traced back to at least 1516. But it is the beauty and grandeur of the 1924 building that evokes a sense of timelessness. From the distinct clock tower to the splendour of the Great Hall, the school exudes years of history, tradition and success.

However, there has been a need for the school to move forward. The new Riley Centre of 2013 and more recently, the school achieving the status ‘Apple Distinguished School’, highlight the success of blending innovation with tradition. Such traditions are largely unchanged by aspects of the modern age; they are celebrated within the school, evidence of how the two can harmonise.My work displays this juxtaposition between the old and new. Initially, you are greeted with the grand facade: the clock tower and main arch; in situ at the heart of the building, the Great Hall, a testament to the timelessness of Bolton School. Enter through the piece however and an explosion resonates modern complexity. Old chairs and desks speak of the thousands of past students that once worked at them. As a whole, the work is a celebration of Bolton School, for indeed it is timeless, but also speaks of its time and place.