Technical staff at the University of Sussex recently organised the first and highly successful Technical Services Arts & Sciences Exhibition, which ran for nearly a week and attracted a diverse audience of art enthusiasts, science lovers, and curious visitors. Open daily, the exhibition offered a wide array of artistic expressions, showcasing a broad range of work from film, photography, music, and sound, to sculpture, graphic design, and illustration. With technical staff working across multiple disciplines, this exhibition merged the worlds of Arts and Science Technicians through various creative displays.
A private viewing was held on Friday 26th September, where over 60 special guests gathered to experience and celebrate the exhibition. The event provided an intimate setting for guests to explore the innovative fusion of work created by the Technicians and appreciate the creativity of the highly skilled Technical Services staff.
Amongst the guests was Dr. Monika Metykova, Associate Dean and Senior Lecturer in Media Communications/Journalism Studies, whose feedback was highly positive: "The exhibition was a real eye opener. In the course of my work with colleagues in technical services I have not had the opportunity to engage with their own creative work. And to have so many of my colleagues represented in one exhibition was a real treat. Many thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. I hope this will become an annual event."
The exhibition itself featured a vibrant mix of illustrations, photography, film, sound installations, sculptures, and interactive experiences, creating an immersive environment for attendees. The exhibition highlighted a mixture of the skilled day-to-day work technical staff carry out at the University, as well as their creative practice outside of their technical roles, recognising and acknowledging that many technicians are talented and successful practitioners as well as brilliant technicians and educators. Visitors explored the fascinating intersection of art, with each piece offering unique insights into concepts or media technologies through artistic interpretation.
This exhibition was created and funded following an application to the technician Career Development Fund, as part of the University of Sussex’s Technician Commitment. Dr. Rob Fowler, Associate Director of Technical Operations at Sussex said “This fantastic exhibition fits perfectly with the Technician Commitment initiative here at Sussex, which looks to improve career development, visibility, recognition and sustainability for technicians. The breadth and depth of creative talent and skill technicians here at Sussex have is often overlooked in their day-to-day work. This allowed that to really shine through and it is great to see.”
Organisers aimed to foster engagement and dialogue between disciplines, showcasing the power of art and creativity in an accessible and visually compelling way. The interactive experiences were particularly popular, allowing participants to engage directly with the exhibits and delve into the creative experiences.
The Phoenix Project Space, a renowned art and cultural hub in Brighton, served as the perfect venue for this cross-disciplinary showcase. Throughout the week, visitors passed through its doors, taking time to engage with the exhibition, highlighting the growing interest in the varied creative skills of the University of Sussex Technical Staff.
Professor Michael Luck, Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Provost attended the exhibition: "I was thrilled to be able to visit the Technical Services Art and Sciences Exhibition, which showcased the hugely impressive technical skills and creativity of our technicians at Sussex. It was especially interesting to see inspiring personal practice of some, as well as highlighting the broader and valued contributions our technicians bring to our teaching, our research and our culture."
Exhibitors included a range of emerging and established artists, whose works combined visual appeal with thought-provoking commentary on technological advancements, environmental challenges, and the evolving relationship between humans and nature. Their contributions created a rich tapestry of media that both entertained and educated attendees on contemporary issues.
Building on this year's success, organisers expressed their hopes to run a Technical Services Arts & Sciences Exhibition annually, with plans to grow the event each year, and further develop and explore the artistic interconnections of art, science, and technology."We’re excited to expand on this experience, and we hope to make it even bigger and better next time, continuing to explore the exciting intersection of art, science, and technology," they shared.
With the positive reception and increasing demand, the future of this exhibition promises to be an annual highlight for Brighton’s cultural calendar.
More information about the exhibition, artists, and art on display can be found in the exhibition brochure.