Audience for the IMPACT Project

Since Christmas I have been working on a project in conjunction with Education Leeds and the Royal Armouries called IMPACT.  We (me, 3 other LCAD students and lead artists Lizzie and Peter) have been working with 4 local school to create work around the issue of gun and knife crime, hopefully to be used to influence kids to take the right choice when faced with using a knife. Today and yesterday I have been working at the West Park Centre editing work the pupils have done for the exhibition at the Royal Armouries. After the exhibition, some of the work will be taken further by myself and the other students/artists and used in a resource pack aimed at year 6-7 - 10 and 11 year olds. Morley High in particular have had the benefit of a visit from a stage make-up artist and have consequently created quite graphic pieces, and as they are the oldest group, most of them being nearly 17, they have been able to be very sophisticated in their analysis and viewing; they can see that although the bloodiness is a bit gory, it is needed to give the piece the impact it needs. While editing however, we have had to really think about the audience. Younger children, and even more squeamish adults may be put off by how real it looks,  and not being able to see past this, may quite easily miss the point. We have really toned down the red for this reason, and I have been amazed how much difference it made. Even though real blood isn't bright crimson, using this colour made the images look too shocking. 

It has been good, but difficult to try to think from the point of view of someone who is both younger, and not at all trained in art.  People who are trained seem to have an ability to look past the shocking because they are conditioned to expect it. Similarly with nudity, artists and photographers tend not to bat an eyelid at nudity, but those who are untrained often become giggly and childish. raaaaaaaaaamble