News 2022

Children's fossil art exhibition in Glucksman Gallery

24 Jun 2022

An innovative fossil-themed art exhibition featuring the works of Irish schoolchildren was recently organised by Ireland’s Fossil Heritage, based at the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UCC.

The exhibition was displayed in the Glucksman Gallery with two exciting collections, Fossil Freaks and Irish Fossils Alive.

Fossil Freaks featured art pieces created by students from St. Mary’s on the Hill National School in Knocknaheeny and Cork Educate Together National School in Cork city. The artworks were inspired by strange and unusual fossils from around the world and were created during a series of school workshops integrating art and palaeontology. The workshops were developed by Cork-based artists Susie Walsh and Leah Murphy (who co-deliver the Tools of the Trade schools art programme) in collaboration with palaeontologists from Ireland’s Fossil Heritage at the School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences at UCC.

“Children are naturally fascinated by fossils,” said Dr Jess Franklin of Ireland’s Fossil Heritage. “The students let their imaginations run wild for these workshops. The creative process really allowed them to envisage these weird fossils as living, breathing creatures.”

Irish Fossils Alive featured the winning art pieces from the 2022 National Fossil Art Contest across four age categories: under 8 years, 9-12 years, 13-15 years and 16-18 years. The winning entries are inspired by Irish fossils and were submitted by school students from all over Ireland. The lucky winners received amazing prizes including a visit to UCC’s palaeontology labs, visits to their schools by UCC palaeontologists, T-shirts and more.

“This competition is the first of its kind in Ireland,” said programme manager Professor Maria McNamara. “Fossils have an amazing ability to make science accessible to people from all walks of life. We want to celebrate our curiosity in the natural world and how we can express this in a creative way through art.”

 

School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences

An Scoil Eolaíochtaí Bitheolaíocha, Domhaneolaíocha agus Comhshaoil

Distillery Fields, North Mall, University College Cork, Ireland , T23 N73K.

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