ARTiculation 2024

Last November, Year 12 A-level Art students attended the ARTiculation Discovery Day, taking place at Windsor Castle. Upon returning to school, each student crafted a captivating five-minute speech, inspired by the experience, delving into the history of a chosen piece of artwork that sparked their interest. Four out of the seven students were keen to extend their presentations, vying for a chance to compete in the ARTiculation regional heat at the MK Gallery in Milton Keynes. They presented their speeches to a panel of teachers and, after careful consideration, Frankie Baxter was selected as the chosen candidate for the heat. Frankie was set to compete against talented peers, one from each of nine schools across Buckinghamshire, aiming to secure a position in the southern finals.

At the heat, we were introduced to the adjudicator, Lewis Dalton Gilbert, who is a freelance curator and the creative director at A Vibe Called Tech. By the end of the morning he had to select the two best contestants that he thought would be suitable to go through to the next round – the southern finals.

Frankie was the second contestant to give their presentation: on a piece called The Putrefaction of Diogenes by Robert Lenkiewicz. She remained calm and collected while delivering witty remarks, captivating the audience's attention. After her speech was done, she was asked a question by the adjudicator which, of course, she answered flawlessly.

After a short coffee break, the remaining speeches took place. A range of subjects were covered including Aid from the Padre by Hector Rondon Lovera, The Line by Philip Guston and even the iPhone’s packaging.

Once all nine speeches had concluded, the adjudicator retreated to finalise his decision. Upon his return, he provided feedback on each contestant’s performance, commending Frankie for her exceptional ability to connect with the audience through her witty, descriptive and entertaining talk.

After each participant received their feedback, Gilbert announced the two competitors who would advance to the southern finals, set to take place in Oxford. It was with immense pride and joy that we learned Frankie Baxter had secured her spot in the next round, a deserved testament to her abilities and hard work.