University News Last updated 04 August 2015
Birmingham City University lecturer, Jane Anderson has designed two 5-foot owls for the city’s popular ‘The Big Hoot’ arts project.
Jane Anderson from the University’s School of Visual Communication painted two owls for the project in association with acapella group Black Voices UK.
The group follow the niche art form of Singing in the Black Oral Tradition (BSOT), which the project has promoted and help provide a platform for Black Voices UK to engage with new artists and audiences.
Black Voices UK teamed up with the Birchfield community to create a brand new song, which Anderson then transferred onto the owl, called ‘Birchfield Sable’, using Birmingham typographer John Baskerville’s famous type face.
Fundraising for Birmingham's Children Hospital
Presented by Wild in Art, The Big Hoot aims to celebrate the culture and talent that Birmingham has to offer, whilst raising money for Birmingham’s Children Hospital. The 5 ft 5 owls, each decorated in their own unique way, have been placed all around Birmingham in different locations.
From Eastside Park – just outside the doors of Birmingham City University, to the Mailbox, University of Birmingham and even on top of the Custard Factory, the owls have landed everywhere and need the families of Birmingham to track them down.
Each owl is different and carries a story, inspired by the streets, buildings and people that make up Birmingham.
Louise McCathy, head of fundraising at Birmingham’s Children Hospital said:
Jane's first owl can be found in Aston Park (pictured right) and her second owl, ‘Peacock’ (pictured above), is stationed in The Mailbox.
Other owls include “Florence Nightin’Owl”, “Hootankamun” and an owl resembling Birmingham-born singer Ozzy Osborne.
Take a look at The Big Hoot Owls
The owls will be on display until 21 September 2015, when they will be taken into auction to help reach the target goal of £250,000 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Birdwatchers alike can hunt for the owls using a map from the Big Hoot website, or by downloading the Big Hoot App.