AN internationally known visual artist has flown in from Beijing to take part in an unusual project combining art and archaeology in West Devon. The project has involved university archaeology students for the past three years and now primary school children have a chance to take part. Students and tutors from Bangor, Dublin, Sheffield and London universities have been carrying out an extensive archaeological dig on Shovel Down on Dartmoor near Chagford for the past three years. As part of their training, archaeology students must also make drawings of their work as they progress, which often give a greater understanding of what they are unearthing. Working with the students last year and again this year has been international artist Varvara Shavrova who has flown in from Beijing, where she now lives, to take part. As well as advising and helping the students with their drawings Varvara will produce her own work based on the archaeology artifacts unearthed. To complete this collaborative drawing project, children from Lifton Primary School joined the students and Varvara on Shovel Down to add their own art contributions. There will be exhibitions in July 2006 in Exeter, London and Cork of the students? work and the children?s drawings as well as Varvara?s images. Chris Chapman, the well-known Dartmoor photographer, has also visited the site and some of his outstanding photographs will be shown in the exhibition. The Dartmoor Trust and the Caroline Hunby-Teck Trust have both contributed grants to enable this unique project to go ahead.
