<p>American-born artist Jann Haworth, a pivotal figure in the pop art movement, helped pioneer soft sculpture as a medium that touted the artistic value of a traditionally feminine craft, while her peers in the British pop art movement were painting motifs from consumer culture. Haworth took up needle and thread to create donuts, cowboys and tablescapes, working in fabric alongside contemporaries such as Patty Mucha and Yayoi Kusama.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Haworth’s work can be found in permanent collections within Tate Britain in London, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington D.C. and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Sintra Museum of Modern Art de Belem, Lisbon and Le Delta Museum, Namur. Recent museum acquisitions include the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, mumok, Vienna, Moderna Museet Stockholm and the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah. Her extensive portfolio celebrates her continuous engagement with feminist art and her role as a trailblazer in the field. This conversation delves into Jann Haworth’s illustrious career, her artistic process and her insights on the evolving landscape of contemporary art. <br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Dean of Arts, Design and Media, <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/people/stephanie-owens">Associate Professor Stephanie Owens</a> said, “Arts University Plymouth is fortunate to be joined in conversation with Jann Haworth, an artist who has been breaking conventions and insisting on the authority of her own voice for the length of her career. Most women were not invited into the Pop Art scene in either the US and the UK without having work that simply could not be ignored. Jann's success and lifelong dedication to her art will undoubtedly inspire the next generation of artists and designers to stay true to the pursuit of a creative life regardless of the challenges that arise along the way.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Imagination &amp; Curiosity is an exciting two-week period between trimesters that offers a wide range of workshops and events aimed at helping students tap into their creativity, embrace new ideas and nurture their intellectual curiosity. During this period, staff at the UK’s newest arts university focus on promoting both mental and physical wellbeing, encouraging self-reflection to explore what a healthy creative practice looks like for each student. A stepping stone to prepare students for their upcoming units, it allows them to relax, experiment with new experiences and get themselves in the right mindset, both physically and mentally, for creative study. </p> <p dir="ltr">Other events available to Arts University Plymouth students and alumni throughout Imagination &amp; Curiosity include free movie screenings, hands-on workshops, yoga and pilates sessions, visiting lectures and trips to local cultural institutions such as The Box.</p> <p dir="ltr">Join Jann Haworth’s guest lecture on Monday 22 January 2024 from 4.30pm. Open to the public, anyone wishing to attend in person at Plymouth Arts Cinema at Arts University Plymouth’s Tavistock Place campus or online, please register your interest in attending in person or online, <a href="https://forms.gle/k6x6LgmJioLYLqgMA">please fill out the Google Form</a>.</p>