Currently on display in the CSAD B Block foyer is a selection of
images from 'Sketch A Day Africa', a project undertaken by BA
Illustration undergraduate Gideon Summerfield.
Writing about his
decision to focus on Africa for the project, Gideon says: "I realised I
knew almost nothing about the continent and what I knew, was largely
based on a steady stream of negative stories about wars, failing states,
the spread of disease and the impact of corruption. I decided that
'Sketch A Day Africa' would feature 365
Africans and that the majority would be people who are talented,
innovative, successful, inspirational and brave."
His first drawing was on January 1st - a surgeon Denis Mukwege, whose skills save the lives of women who have experienced sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
On December 31st 2015, Gideon had completed the project and was fortunate to talk about the project on October 31st 2015, as he was a speaker at 'TEDx Marylebone.'
“It’s been the most extraordinary challenge. A sketch a day, every day for an entire year is quite a commitment. I have had to e quite disciplined to keep the project on track, or maintain a good standard of art and to develop the project in an imaginative way.”
In November 2015, Gideon had the opportunity to visit The Gambia and Senegal.
Gideon has a track record for ambitious illustration projects. In 2012, when he was 16 years old he completed a project to draw someone in the news of every day of the year. He called it 'Sketch A Day' and he drew a total of 366 images. The sheer scale of the project was at times overwhelming but what held his attention through the year were the amazing stories about individual people and the lives they led. He learnt about what kind of stories the British media covered and what they ignored.
