Make It Count is an exhibition of observations of, and responses to, the environment and shifting ecology of Orford Ness by University of Suffolk Fine Art students and researchers curated by Jane Watt and SE Barnet. It is the first public exhibition in the new Power House project.
Orford Ness is the largest shingle spit in Europe. From the First World War onwards, it was used as a military testing site but it’s now home to an abundance of wildlife, including several species of nesting and wading birds, hares, Chinese Water Deer and rare vegetated shingle.
The fifteen artists in this exhibition spent time on Orford Ness in February 2024 to experience and respond to the landscape up close. They studied data from species counting alongside observing activities including drawing, painting and photographing. Make It Count documents a selection of their findings through a range of media including drawing, painting, sculpture, analogue photography and text.