In pictures: Huge celebrations for the return of Shrewsbury Arts trail

Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery is hosting 'Shrewsbury Arts Trail - Inspirational Exhibition', up until the end of August.

The exhibition is part of the Shrewsbury Arts Trail, which opened at the start of June, and has seen Shrewsbury filled with stunning pieces of sculpture.

The exhibition was officially opened on Friday, with a celebration at the museum, attended by a number of artists featured in the trail.

Now in its fourth year the organisers of the trail are continuing in their mission to bring "unique and high quality art to the town to be enjoyed by the public for free".

The theme for this year's trail is ‘Time’, and organisers explained that the exhibits for the exhibition, from some of the biggest names in the art world, have been selected for the "distinctive perspective they bring to the subject".

They include work by Anish Kapoor, Halima Cassell MBE, Francis Bacon, Damien Hirst, Almuth Tebbenhoff, Alice Irwin, David Hockney, Andrew Logan MBE and Jacob Chandler.

At the launch hosted at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery on Friday evening, all three female sculptors from this year’s trail chatted to guests about their work and the importance of public art.

“Sculpture in public places provides an often unexpected thought-provoking pause from our routine, temporarily offering a new perspective of familiar spaces. Exhibitions of this calibre can offer an important creative diversion. I hope the exhibition inspires people to try something new,” said Almuth Tebbenhoff, Vice President of the Royal Society of Sculptors.

Alice Irwin’s sculptural ‘Peeps’ pop with joy in the museum courtyard, bringing playful colour to the space and raising smiles.

“I like to explore relationships between physical and abstract, to evoke memory and the contrasting experiences of childhood, represented in the materials and the playful forms they take,” said Alice.

Exhibition organisers said they wanted to 'uplift people's spirits' as they engage with the collection.

A spokesman said: "Each artwork invites you to pause as you explore the theme of “Time” in its own unique way, provoking thought, sparking emotion and stirring the imagination. Immerse yourself in a world of time travel, where diverse talents create an unforgettable experience."

“My usual medium is steel so to work with familiar shapes but in ink and paper and at such large scale has been very freeing, I’ve enjoyed the more immediate experience of working in print and found my inspiration for this series from the recent archaeological dig and discoveries of Shakespearian connections to the county at Soulton Hall,” said Jacob Chandler.

This year’s Inspirational Exhibition has been curated by Shrewsbury Arts Trail CIC and Callaghan Framing and Design.

“We invited local and regional artists to submit work that represented the concept of time, and we received a staggering 283 entries from 156 different artists/makers and were blown-away by the calibre of entries which speak for themselves in the open exhibitions across town," said Jess Richards, founding director of Shrewsbury Arts Trail CIC.

"The community arts project has also been a huge success, working with the public at workshops led by Claire Scarlett, we collaborated with Emma Williams to build the beautiful, fluttering installation in the Community Gallery.”

A selection of the diverse and imaginative interpretations of the theme are exhibited in the Open Exhibition at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, The Parade Shops and Shrewsbury Market Hall.

Visitors can also follow the Sculpture Trail through the town, taking in Almuth Tebbenhoff’s towering ‘Redhead Sunset Stack’ reflected in the water in the Dingle, before ambling up to Shrewsbury Castle to see the iron ‘Memento Mori’ sculptures.

“This piece is inspired by the notion of being aware of death and enjoying life. They’re like buds about to bloom, ready to unveil the vibrant life they hold inside. Or perhaps they resemble flickering flames, reminding us of the fleeting nature of life’s journey,” said their creator, Halima Cassell MBE.

Organisers have urged people not to miss the chance to follow the trail and view the exhibition.

A spokesman said: "This unmissable exhibition has wide appeal, for the whole family to enjoy, everyone is invited to engage with the exhibits and perhaps draw what has inspired them! We are certain that people will return to view the exhibition more than once, to view works of art rarely seen in public.

"The organisers would like to thank all our sponsors, partner organisations, contributors, consultants, collaborators and colleagues for helping to create this year’s timeless event."

The exhibitions are free to enter – with donations welcome, and are now open until the August 31.

For related courses, workshops, trails and events visit www.shropshiremuseums.org.uk/events