A UNIQUE two-part exhibition celebrating the work of art departments at a leading university has opened on the North York Moors.

Teesside University Inspired features the work of students in two departments at the Middlesbrough-based university – fine art and concept art – inspired by the landscape and folklore of the North York Moors and Tees Valley.

It includes stories of mythical serpents, magical witch hares and the gytrash, a legendary black dog said to haunt the Moors.

The exhibition, which is also part of the Great Exhibition of the North’s “Inspired by” programme, is split into two parts, with students from the fine art department exhibiting until Wednesday, August 8, and from the concept art department showing their work from Friday, August 10, to Tuesday, August 28.

Lewis Robinson, senior lecturer in fine art at the University of Teesside, said: “A lot of the students who are taking part in the exhibition were already working with themes of landscape, nature and the environment, but with the knowledge that they have now of this particular environment they’re responding more directly.”

Nigel Kitching, senior lecturer in concept art, added: “Concept art is about taking an idea and visualising it – the first step on the design of something like the recent film Blade Runner 2049, for instance, would be an artist creating images for the set designers and builders to work from.

“The students showing at the Inspired by… gallery are all on what I believe is the only MA in concept art in the country, and certainly the longest-standing.”

Sally Ann Smith, Inspired by… curator, said: “The North York Moors National Park is known worldwide for its glorious landscapes, but what’s perhaps less well known is its rich folklore and mythology.

“Using these themes of landscape and folklore, the students are presenting a body of work that stretches their creative talent and creates a new representation of the North York Moors.”

The Inspired by… gallery is at the North York Moors National Park Centre, Danby.

For more information, go to northyorkmoors.org.uk/visiting/ see-and-do/inspired-by-gallery/future/2018/teesside-university-inspired