Award-winning photography student has his artwork published by the BBC

Award-winning Art & Design student Deividas Bukauskas, from New City College, has added another achievement to his growing list – his artwork was selected by the BBC to feature on their news website.

Deividas, who studied at NCC’s Havering Sixth Form campus, won the college’s Art & Design Student of the Year prize this year for his remarkable progression, creativity and effort, pictured above with Principal Janet Smith.

His photography work was entered into the Sixth Form Colleges Association’s annual art exhibition called Planet Future – and was then one of just a small selection of artworks picked by the BBC to be showcased on their In Pictures online section.

Deividas said: “I am really proud to have my work published on the BBC website. It shows the hard work I put into my final project for A Level Photography has paid off! I think the best feeling throughout this achievement is how proud my friends and family are, which motivates me to continue producing the best work I possibly can.

“I am really grateful for the facilities that Havering Sixth Form had to offer and I must also give a big thank you to Cat (my photography teacher) as she was always there pushing me, making sure I was working at my full ability and even helping organise and provide props for photoshoots during her free time.”

More than 180 sixth formers from 64 different colleges in England entered the Planet Future exhibition which reflected on sustainability and the challenges facing the environment.

The UK’s former Minister for Skills, Alex Burghart, who launched the exhibition, said: “The sustainability agenda has never been more important and the exhibition highlights students’ hopes and fears about the future, while also showcasing their enormous creativity and innovation.”

Deividas said his photograph, called Plastic in the Oceans, focused on how pollution affects marine life.

He said: “During my final project I studied environmental destruction caused by humans. In this photograph the small amount of water in a confined space, such as a glass vase, symbolised the little space the fish has to swim in as there is only a small amount of water that’s not contaminated.”

Photography tutor Cat Shackson said: “Deividas joined us on a GCSE programme but he worked consistently hard and progressed to A Levels, maintaining good attendance and excellent effort grades. He has shown creative talent and technical skill, producing some exciting original work, such as the Plastic in the Oceans photograph, and deserves the accolades he is receiving.”