CURATORS Tilly Heydon and Catrin Podgorski were so in tune over their New School House Gallery show in York that independently they each came up with the same title.

And How Do You Feel About That? is "an exploration of effect in a post-internet age", showcasing bold works by graduates and emerging artists from across Britain in a multi-media group show that will have two exhibition runs, the first until November 28; the second from December 12 to January 12.

On show is work by Slade School students Benjamin Arthur Brown and Charlotte Lindsey-Cook; Liverpool humorist Joe Fletcher Orr; Glasgow wit Ben Lord, with his Mr Painter series; York artist Niamh O'Brien; Loughborough University graduate Libby Owen-Jones; Norwich idealist/realist Jake Francis and Manchester's Sarah Powell,whose anthropomorphic paintings "misbehave, are embarrassed, broken, sagging and bursting".

They were selected as much for their playfulness and wit as their visual flair by 21-year-old University of York students Tilly, from Suffolk, and Catrin, from Cambridge.

York Press:

Tilly Heydon, left, and Catrin Podgorski, curators of And How Do You Feel About That?

Both are in their third year, one studying history, the other, history of art, and have done work experience at Robert Teed and Paul Jackson's gallery in Peasholme Green. "I grasped the chance to invite them to curate a show," says Robert. "So they're the trailblazers, the pioneers, for our New Curators scheme, which we've launched this year to provide undergraduates at the University of York and York St John University with hands-on opportunities to develop their curatorial skills.

"Toast was the first show in the spring, curated by students from York St John, and now Tilly and Catrin have leapt at the opportunity, even though the lead-in time was only three weeks."

Tilly had curated another group show, Transformations, in the university's Norman Rae Gallery in Derwent College, in October while Catrin was vice-director of the gallery last year and curated a solo show there by Benjamin Arthur Brown in January under the memorable title of Free Beer.

Now they have teamed up for the School House show. "We started by finding artists first, and then we thought about what linked them," says Catrin.

They settled on a theme of examining the "complex conversation between contemporary art and realising our unconscious emotions". "We're attempting to force the viewer to reacquaint themselves with the base feelings and emotions that form their identity, away from the cacophony of social media that ordinarily surrounds us," they say.

What stands out? You can hardly miss the hat stand with the bowler hat, the dangling stuffed rabbit and two more stuffed, crouching rabbits at its feet; the taxidermy carried out by the artist incidentally. His name is Jake Francis, Norwich fine art graduate, his work is entitled Magician's Hat Stand, and his exhibition statement is divided into Idealist and Realist. The latter has this to say: "I am an inadequate artist who very occasionally, through the generosity of others, experiences mild success. Nothing makes me happier than seeing free tea or coffee in a waiting room." Oh, for all artists to talk so plainly!