Is it art?

Met a friend for lunch in the newly re-opened cafe in the Smith musum and art gallery. Afterwards we toured the exhibitions.

You could be forgiven for mistaking this mysterious heap in the centre of the Smith gallery as a pile of rubbish left by some workmen.
 
But you would be wrong. It’s a student installation. It’s all about the environment, plastics and pollution. 
 
It would have been helpful if there had been some explanation. Simply dumping a pile of debris from the seashore in the middle of a gallery noted for its traditional approach to the arts comes as something of a surprise.
 
Interesting though to see that this group of young people ignored it and went straight the paintings.
 
(Yes I know all about conceptual art- I did four years at Glasgow School of Art- its just that this piece , though well intentioned , was simply incongruous in its present setting. In a contemporary art gallery with white walls, proper lighting and documentation it would have worked.)