12-04-13 - "AUTOTELIC" Show artwork

Ahead of going back to work next week and meeting with the team to discuss out Level 3 students end of year, I thought that I would take the opportunity to mick up some samples and creative thoughts relating the show. The exhibition is due to be entitle Autotelic (another post will come up soon explaining this)., but for the time being I thought I would share what I have been working on over the last few days. Once agreed, edited and finalised all show artwork will be posted along with further information about the show itself.







08-04-13 - Saatchi & Tate Britain

Taking full advantage of my Easter break I decided to visit to some current exhibitions and I had been meaning to go to for a while. Both the Saatchi Gallery & Tate Britain are places I do not visit often but the two exhibitions currently on show had received some really good feedback and numerous people I had spoken to really recommended going.

I have been an avid fan of Charles Saatchi through reading his books on his personal outlook on the world of art but very rarely have I visited the Saatchi, a beautiful gallery space set in the heart of Sloan Square. Saatchi was showcasing a new collection of artwork produced by various Russian artist and designers, creating pieces that showcased culture, history and elements of events that had taken place. The exhibition featured a mixture of sculpture, installation, photography and mixed media work, and expressed a cold and extremely dark twisted outlook on Russia. The way the gallery is laid out allows scope for scale and movement across all 15 spaces, however with that comes a coldness and isolation amongst the spaces and work (this may/may not be intentional). I must say it really showed me how an exhibition of various types of work can be so seamless and beautifully curated.  









Within the Saatchi there was also an exhibition showcasing the glass paintings of Delphine Lucielle. Her work is based upon her personal findings and obsession with rocks, and her want and desire to see inside stones. the exhibition showcases various pieces form her collection where Delphine sliced through various stones and reprinted what she saw through a microscope onto glass to give the user a sense of how light is travelled through the object. Her work is stunning and if I had the money one would be in my living room.




Tate Britain is a school Trip must! and often people only visit to see the permanent collection of painting and sculpture (not my cuppa). However mixed media and collage work is and who else to go and be influenced by then the work of Kurt Schwitter. The story of Schwitter is one of sadness and the exhibition curates this with every room being a chapter of the artists life. He was a significant figure in the early 20th century with a majority of his early collage work based upon the event and outcomes of the world war. Kurt Schwitter was deemed 'Degenerate" by the Nazis and so in 1940 he broke away to Britain. The exhibition is remarkably powerful and you are drawn into imagining where Kurt was, what materials he had, and what he motivation was. The exhibition ends with some of his last work dating to the same year he past away in 1948. The exhibition then ends with two nominated contemporary artists paying tribute to Kurt Schwitter by creating a video and installation based upon his great work the "Merz Barn"





06-04-13 - Art & Manipulation

Here are a selection of the UAL Art & Design year 1 outcomes, following their recent project entitled "Art & Manipulation". The project was aimed at adapting the body based on the ideas of Alison Brady and Lucy Mcrae, both who investigate the application of materials and staging to produce unraveling outcomes that highlight deconstruction, adaption and manipulation.









26-03-13 - Hayward Gallery and Tate Modern

My last visit to the Tate Modern was Damien Hirst's retrospective where I was blown away by the experience, however as a person who spent their entire GCSE foundation and exams based upon the work of pop art idol Roy Lichtenstein; I was super excited about visiting, and could not wait to see his work up close and personal. The Hayward Gallery has not been a place I have visited often, but I had come across reading up about the Light show back in January and discussed with my colleague Lee that it was somewhere I felt the students would benefit from. I can say that I was and probably still am in shock over how incredible the exhibition is put together, and it is unlike anything I have seen before (this is someone who visited Dan Flavins work at the design museum years ago as well).

The light show situated at Londons Hayward gallery features 22 artists, all, who in their own way capitalise on the different sensual approaches we can interact with light. I don't think I have ever been to an exhibition before where I have had to wear foot covers, take my shoes off and constantly blink with shock over what me eyes have witnessed. I would deeply recommend this exhibition for everyone who wants a day out and wishes to see something truly different. 

Lichtenstein at the Tate modern for me was a dream come true, the artist who is known for his bold dots and comic book art had been an inspiration in my younger days, and although I do feel to some extent that youngsters and school teachers heavily deliver pop art (too much) as a subject, this exhibition does make you understand why. I never knew, without given too much away just how many pieces of work Roy had produced, nor to say either the various types of work (small minded I was to think he just painted dots). I think this is one of those exhibitions that features an artist that everyone would recognise, understand and appreciate, an absolute must see for anyone who enjoys pop art.










23/03/13 - New Book "Cutting Edge" Contemporary Collage

I have not bought a book in a while and it appears that as hard as I look there's not a lot out there at the moment. Cutting Edge is another publication by Gestalten who are in favour of the full visual experience with little literature. This book is stunning, the array of visuals and designers showcased is great and for anyone who maybe interested in either handmade or digital college this truly is the new bible. I have only had the book a week or so and have not really had time to browse through the entire content, but I can assure you that there will definitely be some aspiring designers used as references next term when I return after the Easter Break.






19/03/13 - "SPLASH" Working Knowledge


Splash is an external company that deals with events in bringing business, entrepreneurial skills, creative marketing  and communication to the front of student heads. I was recently asked if the 1st year Art and Design students would like to take part in a Splash event given them a level 1 NCFE award in employ ability skills . . . of course I said YES!

Without going into too much detail the day was planned much like an episode of Dragons Den with students having to identify daily problems, come up with reasonable creative solutions and market those to a host of external local business people. The day was fast and intense with students in mixed groups challenging their team work and communication skills from the word go. There were prizes throughout the day including chocolates and hard cash, something that seem to of grabbed the students attention  very quickly. Most importantly I felt from the work produced and the feedback received that they enjoyed themselves and felt that they did now hold a greater understanding of what business is like. Below is a video that Splash pieced together showcasing the whole day, a majority of winner featured on the video are from the Art and Design course and so it was great to have so many winners.






15/03/13 - "Intervene" Level 3 Fine Art Exhibition

Course leader and colleague Maria Swepson always knows how to throw an exhibition together, and in her recent unraveling both Maria's year 1 and year 2 students have set-up a combined exhbition that leads you to uncover recent work in photography, drawing and sculpture and ends with a show reel of public site work. The execution of the show always proves to be a show stopper and the effort from herself and the students is untouchable. I have recently found out that the pitch produced by Maria and myself to have a duo end of year show has been accepted and we shall be taking over the East street college site in June, More details of this will be posted as I am currently working on the artwork and planning alongside Miss Swepson. For now though, enjoy the below documentation of the Level 3 Fine Art exhibition "Intervene"










13/03/13 - Visiting Lecturer at Ravensbourne

Over two years ago, I planned to meet back up with my old course leader at Ravensbourne Professor Layton Reid, and finally managed to fins some time in the schedule where both were free to meet up. Its always a pleasure being asked to come back to Ravensbourne, a place that for three years was my home, course and life! since the move to Greenwich Peninsula Ravensbourne has adopted a whole new culture and move in the steps of digital technology and creating a fast passed society that lives within skin of the building. Visiting Ravensbourne now as a lecturer and no longer a student gives me a very different reasoning and agenda, I want to find out how other institutions are working, what exciting prospects and opportunities are they allowing their students and overall how does it feel studying at the new Ravensbourne (I have considered that this may be on the list for and MA). 

 Layton had planned my vbisit just perfect with a full year three FMP group critique going on held by two of the guest lecturers that I had when studying, I also managed to meet Tim Pyne (an eccentric creative who I had worked briefly with on a project in my 1st year of degree). Time has been working in partner with the new hosing development to cater for student halls of residence, I was given the opportunity to be taken on site and to have a look at the progress of the building and to give some feedback on the potential layout. I feel that it is key to keep my contact with Ravensbourne as strong as possible, with my course being a natural feeder, by visit who sparked opportunities with HR where recently my students were invited to and attended Easter workshops held by Ravensbourne. Below are a few photos to give you an idea of the house style of the BA Interior Design Environment Architecture program.



07/03/13 - Open Evening

Another great night in both Lee Hey and myself setting up the studio into a showcase bonanza of portfolios, recent work and inviting deep house grooves giving a pleasant welcome into the life of the University of Arts London Level 3 Extended Diploma in art and design








06/03/13 - "China China"

Over the past weeks I have been working on the production of a presentation and promotional material to support a recent opportunity in promoting the Level 4 Foundation Diploma course to potential studnets oversees. This has been a really exciting oppotunity to have some live work seen by students of three cities in China. The presentation that I have recently finished was a show reel of imagery, movie and songs showcasing the college as a building, an environment and a place of study focusing of some specifics about the course. 

I am extremely pleased with the final outcomes and have received some great feedback from my manager that the presentations were of great success. For those who may remember me posting up about the new academy I dent, this is something that has been interlinked with the presentation material and is now for sure something that will continue to grow as I aim to produce additional material to promote other courses. Despite the very man late nights and early starts, I cannot stress how lucky I feel to now know that people from China (A place I hope to visit first hand one day) have viewed and applauded my work. For data reasons I am unable to post up the presentation but below is the flyer that was handed out and will now remain as the new University of Arts London Foundation Diploma promotional material.