modularmirroring

Exploring the idea of mirroring – some digital images captured within the 3D building software – some thoughts – the images are reminiscent of the cell division that occurs at the point where life begins within the body. The folds resemble the physical paper structures that I was working on a couple of years ago. Chelsea College of Art have been digitising some of the work in their Artists Book Collection – I have some in the collection and they have digitised a couple of them – it’s a great resource if you are interested in ideas around the book. https://digitalcollections.arts.ac.uk/collection/?code=CAB Meanwhile onto screens – catching up with the hysterically funny and cleverly written Cleaner on BBC. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – unfortunately adding time travel to the saga doesn’t make it any more interesting.

lifeworklifeanda#proundparentmoment

well a busy couple of weeks and we are still in it - assessments on the Textile Design at nua was smooth with some wonderful work -  the show at nua is almost up - we have built an extraordinary series of structures, creating an environment  to show off the work to its best - I've been north working on the assessment for OCA on the MA Fine Art Course and staying in the Premier Inn in Barnsley, there was some really excellent thinking underpinning great work. The next two years graduation shows could potentially be wondrous. The Degree Show Private View at Chelsea was gloriously old school - a packed space of randomly dressed individuals all enjoying being there - some excellent textiles and of course fine art - highlight was a #proundparent moment - Bob Bicknell-Knight. meanwhile A very English Scandal https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p065sk93 was tragically funny but I spent most of the time marvelling over Hugh Grants stunning performance. I got to see Solo - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3778644/ wonderfully geeky - with something for everyone - great back story infilling alongside swashbuckling set pieces. Christopher Brett Bailey https://christopherbrettbailey.com/  was the standout session at Pulse 18 last weekend - I cannot recommend him enough - I think this was my 5th outing and he just gets better. Meanwhile Snape Festival had a new opera - a kind of brutalist Jacques Tati set in a Kafkaesque modern space with a nod to the Truman show aesthetics. The Appalachian Spring session by the BBC Symphony Orchestra with Huw Watkins on the piano and conducted by Oliver Knussen was viseral. Playing Coplands Music for a Great City, The world premiere of The Book of Ingenious Devices by Philip Cashian, Feldman Structures and Coplands joyous Appalachian Spring one was swept away. On the way to see the Pavillion next to the Serpentine Gallery ..............I bumped into Christon next to the Christo in the Serpentine which was and which is fantastic and worth seeing offline.

observingmappingattendingandlooking

It's been a busy 6 days of student exhibitions and teaching. After assessing on the MA Book Art Course at Camberwell, lots of mapping of practice with post-it notes, I went to see the final Year Fine Art midterm exhibition at Chelsea which was full of ideas and on the moment thinking around critiquing all things social media. The NUA Textile Design final year midterm exhibition in St Margaret's church was a hugely eclectic success, the work looked good and lots of learning took place and with 6 months to go the tone felt about right.

I also managed to drop into Laurence Edwards studio to see the wonderful madness that is a 25ft man - it is going to be truly extraordinary - well it is already. http://www.laurenceedwardssculpture.com/

lookinghangingfacilitatingthefolding

okay – a day at new designers – as ever it’s a full-on experience that takes its toll on both the mind and sole (yes aching feet is a large part of the equation). But I had some interesting conversations and was able to steer some of them towards students. As ever on display there is the good, the bad and the indifferent but its a manageable experience size wise and you are able to take in ‘the best of textile graduates’ in what could be a long morning. Although the jewellery area is fascinating, and the jewellery that explores the idea of jewellery is always interesting. A day in London to see graduation shows - Chelsea and Royal College Shows is a long day, although it’s worth it to see such see so much extraordinary optimism. Chelsea Fine Art is chaotic and exciting and the constructed work within the textiles show makes one want to get back to the studio. Ideas are free flowing through some great making at the Royal College where the finish in the making is exceptional and its then executed within the final hang so that even work that one finds not interesting is trusted as having integrity.

This week when not looking at, hanging or facilitating the work of others I’ve been working on some new folds – looking at the grid and seeing what can happen with one sheet.

Next week is all about the hang at Camberwell and the Private views at Norwich http://www.nua.ac.uk/visit/degreeshows/ The Book Art students have posted on the Camberwell blog about the catalogue they have created – check it out here. http://blogs.arts.ac.uk/camberwell/2015/06/24/book-is/#more-10159

youngpeoplearemarvellousandthefutureisingoodhands

Borbala Szanto

A big day out in London yesterday to see student shows – first up Chelsea – as ever the textiles was excellent – their knit was spectacular this year. The more conceptual work of Honami Nishii http://honami-nishii.blogspot.co.uk/ and Lucy Monica Poulden http://blog.tedresearch.net/explored the physical presence of textiles and was very thoughtful. In sculpture Borbala Szanto http://borbalaszanto.com/ is making work that seems to be about the presence of sculpture and also the lack of sculpture itself – but maybe before the sculpture happens - quite wonderful. The Royal College is always exceptional in every way, although the painting and print had an air of darkness and despair running through and over the work. In sculpture the seemingly slight work of Adriano Amaral http://whitecube.com/exhibitions/open_cube_masons_yard_2013/ was sublime the work’s presence made one aware of the materiality that surrounds us all. Emma Shercliff’s PhD http://vimeo.com/95431428  is looking at repetition and stitch in textile activity – the results should be interesting. The fantastic material investigation within the textile department was deep and meaningful as was textiles futures at CSM. Textiles strength was the weaving in general although the standout work was the work of Skye Gwillim http://skyegwillim.com/project3.html who had created 3D folded paper structures – clever and beautiful – what more do you want? Fashion is closer to costume at CSM although there was a fairly ‘wearable’ jacket whose construction made it seem as if it was out of focus – truly an object of desire. Seeing all the work of so many young people really does give hope to the future it’s always a great day where one feels energised and uplifted.