Design and Visual Art students take end of year show online

Students from our Centre of Excellence for Design & Visual Arts have taken their end of year showcase online.

The end of year shows are a chance for students to hightlight the creative work they’ve made as part of their final major projects. Since they can’t hold it on campus this year, students have been able to share their work digitally.

Visual Arts TMC is a collaborative online space featuring the work of art & design, photography and fashion students from all qualification levels. The blog will be submitted as part of UAL Origins annual exhibition, which is usually held at a prestigious venue in London. 

Maria Foran, Head of Department, Visual Arts, said: “It is difficult to describe the continuing narrative of challenges that Arts education faces during a global pandemic. Fortunately, our students have found an eloquence of communication that articulates these days of shared history and experience in a distilled and profoundly moving exhibition.

Our students have utilised the strengths of their creative humanity to navigate the interruption in their education. At a time when the world has turned to art, culture and creativity for solace and nourishment, the value of our work shines and sustains.

The showcase kicked off in June when Art & Design students took over Manchester Central Library's Instagram account for a week. The digital exhibition showcased the students' creative experiences during lockdown, documenting personal and intimate responses to the crisis. 

Level 3 Art & Design students studying at Shena Simon are currently hosting their work in ‘The Shed’, a purpose-built arts venue constructed by 2nd year UAL Extended Diploma student Afonso Cortesao for his final major project. It’s made from 100% repurposed materials and uses solar-powered electricity. 

From there, students have taken over Manchester Art Gallery’s Instagram account to stream their own virtual exhibitions, which have racked up thousands of views. 

The collaboration is part of the Future Creatives project, a joint project between Manchester Art Gallery and the Manchester College. We've also teamed up to launch a creative challenge, asking past, present and future students to share an insight into their lockdown experience by sharing an image from our art collection on Instagram. 

Students also set up their own Instagram account - Disposable_Ltd - to showcase their amazing work. 

The Visual Arts blog features the 'Postcards from the Edge' project, in which students, staff and the wider community were invited to create art via the template of a postcard and post them 'as hugs' to art tutor and project co-ordinator, Eve Robinson. 

Photography students have been supported by Manchester City Council on ‘Greater Mancunians’. The landmark project features people born, bred or who have made their home in Greater Manchester and who have culturally shaped the city and surrounding boroughs. The project will culminate in a major city centre exhibition in 2021/22. 

Our second year Level 3 Photography students have also premiered their Final Major Project showreel on YouTube. 

You can learn more about our Centre of Excellence for Design and Visual Arts.