O Y E B
D
ISSUE 13 WINTER 2013 THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF NORWICH UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF THE ARTS
CONTENTS PRINCIPAL’S WELCOME
03
NUCA NEWS
04
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE SHOWS 2012
06
ALUMNI AWARDS
09
MARK ALLEN INTERVIEW
10
ALUMNI NEWS
14
GRADUATION
16
ALUMNI REUNIONS
17
NUCA NEWS
18
IDEAS FACTORY
19
ALUMNI NEWS
20
COLIN SELF
22
MA DEGREE SHOW 2012
24
MA CURATION SHOW 2012
26
MA CAREER PROFILE
28
DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
30
ALUMNI BENEFITS & SERVICES
31
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO
32
EVENTS
34
Magazine written and edited by Caroline Bailey with contributions from Stuart Anderson, Alison Humphrey, Alice Kent, Gemma Melton and Louisa Milsome. Designed by Emma Bailey. Proofreading by Joanna Peios at WORDetc. Copyright © Norwich University College of the Arts 2012. All rights reserved. Under no circumstances can any part of this magazine be reproduced or copied in any form without the prior permission of the copyright owners. All information is understood to be correct at the time of print. The University College cannot accept any responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information provided.
Front cover image: Black Swan by Rupert Smissen
For more information on the Alumni and Development Office please visit: www.nuca.ac.uk/alumni or email: Caroline Bailey, Alumni and Development Officer at: alumni@nuca.ac.uk.
PriNCiPal’S wElCOmE
It is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to update you with developments since the last edition of Beyond. As we go to print we have just heard Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts’ announcement that we are one of 10 higher education colleges which have met the criteria to be awarded university title. He has recommended that NUCA is put forward to Privy Council for formal approval to become Norwich University of the Arts – our preferred new title as agreed in consultation with current students, staff and Governors. The announcement is very significant for specialist institutions like ours. It removes the little understood anomaly that granted a university title on the basis of size not quality. The ‘University College’ designation was applied to those with fewer than 4,000 students and the announcement overturns this. There is a great deal of excitement on campus and the announcement is much welcomed by current students (and graduates we hope) who deserve recognition for their hard work and commitment to the creativity, innovation and academic rigour that makes the UK a world leader in the creative industries. We will celebrate this achievement during our 170th Anniversary celebration in 2014/15 and will let you know more of our plans in due course. We will however be
formally launching the new university in the new year, including the installation of John Hurt CBE as our first Chancellor. As some of you will know, John studied Fine Art at Grimsby School of Art and Central St Martins before switching to acting and RADA. The rest, as they say, is history, but John has kept a strong interest in fine art as well as his obvious expertise in media and acting. Normal business at NUCA has continued and we enrolled over 1,700 students at the start of this academic year, our largest ever body of students. This reflects the continuing popularity of our courses. Included in these figures were 28 students on our new BA Architecture degree, which brings a further richness to the mix of courses across our campus. Estate developments continue with new facilities to support drawing and model-making, an upgraded illustration studio and an upgraded media room in the West Garth. Regardless of when you studied at the institution, we hope you will feel part of the new university community and will continue to support and visit us. We’d be very pleased to welcome you back to see the developments taking place first hand. We have an exciting calendar of events coming up (see page 34), which we hope you will be able to attend and we look forward to seeing you very soon. With best wishes Professor John Last PRINCIPAL & CEO
3
The Norwich School of Design is formed
1899
1845
NUCA NEWS
Norwich School of Art and first DipAd offered
First BA courses offered in Fine Art and Graphic Design
1989
1975
Guntons and Havers Factory acquired to be known as ‘Guntons’
1994
Degree awarding powers granted and becomes Norwich University College of the Arts
2013 2010
Norwich School of Art and Design formed
2008
Merged with Great Yarmouth College of Art and Design
4
NEW UNIVERSITY TITLE We are pleased to announce that Norwich University College of the Arts (NUCA) is one of 10 Higher Education Institutions in the country to have met criteria to be awarded the ‘University’ title.
1967
1965
St Georges Building was built
Media Lab opened in Monastery building Norwich University of the Arts.
The new ruling corrects the anomaly that institutions require at least 4,000 students to be a designated university and is welcome news to smaller specialist institutions like NUCA. After consultation with students, staff and Governors we have proposed our new name to be Norwich University of the Arts (NUA). Following approval from the Privy Council we will change to the new name in January 2013. This announcement is the start of another exciting chapter in the institution’s 170 year history, which we will celebrate in 2015. Established in 1845 as the Norwich School of Design, the School was set up to provide designers to local industries. In 1965, we became Norwich School of Art following the introduction of the Diploma in Art and Design (DipAd). In 1975, we offered our first BA degrees in Fine Art and Graphic Design.
Following a merger with Great Yarmouth College of Art and Design in 1989, we were renamed Norfolk Institute of Art and Design (NIAD) and the Great Yarmouth campus remained open until the mid 1990s. In 1993, we established our first Masters programme in Fine Art and in 1994 we became a designated Higher Education Institution. This led to another change of name to Norwich School of Art and Design (NSAD), which we remained until 2008, when after receiving our own Taught Degree Awarding Powers we became Norwich University College of the Arts (NUCA). We hope that whichever institution you studied at, you will remain part of the new university community and will join us to celebrate the history and the future of Norwich University of the Arts during our anniversary year in 2015. www.nuca.ac.uk
NUCA NEWS
Ryan Pentney
Giulia Ranchetti
TiCK OF aPPrOVal FOr DESiGN aND mEDia
NEw ma PHOTOGraPHY FOr 2013
BA courses to receive the Creative Skillset Tick and the first offered by a specialist institution.
A new MA Photography* course is planned for September 2013 entry. The course will emphasise the importance of professional and business skills alongside creative practice and is designed to support students in producing a highly individual body of work and an informed commercial practice. The course encourages an engagement with all areas of the photographic industry which will help to develop students as critically-aware, aspirational practitioners.
A number of design and media courses at NUCA have been accredited with a Creative Skillset Tick and highlighted as some of the best courses in their field. Creative Skillset is the industry body that supports skills and training for the creative industries and is supported by the top companies in design and media. BA Film and Moving Image Production, BA Games Art and Design, BA Graphic Design, BA Photography and MA Moving Image and Sound have all received approval in recognition of their links to the creative sectors and track records in securing graduate employment. Accreditation is based on rigorous assessment by industry professionals and recognises practice-based courses that provide students with the technical and production skills, experience and abilities that employers look for.
The accreditation follows a successful year for the course including Team Swallowtail, led by a group of graduates from the course, picking up the Best Newcomer award at the BAFTA Video Games Awards. Their iPad game, Tick Tock Toys is now in development for release through the Apple App Store. The course has also recently partnered with Sony to offer a number of internships to current students and NUCA has been selected to host a joint BAFTA/Creative Skillset student lecture in 2013. BA Animation is currently undergoing the accreditation process and is expected to receive the Creative Skillset Tick by the end of the academic year 2012/13.
MA Photography students will work in the recently refurbished East Garth, fitted with contemporary studio spaces and industry-standard digital facilities. www.nuca.ac.uk/maphotography *Subject to validation
The BA Games Art and Design course is one of only four similar 5
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE SHOWS 2012
Photography by Sarah Kennedy
6
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE SHOWS 2012
BIGGER AND BETTER EVERY YEAR In June 2012 over 400 final year students unveiled their degree show featuring a range of work across all BA courses. The private view attracted a wide audience from artists to potential employers, buyers and curators all looking to find the next big talent. The campus once again became one large exhibition space with work being exhibited in St Georges Street, Guntons, Duke Street and the Media Lab. Work on display covered textiles, surface design, fine art and the
Alex Searle
basement in Guntons was curated specifically to show sculpture and video work from the BA Fine Art course. Graphic Design and Graphic Communication showed their work in their new studio for the first time and was described by
many visitors as the “best student graphics show” they had seen. Visiting the degree show for the first time was John Hurt CBE, who is soon to become NUCA’s first Chancellor. He claimed: “It is a really
Samantha Kerr
7
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE SHOWS 2012 Joshua Lockwood
mEDia STUDENTS’ iNDUSTrY SCrEENiNG Final year media students from the Animation and Film and Moving Image Production courses premiered their work at a special industry screening held at Cinema City, Norwich, introduced by John Hurt CBE.
Stacey Knights
impressive show. I hope in my role as Chancellor, I will be able to help NUCA become an arts university second to none. From what I have seen today, this is eminently possible.” With Professor John Last awarding a ‘Principal’s Commendation’ to more
students than ever before, he said in his speech at the private view: “Every year I say that the show is the best I have seen and I can say it again this year. The standard of work is very high.” The quality of the show was reflected in the increase in sales of student work – it was a record year with students selling more of their work than ever before. With next year’s show incorporating the first graduating cohort from BA Fashion, it is going to be another exciting display.
John Hurt CBE at the Degree Show
8
Attending the screening were professionals from the animation, film and television industries who had descended on Norwich to view the work by exciting new animators and film-makers. Assistant Principal (Quality and Research) and Dean of Media, Keith Bartlett commented: “It is hard to remember that these films have not been created by those with years of experience and Hollywood budgets, but by student filmmakers and animators with tight deadlines, small production teams and low budgets”. Still from Jessica Waterhouse film
ALUMNI AWARDS
DEGrEE SHOw SUCCESSES A number of graduating students from this year’s Degree Shows received the following professional awards for their work in the show including: Alex Searle, (BA Animation 2012) already has two trophies to his name for his degree show film titled What is Animation? The film won the Critics’ Choice Award at the Sunrise Film Festival 2012 and the Creative Filmmaking Award at the National Association for Higher Education in the Moving Image (NAHEMI) student awards in October 2012. Alex, who was thrilled with both awards, commented: “Having already won the Critics’ Choice at the Sunrise Festival, it was brilliant to win the NAHEMI Student Award, I feel like I need to build a trophy cabinet!” www.vimeo.com/44930199
Alex Searle and NAHEMI award
Rupert Smissen, (BA Illustration 2012) had a double success with his drawing Black Swan, inspired by the film starring Natalie Portman. In June 2012 Rupert was awarded a coveted Yellow Pencil at D&AD New Blood exhibition and in July 2012 he became the first winner of the Hermione Hammond Drawing Award, a national student drawing competition set up in memory of artist Hermione Hammond and worth £4,000. Also shortlisted for a Yellow Pencil was Stacey Knights (BA Illustration 2012), for her White Lies magazine cover featuring Gary Oldman's role in the film Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Black Swan by Rupert Smissen
Gregory Pye, (Design for Publishing 2012) won the prize for Best Student Book at the Book Design and Production Awards 2012. Gregory’s typographical book titled A Snippet of Sound, tells the story of Norwich through the sounds Gregory observed as he walked through the city including the bells of St Peter Mancroft church and people on the market. He said: “To see my book alongside those published by large publishing houses was a real honour.” Kerrie Scott, (BA Design for Publishing 2012) was also shortlisted for the award for her book titled The Waitress.
A Snippet of Sound by Gregory Pye
9
MARK ALLEN INTERVIEW
“
THE BBC WEATHER SYMBOLS DEFINED MY CAREER
“
MARK ALLEN GraDUaTED FrOm THE DiP aD COUrSE iN 1974. a SEriES OF wEaTHEr SYmBOlS HE CrEaTED FOr HiS FiNal YEar PrOJECT lED TO a SUCCESSFUl 30 YEar CarEEr iN TElEViSiON GraPHiCS. Weather symbols by Mark Allen
10
MARK ALLEN INTERVIEW
Mark Allen
On 16 August 1975, the BBC’s weather broadcast featured a series of weather symbols for the first time. These symbols would become one of the most iconic pieces of design in broadcasting, if not design history. There was a national outcry when in 2005 the symbols were replaced with a computerised weather map but the symbols are still used on the BBC website today. After a call to the Alumni office from the BBC One Show looking to contact Mark, we were set the challenge of tracking him down. Thanks to the power of social networking, we found Mark and asked him about the weather symbols and his career since. What memories do you have of your time at Norwich School of Art? John Tomlinson or ‘JT’ as he was affectionately known was Head of Graphic Design and he was an extrovert, charismatic
and innovative leader. I always looked forward to Wednesdays when the freelance graphic designers arrived like Ken Kirkwood and Brian Love. They were so inspirational, in particular I found Ken’s boundless enthusiasm so motivating and Brian Love even put a roof over my head when I first moved to London. I was a rubbish first year student as John Hall, AKA ‘Arnos Grove’ told me: “well Mark this is simply just the worst”. However in my second year I won the Richardson Brown Travel Prize as most improved student of that year. We had guest lecturers from industry such as Michael Wolff from Wolff Ollins who came in to give a talk on the Blue Circle logo which I thought was the most influential and meaningful insight into the world of corporate identity I learnt as a student.
11
MARK ALLEN INTERVIEW Weather symbol concepts
Michael Fish weather forecast 1975. © BBC Photo Library
How do you think the course prepared you for your professional career?
Olympics and had a high profile in the design press. It became screamingly obvious that the same principle should be applied to the weather symbols.
It all began at Norwich for me and it was my weather symbols project for my final year show that started my career. After I graduated, the fact I had studied at Norwich definitely opened doors for me. The long days and being in the studio until late each night was good preparation for what was to come. Where did the idea for your weather symbols come from? I have always had a passion for the weather and would have loved to have been a Meteorologist. I used to watch the BBC show Pebble Mill at lunchtimes in the common room, I was amazed at the number of letters from viewers asking what “the brown dot or the black triangle?” meant. I knew they were the international standard recognised by meteorologists but evidently not by the licence payers. At this time self explanatory pictograms depicting individual sports had been used at the 1972 12
How did the weather symbols end up on national television? Key to my success, according to Colin Cheesman, Head of Graphic Design at the BBC was approaching the Met Office first. Had I approached the BBC the plan would have got caught up in Met Office and BBC bureaucracy. Design by committee is everyone’s worst nightmare! Jack Scott, Senior Weather Presenter, helped enormously to counter some of the Met Office reservations. They thought the cloud symbols were too generic and looked like cumulus nimbus (thunderstorms) and as rain leaves the cloud it is spherical not teardrop shaped. Jack pointed out that the BBC mission statement was to inform, educate and (importantly) entertain. With a letter of introduction from the Met Office, my next
stop was Rex Moorefoot, Head of the BBC Presentation Department, who in turn introduced me to Colin Cheesman. I was offered a three month contract to work on the October ’74 Election and after that I was given a six week secondment to the presentation department. My brief was to refurbish the existing set of symbols and to develop my new ideas for the project A Change in the Weather. In 1976 I was awarded a special citation for innovation in television graphics from D&AD (Designers and Art Directors Association) for the weather graphics. Where did your career go from here? After the weather project I moved to the Open University (OU) broadcast. I worked on information graphics for the maths and chemistry courses including creating graphics for the periodic table which was a challenge. I stayed with the OU for three years before moving
MARK ALLEN INTERVIEW Farmers of the Sea
to BBC Manchester in 1979. Here, I worked on a whole spectrum of television graphics from the network transmission of the cult TV programme Red Dwarf, current affairs programme That’s Life and a brief stint in the entertainment department as an Assistant Producer. In 1991 I was appointed Senior Graphic Designer and for five years headed up the award winning Manchester graphics team. In 2001 I joined 3sixtymedia as Client Manager. 3sixtymedia was a joint venture between Granada and BBC Resources. I was there until 2007 when I was fortunate enough to take early retirement. What technology was available to you? There were many innovators during my time, and new technology which was constantly evolving. We used Quantel for creating graphics and were always having to think of new ways to do things. A good example was Red Dwarf’s ‘Timeslides’. I had to combine a number of moving
Red Dwarf logo
images and a nonlinear moving background. Sounds awfully boring but the secret of a good visual effect is that you don’t even see it. How do you spend your time now? Since retiring I have started painting. I have a photographic approach to painting and work with gouache. I have a passion for walking and climbing: the pinnacle of my achievements was the ascent of the Matterhorn on Friday 13th (of all days!) August 1983. I have just returned from trekking in Peru, and I still have a passion for the weather.
supportive daughters who are both creative; having a family life was also very important to me. Finally, if you were graduating this year, what advice would you give yourself? I think the best piece of advice I was ever given was by a designer from a top West End studio. After presenting my portfolio to him we spoke for 10 minutes with the last page, which is never your best piece of work, open. He said to me: “We have just spent the last 10 minutes talking with me looking at your worst piece of work.” Therefore my top tip is always leave your portfolio open on your best piece of design!
Have you ever felt the weather symbols overshadowed the rest of your career? I have never been terribly ambitious or interested in the celebrity culture. I am aware that the weather symbols defined my career but I have no regrets, in fact quite the opposite. Every day was different at the BBC and I loved every minute of it. I have two wonderful loving and 13
ALUMNI NEWS
BiG BaNG SCiENCE Fair
Me and Er travelling arts emporium
Cordelia Spalding and Alison Atkins
TWO GRADuATES FROM NuCA HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO WORK WITH THE INSTITuTE OF FOOD RESEARCH (IFR) TO CREATE AWARENESS OF NETWORK SCIENCE TO VISITORS TO THE BIG BANG SCIENCE FAIR IN MARCH 2013. Alison Atkins (BA Fine Art 2006) and Cordelia (Doo) Spalding (BA Visual Studies 2009) are working with the IFR to create an interactive display relating to Network Science, a contemporary area of investigation into the traceability of food and a successful tool in combating the spread of disease in the food chain. Over 65,000 visitors are expected at Excel London, during the three day fair and the pair will be exhibiting alongside multi-national companies including Rolls Royce, BAE Systems and NASA. It is not the first time the pair will collaborate as they regularly work together under the pseudonym Me and Er, a 14
play on the word meander and which they describe as a “travelling arts emporium”, visiting community arts projects and events in an open ended rice horse box. The idea of the horse box is that visitors can walk through and view the art on display as if in a gallery. Their aim is to make art fun and to make it more accessible to people who may not otherwise engage with art. After meeting in 2009 at an Artists for Climate Change meeting, they discovered they shared a mutual interest in science art and were keen to work together. They launched Me and Er in 2011 and have collaborated on projects for the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts (SCVA), the Yorkshire Sculpture
Park, Norfolk County Council and the Broads Authority. Each artist is also successful in their solo practices, Alison is a sculptor and her work explores the relationship we have with the landscape around us. Cordelia’s work is about connections and explores why we respond in certain ways. Their next project will be a touring exhibition in 2013 relating to the topic of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. They are keen to work with other NUCA graduates and will put out a call for artists in early 2013. www.meander.org.uk
ALUMNI NEWS Digital Gothic wallpaper by Rachel Parker
Cedric by Katie Mantell
STUDENT WALLPAPER COMPETITION 2012 Textile Designer, Rachel Parker (BA Textiles 2012) was announced as one of the winners at the 2012 Student Wallpaper Design Competition held at Imago Gallery, London, in September 2012. The brief was to create a range of contemporary wallpapers taking inspiration from the work by British Architect Augustus Pugin: 2012 marks the bicentenary of his birth. Organised by CAMAC Design, founded by NUCA graduate Caroline McNamara (MA Textile Culture 2010), the competition is an opportunity for students to design their own wallpapers and to have them displayed in an established gallery. Rachel’s winning design titled Digital Gothic was described by Designer Peter Gomez, as: “A colourful exploration of the relationship between pattern and space.” Her prize is a work
placement with Zoffany, the fabric and wallpaper house, and her work was selected to be exhibited at the House of Lords in October 2012. Despite only graduating in July 2012, Rachel has had a busy six months. She was voted Textile Study Group’s Graduate of the Year and her work has been picked up by Flock, a design collective that represents new designers under their own name. Most excitingly, her fabric design Northmore Blend has been commissioned by exclusive London store Liberty, and will be on sale in the store in 2013.
KATIE VOTED JUDGE’S FAVOURITE Katie Mantell (BA Textiles 2012) was featured in a recent edition of the BBC2 craft programme Paul Martin’s Handmade Revolution. The programme gives designermakers the opportunity to gain feedback on their products and the judges select a winner from each episode. Katie’s colourful hand woven teddy bears were picked as the judges’ favourite for her episode. Katie impressed the panel with her weaving skills, developed during her time at NUCA, in creating the twill-based weave her bears are made from, as well as their universal appeal. Katie’s prize was to have her bear Cedric displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum along with other winning work from the series. www.creative-threads.co.uk
www.rachel-parker.tumblr.com
15
GRADUATION 2012
Graham Rawle
CElEBraTiON THIS YEAR’S GRADuATION CELEBRATION TOOK pLACE IN JuLY 2012 AS OVER 500 pOSTGRADuATE AND uNDERGRADuATE STuDENTS COLLECTED THEIR DEGREE CERTIFICATES AT ONE OF THE THREE CEREMONIES TAKING pLACE DuRING THE DAY. Also collecting their degrees in recognition of their services to the fields of the arts, design and media, were our three Honorary Doctorates. David Juda, a gallerist with international significance, was awarded his Honorary Degree in recognition of his commercial and curatorial work at Annely Juda Gallery, London. Adrian Wootton has served as Chief Executive of Film London since 2003. During this time, London filmmaking has increased by an impressive 30%, with Film London receiving a national inward
investment remit delivered through the British Film Commission to attract and support the production of international feature films in the UK. Illustrator Graham Rawle is best known for his Lost Consonants series, which ran in The Guardian for 15 years. In 2009, he won Book Design of the Year award at the British Book Design and Production Awards for his reinterpretation of The Wizard of Oz and another of his books, Woman’s World, is currently being made into a film.
Concluding each ceremony, NUCA Principal, Professor John Last, commended and congratulated students on the success and standard of their degree show. He said: “Graduation is a day for the whole institution to celebrate. We hope our graduates will have as distinguished careers as our Honorary Doctors who we have honoured today.” Next year’s ceremony will be the first as Norwich University of the Arts and the inaugural graduation ceremony for the University’s new Chancellor, John Hurt CBE. Photography by Andi Sapey
16
ALUMNI REUNIONS
1980 GRADuATES REuNITE IN NORWICH Caption
A group of students who graduated in 1980 revisited their alma mater in September 2012 as part of a weekend reunion in Norwich. The event organised by Phil Birch (BA Fine Art 1980), was the first time the group of friends had met up in Norwich for many years and for some, it was the first time they had revisited the University College since graduating. After a tour of their old departments, the group reminisced about their time at the then Norwich School of Art and were impressed by, if not slightly envious of, the facilities and equipment students now have access to.
Back row L-R: Mark Hiner, Maddy Orme (nĂŠe Pickard), Nigel Orme. Front row L-R: Jill Hiner (nĂŠe Nurse), Phil Birch, Piotr Hennig, Dave Fallows, Dave Nicholson
If you would like to arrange a reunion for your former course or year group and would like help in contacting people or holding it at NUCA, please
LONDON puB NIGHT 2012
contact Caroline Bailey, Alumni Relations and Development Officer at: c.bailey@nuca.ac.uk or call: 01603 756288.
It was great to see so many former students at our first ever London get-together at the end of November 2012. Graduates from a range of year groups attended the event held in a pub near Shoreditch and enjoyed meeting up with old friends plus other graduates from NUCA. Due to the success of the event, we will definitely be holding another event next year. To receive details about this and other exclusive alumni events, please join our Facebook group: The Official NUCA Alumni Group; or register your email address with us at: www.nuca.ac.uk/alumni/register
London Pub Night
17
NUCA NEWS
BY THE riVErS OF BirmiNam Professor Lynda Morris, Chair of Curation at NUCA, recently curated By the Rivers of Birminam, a collection of 100 photographs by Vanley Burke taken between 1968-2011 recording the lives of the people of Handsworth, Birmingham.
with a determination to reclaim, recognise and reestablish the cultural presence of African Caribbean people; to readdress the community as ‘British Caribbean’, a definition far more representative of where we are now.
Widely recognised as one of the UK’s foremost photographers, Vanley Burke’s contribution to photography has been significant. It is a contribution which represents probably the greatest photographic document of the Caribbean Diaspora in post-war Britain, detailing the experience of black people in the UK and their community identity.
Professor Morris spent two years researching the historical context of the photographs and selected a number of local press cuttings to be included in a publication to accompany the exhibition. Cuttings covered social issues facing the community such as housing, schooling, employment and their relationships with the Police and the white community.
Having dedicated the past 45 years to recording the lives of the people of Handsworth, Vanley continues to photograph those around him
The exhibition was funded by Arts Council England, the Roughley Trust and Norwich University College of the Arts.
African Liberation Day, Handsworth Park, 1977. Photo by Vanley Burke
18
NEW TATE LECTuRE SERIES AT NuCA A series of lectures given by Marcus Dickey-Horley, Curator of Access and Special Projects at Tate Modern, began in November 2012. The first lecture, held in the Duke Street Lecture Theatre, titled Revealing Queer Art from the Tate collection discussed the issues that arise when defining and presenting Queer Art. The talk was scheduled to coincide with the screening of Tate’s queer art history film Art with a Captial Q at Fusion in the Forum. Two further lectures to be given by Dickey Horley are scheduled for February and May 2013. For more details on events at NUCA, please visit: www.nuca.ac.uk
IDEAS FACTORY
NEW ONLINE ARCHIVE GOES LIVE HEART Digital Archive Web Still
the imagery would be viewed on different platforms including smartphones and tablets.
A new website which brings alive the history of East Anglia and Upper Normandy was launched in October 2012 at the Forum, Norwich. The website (www.archivealive.org) is the result of a collaboration between the Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART), the ideas factory@NUCA and Norwich agency Soak Digital. The site aims to give the public an opportunity to view curated footage, showcasing events, places and people from both France and England over
several decades, starting as far back as 1896. NUCA students, guided by experienced staff, were involved in the pitching process and were then tasked with creating the timeline module for the homepage and to present the archive in an engaging, clear and user friendly way for both French and English audiences. Technical restraints were considered and addressed such as the inclusion of three viewing screens to show the previous, current and next film and how
At the website launch, Jane Jarvis, Digital Heritage Project Manager at HEART, commented: “Norwich HEART is very pleased with the website delivered following the collaboration between NUCA and Soak Digital. Working with archive film shot so many years ago, and with an aim to ensure the website and films reach an intergenerational audience, it was good to have the input of the creative minds of NUCA students to showcase the footage – we are more than happy with the results.” To commission a project through the ideas factory, please contact Ed Walker, Business Director at: e.walker@nuca.ac.uk or call: 01603 610561. www.nuca.ac.uk/ideasfactory
19
ALUMNI NEWS
YOuNG MASTERS pRIZE 2012 Georgia Dodson (MA Fine Art 2012) was named as a runner up in the Young Masters Prize 2012. Georgia’s work was exhibited in November 2012 at Cynthia Corbett Gallery and at Sphinx Fine Art along with the other shortlisted artists. She will also exhibit in special projects organised by Cynthia Corbett Gallery in 2013. The competition recognises artists whose work combines innovation with awareness of the Old Masters and art of the past. Georgia was shortlisted for the prize for her detailed oil paintings of forest floors,
Forest Floor by Georgia Dodson
which echo the 17th century Netherlandish sottobosco paintings of artists such as Otto Marseus van Schrieck (1619-1678). Georgia commented: “It’s very exciting to have the opportunity to exhibit alongside artists with similar concerns, making reference to art history. My tutors at NUCA have been very supportive providing me with professional and technical advice to apply for awards and prizes which could further my painting practice.” www.georgia-dodson.blogspot.co.uk
SERCO ILLuSTRATION pRIZE 2012 It was a double win for NUCA’s BA Illustration course at the Serco Prize for Illustration 2012 with two former students winning prizes. The winners were announced at the London Transport Museum in November 2012. This year’s theme was Secret London and entrants were asked to create an illustration which depicted little known or unusual aspects of the capital’s history, culture, characters and communities – past or present.
Pigeon Disco by Chris King
20
Chris King who graduated in July 2012 won Second Prize, worth £1,000, for his illustration, titled Pigeon Disco. His image features Nelson’s Column by day and a home for pigeons by
night. On accepting his award, Chris commented: “I was really surprised as the standard of entries was extremely good but I was delighted to win.” Guy Roberts who graduated in 2011 won third place for his piece titled W4. His image is inspired by the area of London he grew up in and it has been selected as one of four entries to be printed as a poster available to buy. Guy said: “It is great for my CV. The awards ceremony was also a good opportunity to chat to the judges and to make contacts within the industry.”
ALUMNI NEWS
GRADuATE BOOK puBLISHED Elizabeth Earle’s (BA Creative Writing 2009) debut novel Tartarus was published in August 2012. The novel is drawn from Elizabeth’s personal experience of night terrors and is based on the character Diane Stillman who travels to the underground city of Tartarus in the pursuit of finding her sister’s killer. The novel explores how far someone would go if they had nothing to lose with Diane’s battle of keeping her humanity
as she commits one monstrosity after another. Elizabeth started writing Tartarus as an outlet for her nightly hallucinations whilst studying at NUCA. After graduation she taught at a male prison before moving home to Warwickshire. Elizabeth has just completed her second novel Edge of Demons. Tartarus is now available from most bookshops and for the Kindle. www.eearle.com
LARD’S QuEST FOR WORLD pEACE
2011. Each day Lard posts a new way in which world peace can be achieved. The project was a winner in Animation Magazine’s Pitch Party 2012 in which US TV executives pick new projects they’d like to see succeed in the coming years.
A character created by a NUCA graduate for his degree show film is set to be released as a game to millions of users worldwide. Daniel Saunders, (BA Graphic Design (Animation) 2010) has been developing Lard over the past two years into a multi-platform project. Supported by BAFTA award winning writer and producer and visiting lecturer to the BA Animation course, Keith Tutt, they formed Lard Ventures and launched the Lard Wants World Peace website in December
With the help of another NUCA graduate, Andrew Matlock (BA Games Art and Design 2009), Lard’s first video game, Lard Wants Waffles has just been completed. Andrew has extensive experience in producing and releasing video games through his company Industry based in Canada. With discussions underway on future collaborations including a feature film, Lard looks set for world domination and hopefully world peace. www.lardwantsworldpeace.com
Lard by Daniel Saunders
21
COLIN SELF
One Thousand Sketches installation at the Gallery Photography by Denisa Ilie
COLIN SELF:
ONE THOUSaND SKETCHES IN ASSOCIATION WITH JAMES HYMAN GALLERY, LONDON, THE GALLERY AT NuCA WAS HONOuRED TO HOST AN ExHIBITION BY INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED pOp ARTIST AND NuCA ALuMNuS COLIN SELF. 22
COLIN SELF
The exhibition encompassed a unique and dazzling display of 1,000 sketch-based works by the artist dating from the 1950s to the present day. Self’s irreverent and obsessive production and collection of works included rapid sketches, mementos, assemblage and collage.
eloquently characterising the paranoia and fear of nuclear weapons, nuclear power and the Cold War. In 2001 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at NUCA and in 2008 was commissioned to design NUCA’s first ceremonial mace to be used at graduation ceremonies.
Self also appeared in conversation with Professor Lynda Morris at the Gallery, which was attended by alumni. The talk gave a fascinating insight into the life of the artist from his childhood, his time as a student at Norwich School of Art, to his more recent work in the exhibition.
Colin Self studied at Norwich School of Art between 1958-1961 before going to the Slade School of Fine Art. He quickly became an important and widely exhibited figure in British art and was an influential artist in the mid 1950s Pop Art movement,
To coincide with the exhibition, Fine Art and Visual Studies students spent two days working with Self. The first day was spent in the drawing workshop and on the second day, the group made rapid drawings from a moving train travelling from Norwich to Ely.
Still based in Norfolk, Self continues to paint landscapes as well as addressing a wide range of themes and ideas in various media. www.nuca.ac.uk/thegallery
23
MA DEGREE SHOW 2012
Peta-Stacy Wainwright
24
MA DEGREE SHOW 2012
iNDiViDUal aND UNiQUE THE ANNuAL MA SHOW OpENED AT THE END OF AuGuST 2012 AND ExHIBITED THE “INDIVIDuAL AND VERY uNIQuE” WORK OF 40 pOSTGRADuATE STuDENTS ACROSS pROGRAMMES IN ART, DESIGN AND MEDIA, INCLuDING THE FIRST GRADuATES FROM MA FASHION AND MA CuRATION. A highlight of the show was work by Peta-Stacy Wainwright (MA Fine Art 2012), whose work was selected for MAstars by Harriet Loffler, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery. MAstars is an annual selection of the most promising artists from the UK's leading MA courses to be featured on the artists’ website Axis (www.axisweb.org).
Kelly Hamilton
Other highlights included fabrics designed by Jo Rolfe (MA Textile Design 2012), a collection of smock dresses by Swee Ling Yew (MA Fashion 2012), Kelly Hamilton’s (MA Communication Design 2012) stunning hand drawn graphics and calligraphy and screenings of short films by students on the MA Moving Image and Sound course. Professor John Last, NUCA Principal, visiting the exhibition said: “Our commitment to
providing extensive teaching to our MA students including a programme of professional guest speakers, full-time access to practical workshops and tutors who are practitioners themselves, results in an end-of-year exhibition which presents artists, designers and media makers that are intensely creative and innovative.” More work from the show can be viewed online at: www.nuca.ac.uk/thegallery/madegreeshow
Swee Ling Yew
25
MA CURATION SHOW 2012
William Freeman
Photography by Fergus Good
26
MA CURATION SHOW 2012
i THOUGHT i waS THE aUDiENCE THEN i lOOKED aT YOU I thought I was the audience and then I looked at you was curated by Charlotte Carver, Alison Humphrey and Phoebe O’Donnell, the first cohort of graduating students from the MA Curation course at NUCA. A show within a show, the exhibition opened in the Gallery at NUCA prior to the main MA Degree show in August 2012. The exhibition’s aim was to be varied and thought provoking, fully reflective of the NUCA Collection from which the selection was made, where works were borrowed from Marlene Haring
their original context and inserted into a new narrative premise. The narrative against which the exhibition was hung came from A Happy Eye: A School of Art in Norwich 1845-1982, written by Marjorie Allthorpe-Guyton in 1982. “A traditional archive exhibition that deals with ‘time’ and ‘history’ didn’t seem appropriate here”, commented curator Phoebe O’Donnell. “Many people involved in the shows documented in the archive are still working and living locally. It felt fitting to use our concept to create a web of connections in an attempt to capture the humanness and sense of place that ties them all together.”
It was challenging for the three curators to search through all the material, but by employing an explorative approach, literally every file was investigated intuitively. Through some generous connections they managed to source works by artists including Alexis Hunter and Alexandre Singh.
A variety of media featured in the exhibition, including a very popular cinema space, which viewers entered through a curtain printed with an image of Bik van der Pol’s EASTinternational 1997 installation, which recreated Konrad Fischer’s conceptual gallery, a piece which Professor Lynda Morris had promoted as one of her favourites. Many visitors recalled Marlene Haring’s Because Every Hair is Different from East 2009. The show stoppers were undoubtedly the procession
Phoebe O’Donnell reflects; “I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved, on both a conceptual and organisational level. I feel the exhibition pays tribute to the legacy of the Gallery and NUCA in a playful and subtly complex way.”
of original figurative plaster casts in the window which have been used by generations of art students as drawing aids for anatomical drawings.
A publication which accompanied the exhibition intended to provide an extension of giving space to things which physically could not be included in the show. The mini archive also contained dispatches from past exhibitions held at NUCA.
www.nuca.ac.uk/macuration
27
MA CAREER PROFILE
CASE STuDY
“I WAS IMpRESSED WITH THE EMpHASIS ON pRACTICAL SKILLS AND CRAFTSMANSHIp.”
Romilly Quay in the Fashion studio
MA collection by Romilly Quay
ROMILLY QUAY
planted in my mind. I was originally considering MA Fine Art, I previously studied BA Fine Art at Norwich in the 1990s, but when I read NUCA was now offering fashion as a postgraduate degree it seemed like fate! I was impressed with the emphasis on practical skills and craftsmanship. It was perfect timing for me in several ways, my children were both at school, and I was ready for a challenge.
MA FASHION 2012 Romilly Quay was one of the first cohort of students to graduate from MA Fashion at NUCA in September 2012. We asked Romilly to tell us more about the course and why she chose MA Fashion. What were you doing prior to starting your MA? I was working from home as a dressmaker, mainly doing alterations and repairs as well as looking after my children. When my youngest started school, I began volunteering at the Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich in the wardrobe department. Why the MA Fashion course at NUCA? Prior to the MA I had undertaken a short course at the Slade School of Fine Art. I enjoyed being a student again so the idea of doing an MA was 28
How did the MA help you to develop your practice? The MA Fashion course was fantastic, it enabled me to combine my existing knowledge with new creative approaches to pattern cutting and garment construction. I was able to develop a practice that integrated fine art-based concepts within a fashion context. The staff
combined a rigorous critical approach with a positive attitude that encouraged us to generate and extend our individual methodology. We also had the opportunity to show work at House of Fraser and to be in the annual Fashion Show. The positive feedback I received gave me a lot of confidence. I loved being in a lively and thriving environment. www.nuca.ac.uk/mafashion
IF YOu WOuLD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOuT COuRSES AT NuCA, pLEASE CONTACT ALICE KENT, MARKETING AND RECRuITMENT OFFICER AT: A.KENT@NuCA.AC.uK OR CALL: 01603 610561.
MA OPEN DAYS 2013 17 January 11 April 16 May 18 July 2 September (during MA Degree show)
ma ma ma ma ma ma ma
Communication Design Curation Fashion Fine art moving image and Sound Photography* Textile Design
All former students receive a ÂŁ500 MA tuition fee discount Book online: www.nuca.ac.uk *Subject to validation
Still from Anomie by Roscoe Gibson-Denney
29
DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES Brian Davey, Cheri Smith and Professor John Last. Photography by Fay Harris
DEVElOPmENT aCTiViTiES The start of the new 2012/13 academic year saw new scholarships presented to two third year undergraduate students as they embark on their final year and the build up to their degree show.
Receiving a scholarship can not only support a student financially but can also give them an added confidence boost to know that someone recognises and invests in their potential.
Siobhan O’Keeffe, BA Fashion Year 3, was awarded the annual Jonathan Colam-French Scholarship now in its third year. Siobhan was selected for the scholarship for her passion and commitment to her studies and her future career. Cheri Smith, BA Fine Art Year 3, was named as the first recipient of the Jennifer Davey Memorial Award for Fine Art. The award was offered by Brian Davey in memory of his late wife Jennifer, a supporter of the arts and who had a specific interest in art history.
If you are interested in supporting an award or scholarship for a student at NUCA, either personally or through your company, please contact Caroline Bailey, Alumni Relations and Development Officer at: c.bailey@nuca.ac.uk or call: 01603 756288. For more information on supporting NUCA, please visit our website at: www.nuca.ac.uk/supportingnuca
Siobhan O’Keeffe, BA Fashion Show 2012 Photography by Denisa Ilie
alUmNi FUND The Alumni Fund supports and enhances the learning experience of current and future students ensuring they receive access to the best facilities and teaching resources available. The Alumni Fund supports three core areas: Scholarships and Bursaries, the Gallery and a General Development Fund, which is distributed to areas around the institution where it is needed the most. Whatever the size of your donation, you can really make a difference and if we can claim Gift Aid on your behalf your donation goes even further. If NUCA has made a difference to your career and you would like to contribute to someone else’s, you can make a donation by downloading a form from our website, setting up a direct debit or you may even wish to consider leaving us a gift in your Will. www.nuca.ac.uk/supportingnuca
30
ALUMNI BENEFITS & SERVICES
ALuMNI CARD Graduates from NUCA can continue to access some of the University College’s resources with an Alumni Card. The card costs £25 and is valid for three years and gives you: Access to Duke Street, including the Library and University Shop Personal log in and access to the computer facilities in the Library Remote access to the intranet to view the Library, Careers Service and Alumni pages
SuppORTING OuR GRADuATES Former students can continue to use the Careers Service for up to three years after graduation or for longer with an Alumni Card. Richard Peat, Careers Adviser, is available for a one-to-one pre-booked appointment, which can be by telephone, face to face, email or Skype. To book an appointment, please contact Richard at: r.peat@nuca.ac.uk
call: 01603 751471 or Skype: nuca.careers
One-to-one career appointments with the Careers Adviser Access to BarNUCA Reduced membership to Cinema City, Norwich Alumni membership to the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich. You can renew your membership after three years by re-applying for your card. An application form can be downloaded from the website: www.nuca.ac.uk/alumni
Send it with your payment and a good quality passport size photo to the Alumni Relations and Development Officer at NUCA. Cards are usually posted within five to seven working days.
JOIN uS ONLINE Keep in touch with us and other graduates by joining our social networking groups: Search ‘The Official NUCA Alumni Network’ Join other creative professionals on LinkedIn, search ‘NUCA Alumni’ Follow us @NUCANews
SIGN up FOR OuR NEW E-NEWSLETTER Register for our new monthly e-newsletter and receive news updates, invites to events, creative opportunities and other news that cannot wait until the next magazine. To subscribe to the mailing list, please register your contact details at: www.nuca.ac.uk/alumni/register
JOB SHOp Receive new job alerts straight into your inbox by signing up to our free online job page. To register and view current vacancies, please visit: www.nuca.prospects.ac.uk
If you have a job vacancy that you would like to advertise to NUCA graduates, please email Richard Peat, Careers Adviser at: r.peat@nuca.ac.uk
KEEp IN TOuCH Please don’t forget to tell us if you move house, change email, telephone/ mobile number, start a new job or launch a new venture. We always love to hear what our graduates are up to. You can update your contact details at: www.nuca.ac.uk/alumni/register
and email us your news at: alumni@nuca.ac.uk
31
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO
HILLY BEAVAN (DIpLOMA IN ART AND DESIGN 1975) After graduating from Norwich along with Anthony Lawrence, we set up Lawrence and Beavan and have had a fascinating career since. We have worked with everyone from public schools to public companies, artists and arts organisations, and the world’s largest animal rights organisation. As well as commissioned work we’ve always created our own projects although often these are completely pointless (see www.shelfofshame.com)! Our latest venture is a series of glasses cases which we designed and printed on to retro style tins – the idea being the design is specific to the spectacles inside and why they are needed – reading, driving or music. They may make a fun present for somebody. www.whichglassesarewhich.com www.landb.co.uk
WILL TEATHER (DIpLOMA IN FOuNDATION STuDIES ART & DESIGN 2000) After a very enjoyable Foundation at Norwich, I studied in the big smoke at Central St Martins, before returning to Norfolk about five years ago. Since then I've tutored drawing at NUCA on various courses, but spent most of my time developing my artistic practice. I was selected as the Artist-in-Residence for Aberdeen Arts Centre in the summer 2007, which was followed by residencies with the Anteros Arts Foundation in Norfolk and a scholarship to America as Artist-in-Residence for the Arts Students League of New York in 2012. I have had artwork featured in the international Celeste Prize and Royal Society of Portrait Painters, and recently completed a painting commission for the City of Aberdeen. In 2010 I completed a postgraduate course at Chelsea. I have recently received an Arts Council England grant to stage a performance around some the fictional characters within my artworks. www.willteather.com willteather@hotmail.com
32
CHRIS LOuKES (MA FINE ART 2007) My short film titled Gentleman’s Walk was selected for the Aesthetica Short Film Festival (ASFF) held in York in November 2012. The four day festival showcased over 150 films from 30 countries in all genres including experimental and artist’s films. The film records people as they pass up and down the busy shopping street in Norwich. Using Final Cut Pro, the digital video uses a moving grid to present passers-by, the film is removed and colours added which refer to the six states of being. Adding to the ambient sound is a meditation gong which strikes for each line. My work is inspired by Rothko’s Seagram Mural, which I saw in the Tate and my aim is to create work that evokes a similar emotional and visual response. www.chrisloukes.co.uk
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO
JOHN RANCE (FA FINE ART 2005) For the last five years I have been a member of the Norwich 20 Group and I am currently on the committee. I’m also part of NOVA and exhibit with both groups on a regular basis. I show in London at the Espacio Gallery, which is an artists collective near Brick Lane and I curated a show there on behalf of the 20 Group in December 2012. I also organise and curate the annual Art Show for the Worstead Festival. I also had a solo show at the Atrium North Walsham, Norfolk in autumn 2012. www.norwich20group.co.uk/ John_Rance johnrance@talktalk.net
pATRICIA MuLLIN (MA WRITING THE VISuAL 2007)
JuLIA WEBB (BA CREATIVE WRITING 2009)
Since graduating from MA Writing the Visual in 2007 I have set up a number of site-specific writing courses at Julian Shrine and Norwich Cathedral, which culminated in the publication of ‘Voices from the Cathedral’ an anthology of short fiction. In January 2013 I will be delivering Fictional Narratives, a course inspired by the World Art collection at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. After receiving some mentoring from the author Jill Dawson, my novel Casting Shadows is ready for publication and I am launching my novel Gene Genie on Kindle and e-reader platforms in December 2012.
After graduating from BA Creative Writing in 2009, I continued my studies with a MA Creative Writing (poetry) degree at UEA and was awarded a Malcolm Bradbury continuation grant for poetry. In 2011, I won The National Poetry Society's Stanza Competition with my prose poem Lent. I currently work freelance in the literature sector (clients have included The Forum Trust, Writers’ Centre Norwich and City College Norwich). I also teach Creative Writing at 4women Resource Centre in Norwich. I am on the editorial team of a new literary journal for new writing called Lighthouse, which will be launched in January 2013. I recently received some Arts Council funding and I am currently working on my first poetry collection.
www.patriciamullin.com www.scva.org.uk
julia.webb2@gmail.com juliawebb.org/blog/ www.poetrysociety.org.uk
33
EVENTS
EVENTS@NUCa THE GallErY
OTHEr EVENTS
MY GIANT COLOuRING BOOK JAKE & DINOS CHAPMAN
NORFOLK CONTEMpORARY ART SOCIETY LECTuRE
4 December 2012 – 12 January 2013
John Christie talking about the work of John Berger 12 February 2013 Duke Street Lecture Theatre 7.30pm Fee payable on the door
AVIS NEWMAN MOBILE RELATIONS 22 January – 2nd March 2013
TEN MINuTE GALLERY TALK – AVIS NEWMAN 22 January 2012 12.30pm Free entry
WASHI: THE ART OF JApANESE pApER 12 March – 20 April 2013 Free entry
TEN MINuTE GALLERY TALK– WASHI 12 March 2013 12.30pm Free entry
*WASHI SYMpOSIuM 16 and 17 March 2013 Duke Street
DEAR LYNDA… 30 April – 25 May 2013
TEN MINuTE GALLERY TALK – DEAR LYNDA… 30 April 2013 12.30pm Free entry For opening times visit: www.nuca.ac.uk/thegallery
34
TATE LECTuRE SERIES Marcus Dickey-Horley 27 February 2013 Duke Street Lecture Theatre 6.00pm – 7.00pm Free entry
*COWBIRD DESIGN SYMpOSIuM 7 and 8 March 2013 Open, Norwich
NORFOLK CONTEMpORARY ART SOCIETY LECTuRE Mariele Neudecker 23 April 2013 Duke Street Lecture Theatre 7.30pm Fee payable on the door
TATE LECTuRE SERIES Marcus Dickey-Horley 15 May 2013 Duke Street Lecture Theatre 6.00pm – 7.00pm Free entry
LECTuRE: DRINKING WITH GILBERT AND GEORGE Professor Lynda Morris 16 May 2013 Duke Street Lecture Theatre 6.00pm Free entry
*NuCA FASHION SHOW 22 May 2013 For more details on events at NUCA please visit: www.nuca.ac.uk *More details to follow
This edition was produced using Explorer Offset, an FSC速 mix sources certified paper stock, 120gsm for content and 225gsm for the cover. The magazine in printed with vegetable based inks. Using natural oils in the ink they are more sustainable with a higher rate of biodegradability and paper printed with vegetable inks is easier to recycle. The plastic wrapping used to mail the magazine is degradable polythene. If you would prefer to read the magazine online, each edition is added to our webpage at: www.nuca.ac.uk/alumni
www.NUCa.aC.UK
Francis House 3-7 Redwell Street Norwich Norfolk NR2 4SN T +44 (0)1603 610561 F +44 (0)1603 615728 info@nuca.ac.uk