A busy week at NUA putting together the finishing touches to
our stand for New Designers which starts next week. There’s some exciting work
being made by NUA students specifically for the show. NUA have their degree
show at the same time as New Designers so new work has to be made – the students
have made some of their best work, scaling up and pulling together ideas that
they have been working/thinking about for a year. Chelsea and Central St Martin’s
students don’t have this issue as their show closes before. I went to see their
final years work on Saturday to see what the competition is doing. Chelsea Textiles
was excellent as ever – inventive use of traditional techniques, especially
knit and weave, some intense use of hand stitch, bold use of colour and strong
design skills. Unsure about Fine Art – I am sure they have a policy about the quality
of students work in relationship to where they are hung. There is a wide range
of work in terms of quality and actual making and the general level of thought
or care is mixed – maybe it’s great to be a student there, next to the Tate, but
the final show always feels a little underwhelming, unlike Graphics which is scarily
organised – tight and professional. Back at Kings Cross Menswear Fashion at
Central was a highlight but I found the Women’s wear a little tacky and
theatrical, although the Look Books were exciting and full of inventive ideas. Jewellery
at Central was ingenious, new uses for traditional techniques, exciting use of established
materials and some new materials. The same went for the Jewellery at the RCA
but just that little bit more polished. The RCA show as a whole was just so dam
good – a real pleasure to walk around – excellent, totally creative work
alongside a professional attitude. The work in the Sculpture Space has to be
the highlight of the work at Battersea although I did enjoy the Glass and
Ceramics work in the Dyson Building.
I hope that year 2 students at NUA get to New Designers to
see what’s out there - their competition is very good and they need to know. Or
not!!
