After a tentative start last week as the first trickle of degree shows opened to the public, this week sees 10 exhibitions selected from across England, Scotland and Wales as the flood of openings begins.
Included are two shows featuring students who talk about their work in this year’s a-n Degree Shows Guide: Swansea College of Art (Sheree Naqvi, whose piece, The Peg, is the guide’s cover image), and University of Worcester (a-n student blogger Robin Woodward).
Elsewhere, there’s the first of the high-profile London art schools as the Slade’s BA show opens, and University of Kent’s School of Music and Fine Art – which is set to close in 2019 – launches its Reverberate fine art show with a sure to be entertaining introduction from guest speaker Jeremy Deller.
“Degree shows are hard work and emotionally draining – pretty much like every other show you’ll ever do if you’re doing it right,” says artist Nicolas Deshayes in the a-n Degree Shows Guide.
All that blood, sweat and tears deserves your support.
Writtle School of Design
The college near Chelmsford, Essex presents its undergraduate and postgraduate shows with courses including Contemporary Art & Design, Professional Floristry, and Landscape and Garden Design.
18-24 May 2017, www.writtle.ac.uk, @WrittleOfficial
Edinburgh Napier University
Billed as ‘more than a degree show’, Edinburgh Napier presents everything from interactive media design to film, photography and graphic design. You can also catch up on the show via Instagram.
19-28 May 2017, www.napier.ac.uk
University of East London
The School of Arts and Digital Industries’ degree show includes work by students studying fine art, graphic design, illustration and more. The preview is tonight (18 May, 6-9pm)
19-22 May 2017, www.uel.ac.uk, @ArtsDigitalUEL
Leeds College of Art
The college’s ‘Extra-ordinary’ show (‘Extra-ordinary people. Extra-ordinary experience. Extra-ordinary work,’ they say) starts with the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design show (opening 19 May), with the BA shows including Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration and Photography opening 10 June.
19-24 May; 10-15 June 2017, www.leeds-art.ac.uk/extra-ordinary
University of Worcester
You can read the thoughts of University of Worcester fine art student Robin Woodward in the a-n Degree Shows Guide: “I’ve worked non-stop for the past three years to develop myself as an artist,” he says.
19-24 May 2017, www.worcester.ac.uk, @worcester_uni
University of Kent
With the recent news that the university is to close the School of Music and Fine Art in 2019, the atmosphere is likely to be even more charged and emotional than usual at the opening on Saturday (20 May, 1-6pm) when Jeremy Deller will be giving a speech.
20-27 May 2017, www.kent.ac.uk/smfa, @UniKentMFA
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design
The University of Dundee’s Art, Design & Architecture Degree Show previews tomorrow night (19 May, 6-9pm) with work from courses including Fine Art, Time Based Art & Digital Film,Art & Philosophy and more.
20-28 May 2017, www.dundee.ac.uk/degreeshow, @DJCAD
Slade School of Art
Showcasing work by graduating students from the UCL Slade School of Fine Art, the BA/BFA students open their show to the public on 20 May, with the MA/MFA/PhD students following in June. The full website featuring work by this year’s undergraduates will go live on 19 May; graduates on 7 June.
BA/BFA, 20-25 May MA/MFA/PhD, 8-18 June 2017, www.ucl.ac.uk/slade, @SladeSchool
Swansea College of Art
The Photography & Fine Art show at the Dynevor Campus previews tomorrow (19 May, 6pm) and includes work from a-n Degree Shows Guide 2017 cover star Sheree Naqvi, who talks about her work in the guide alongside nine other graduating students from courses across the UK.
20 May – 2 June 2017, www.uwtsd.ac.uk/art-design, @fineartswansea
Aberystwyth University’s School of Art
BA and MA students from the university’s School of Art present their work in a variety of media including painting, printmaking, drawing, photography and film. Preview is Saturday (20 May, 3-6pm).
22 May – 1 June 2017, www.aber.ac.uk @AberArtSchool
You can follow all our degree shows coverage on the new a-n Degree Shows Guide 2017 site.
Images:
1. Susie Buchan, BA Fine Art, 2017, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. Courtesy: Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design
2. Robin Woodward, Homage to Yellow, 2015, BA Fine Art, University of Worcester. Courtesy: the artist
a-n Degree Shows Guide 2017
More on a-n.co.uk:
University of Kent to close its School of Music and Fine Art
News and reviews from Venice Biennale 2017
