- Venue
- Manchester School of Art
- Location
- North West England
I saw most of the degree show at Manchester – you always miss a bit, whether through getting lost, feet pain, or thirst – but there was so much I decide to limit this review for now. The Embroidery course strikes me as one of the strongest undergraduate courses at Manchester School of Art. Every year there is some really rich work coming out of this department and the arrangements of work/students seems particularly well considered. This course does slide happily between the craft of embroidery and fine art, so some things, although beautiful and perfectly crafted, are less interesting to me conceptually. However, given the chance I would have happily taken many things home, especially garments by Sera Jones and Natasha Pinnock and drawings by Sophie Anderson among others. Also interesting were Mariel Osborn’s conceptual costume designs (her Nebula Ruffs on her blog are pretty exciting too: http://marielosborn.blogspot.com/)
Three shows really stood out to me: The first, Annie Harrison’s, an installation you can’t really miss on entering the space. Here folded institutional sheets create forms making a melancholic and beautiful memorial to those patients from Workhouse and Whittington Hospital. http://www.annieharrison.co.uk
The second student’s show to really grab me was Lora Avedian, which I almost walked past, but then I saw the combination of photographed costumes and sets as well as drawings and paintings and looked again. This was incredibly charming, thoughtful, and fantastical work and I was soon transported to some magical made-up land. Great stuff that could I could quite imagine seeing in Transition Gallery tomorrow. http://loraavedian.blogspot.com/
Lastly, I really fell for Anna Beam’s work. An intricate wall piece with fabric, paper, drawing and probably other things, her work is inspired by twentieth century American literature and the repeated use of the geodesic dome in sci-fi novels. I think that this needs to be seen in the flesh to be really appreciated; I spent as long as I had looking at the detail and considered relationships in the work. Inspiring stuff. http://www.blackwrist.blogspot.com
I would like to know if boys ever apply to do this course?! I also wonder if this course, which floats between both art and craft lands, allows a certain freedom for students? Does it mean they can be less concerned with what is ‘in’ and just get on with making? Perhaps that’s impossible, but something seems to happen here where people balancing on lines of beautifully decorative/sometimes twee/edgy can just tip over onto the right side of those (well, for me at least!) and create something fine art students wouldn’t have the courage to. Or perhaps it is just a combination of a course with good teaching, a strong identity and talent? I can’t answer that, but it’s good, so go and see it quick!
