Creative industries experts will flock to discover the unique work of 115 Art and Design (Foundation Studies) students in an annual exhibition at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) launching tonight.
A lone sculpture used in Donny's animation
Part of the highly-anticipated Festival of Creativity taking place each spring/summer, the Art and Design Foundation Show will be held in the university's spectacular Vijay Patel building, designed to provide students with the space and facilities where their ideas can develop and flourish.
The course prepares students for a wide range of disciplines with introductory workshops in woodwork, metalwork, jewellery, plaster, ceramics, glass, garment making, darkroom techniques, printmaking, textiles print, digital art, video and animation.
Students are encouraged to explore the different practices and techniques on offer, equipping them with the cross-disciplinary skills sought by the creative industries and enabling them last year alone to apply to 53 different courses at DMU and beyond.
Drawing on his own personal battle with depression, student Donny Lenten is showcasing a song he wrote and performed accompanied by an animated video he made.
The 19-year-old, from Leicester, said: “The course has taught me about so many practices and the facilities are brilliant. Being based on the top floors of the Vijay Patel Arts Tower has also been perfect for primary research. You get a great vantage point of the city without leaving your studio.”
Donny has accepted a place on DMU’s Animation BA (Hons), saying: “The foundation course helped to cement my passion for animation and I feel with the grounding that it has given me I will have a head start for next year.”
Beautiful prints designed by Valerica
Inspired by the botanical gardens in Oxford, 32-year-old Valerica Tudosa is displaying a collection of luxurious textile and wallpaper designs which can be mixed and matched.
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The Romanian mother of three said: “Coming to DMU was like a getting a second chance and it has helped me realise what I’m really passionate about. I came here with an open mind and now I’m looking forward to starting my Textile Design BA (Hons) in September.
“I really like the university and its facilities, especially the glass-fronted workshops. When you hear about things like manipulating glass it can sound daunting, but once you see other students doing it, it becomes more approachable and takes the fear out of it.”
Powerful artwork by Sophie
Sophie Lissaman is showing an animation combining her fear of the unknown with her vegan views. She said: “I was always interested in animation but never thought I could actually do it.
“When I photographed my work and ceramic sculptures I discovered they looked really good on camera, so with help from my tutors and the amazing facilities I ended up really enjoying making it.”
The 18-year-old from Leicester is staying on to study Fine Art BA (Hons).
Influenced by a range of artists, Merve Kunt is displaying two glass pieces designed to convey a sense of peace and relaxation.
“I enjoyed all aspects of the course and it really helped me to discover which design root is my strongest area,” said the 19-year-old from Leicester who is going on to do an Architecture BA (Hons) at DMU.
Stunning glass piece by Merve
Simon Woolerton, Programme Leader for Art and Design (Foundation Studies), said: “This is the first cohort of students who started the course in the Vijay Patel Building and the benefits of working in closer proximity to other courses have been enormous.
“The workshop technical staff are amazing here and the addition of access to shared resources like the print workshops and photography studios has also had a tangible impact on their work and aspirations to stay at DMU or explore other pathways. For example, we’ve already seen a significant increase in students going on to choose lens-based pathways.”
Located on the 10th and 11th floors of the Vijay Patel Arts Tower, the exhibition launches with a private viewing and prize-giving event tonight (Friday 19 May) and is then open to the public from Saturday 20 May until Thursday 25 May (excluding Sunday).
Posted on Friday 19 May 2017