Our Borders Issue (20/Spring-Summer 2011) is now available! Get your free copy at the UAL Student Union, 272 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EY, or at a UAL campus near you.

Occupying Spaces: Central Saint Martins at Trinity Buoy Wharf
Text and photography by Laramie Shubber

For the past two weeks, the 1st year fine art students of Central Saint Martins have been occupying spaces in the East End’s Trinity Buoy Wharf to create site-specific work. The two weeks were an opportunity for the students to undertake, and experience, a mini-residency.

The students could use one of two interior spaces as well as the outside space. A nearby skip nearby provided much of the materials; with that, the students were free to do as they wished (well, almost!)

Some opted to use materials from the site to create sculptures whilst others made use of TBW’s riverside location for video, photography and installation work. Others responded to the site unconventionally by attaching themselves to different parts of the site to literally become part of Trinity Buoy Wharf. The basement housed most of the videos and projections as well as a slide (yes, really), whilst a second warehouse was home to sky-high sculptures. No area was left untouched; each corner, nook, and cranny was seen as a potential space for art.

The unusual location of Trinity Buoy Wharf mixed with its unique identity created an unfamiliar but inspirational setting for the students to work with. Unfortunately, this week’s sun was outlived but luckily the blustery winds and rain didn’t put off visitors.

The private view was a mixture of art, drink and music, and really, what more do you want from a night? This evening showed just what can be achieved in a short space of time with few resources.

Turning Things Inside Out: Graduate Shows at LCC
Text and photography by Xanthia Hallissey

ROUND ABOUT is a four-part exhibition showcasing the work of graduating students from LCC.

Phase two is called INSIDE OUT, the first of the graduate shows (after WIDE OPEN for Foundation Art & Design students). It features work from five different courses Book Arts & Design, Film and Television, Photography, Photojournalism and Sound Arts & Design, which kicked off on Thursday 2nd June 2011 with the private view.

In true ROUND ABOUT style LCC was full of visitors walking around hoping to catch a glimpse of the next big thing. Students did not disappoint, the range of media used was impressive, the variety of subject matter even more so. The Photojournalism students were especially good in this sense. Natalie Naccache’s photographs make a social comment about the much-unpublicised plight of ‘Single Fathers’. Her exhibit was reminiscent of the home itself, using different sized frames and a cloth covered table presenting the single father home as a different kind of normal. Rather than documenting humans, Lucie Jordanna Cohen decided to document the sky at night in her astronomy series, ‘A Space in Time’. Lucie juxtaposes the touchable, man-made elements of Earth (brick, artificial light, parked cars) with that which is entirely out of reach (moon, stars) to create an otherworldly experience full of tension, but simultaneously peaceful.

Little pocketed rooms throughout INSIDE OUT ensure the exhibition is full of surprises. One Space is dedicated to Su Lin Booker’s ‘Recorded Fragments,’ which uses projected imagery and mirrors to fragment a family photograph. As well as showing a disrupted, evolving image separate audio tracks are strategically placed around the room allowing the viewer to hear the voices behind the family experience. It’s a clever device that lends itself well to the separate-togetherness of family, and there is a beauty to it too.

Another individual room holds Sophie Hall’s ‘When Eyes Touch’, where two women are shown on screens apparently naked and staring at eye to eye, an experiment in trust and not looking down. The set up of the room makes the piece more powerful; the screens are placed on opposite walls allowing the viewer to turn from screen to screen wondering who will break first. Across from Sophie’s work lies a purpose built person sized gazebo tent by Marianna Kaye called ‘Joanna’s Story’. Inside viewers are encouraged to sit, listen to the story and watch changing light projections of planets play out, literally bringing the story to life.

The use of different media in the exhibition is expansive. On the theme of identity, Christian Anderson’s ‘Blackness Confirmed’ stacks up different sized televisions relating to parts of the face, and they change constantly. It’s a positive, affirmative statement about equality, and it’s fun to watch too. Jatinder Kailey’s ‘Exoticism Constructed: From Southall To Punjab’ uses a painted background of a distant land and shows it pinned up in more familiar surroundings. Jatinder explores the storytelling element in understanding her own Indian heritage, and tells that story back to the viewer.

As well as installation projects, INSIDE OUT is full of more traditional approaches to media. Constantin Cerdan’s ‘Channel 951’ is a series of three photographs each with a little something missing, for example the central image of a sofa has a cushion missing. It challenges what we think we know and asks the viewer to look twice. Jessica Smith’s laser cut type in Book Design tells a story in an open and transparent way, so it makes sense to see it on a wall and not closed in a book instead.

Back in Photojournalism Hannah Boatfield took a trip to different artists studios in her exploration of  ‘Artworlds’, it is project that looks at individual expression and command of a space. Essentially, that is what INSIDE OUT is all about, it’s a show giving students the chance to show viewers what they’ve been up to, but more than that it’s about turning perceived notions of art and design INSIDE OUT.

Artists with websites:
Natalie Naccache: http://www.natnacphotography.com/
Lucie Jordanna Cohen: http://www.luciejordanna.com
Hannah Boatfield: http://www.hannahboatfield.com
Marianna Kaye: http://www.mariannakaye.com

Inside Out
BA (Hons) Book Arts & Design
BA (Hons) Film & Television
BA (Hons) Photography
BA (Hons) Photojournalism
BA (Hons) Sound Arts & Design

The exhibition was open to the public: Fri 3 – Wed 8 June 2011
Venue: The Gallery, Upper Street, Lower Street, Well and Atrium Galleries, LCC, Elephant & Castle, London, SE1 6SB

LCC Summer shows run until 8th July. For more information please check the events page.

Clara Turchi: Contemplating the Third Dimension
Text by Laramie Shubber
Sculptures and photography by Clara Turchi

Clara Turchi, a photography student at London College of Communication, shrugs off any borders between mediums and works in a variety of different media that she sometimes overlaps, such as sculpture and photography.

For example, Turchi’s Untitled series of white sculptures are presented as images rather than objects. This adds an extra dimension to their visual story. These sculptures have an uneasy, eerie quality due to the anonymity of the subjects and the unusual abstract shapes of the heads. The imperfect heads could also be seen as a reflection of society and people. Turchi explains: “I wanted to explore the process of the disappearance of the face as a further consequence in the process of disappearance of the real.”

The piece doesn’t have a set meaning as Clara says she wants instead to “stimulate a variety of answers…the whiteness of the images and the fact that gender, age or race are sometimes uncertain, make it a series that is open to different interpretations.”

The artist is also currently working on a new piece with the working title of Degree of Disappearance. Turchi provides an introduction: “The digital creates, doesn’t procreate: Mother Earth withdraws and light is lost with no purpose at the border of the abyss.” This new work will consist of photographic sculptures: “Each one is composed by a photograph of the English Channel at night inspired by Turner. Above which lies, hung on a rope, a bulb painted black,” Turchi explains.

Turchi also experiments with long exposures, which propose their own ephemerality. Her work, London Eye, was inspired by Futurism, so the panoramic wheel of the London Eye was perfect. The multiple exposures complement the structure of the image to suggest the concept of the persistence of the image on the retina. This piece was also shortlisted for The Renaissance Arts Prize 2009.

See more of Clara Turchi’s work on her website.

Justine Melford-Colegate: Foreign Palettes
Text by Kate Nelischer
Photography by Justin Melford-Colegate

“Iceland is quite an unpredictable country in terms of light and weather,” says Justine Melford-Colegate, currently studying for a BA in Graphic Design at Camberwell. “That is the main reason why I decided to create active colour palettes in my photography.”

Deep, dark reds of moss burn through the sharp sides of the rocks. Bright green evergreen tops peek out from beyond the creamy grasses. Chalky ochre weeds weave their way through the misty horizon and dark blue stones create ripples in the still black water. It’s almost impossible to believe that these are natural colours.

But Melford-Colegate assures us that they are real. These natural phenomena do exist, and she’s brought them to life here in London through her Foreign Palettes series.

Melford-Colegate’s recent photographic excursion to the arctic country led to the foundation of her third year project.  Much of her work focuses on the subjectivity of the perception of colour, a theme that she used to direct these photographs. Igneous rock croppings, rough landscapes and winding waterways were captured during the dark winter weather of her journey. She chose to use 35mm film to ensure that the images were the truest reflections of the colours experienced first-hand, and went on to reinforce this colour spectrum by creating ‘journey lines’ in After Effects and follow the palettes through the canvases.

Iceland’s stunning vistas have been portrayed in this series through film, sound and physical collections in addition to these photographs. The interpretations highlight the vast ranges of colours spanning across images and objects; each rich tone creates a striking juxtaposition against the grey skies and barren topography.

The virtual documentation of Melford-Colegate’s 8-day trip shows the Scandinavian nation in new, unexpected, and alluring lights – much more persuasive than any travel advert.

Fractured Narratives: Light at the End of the Tunnel
Text and photography by Kate Nelischer

CSM Students open a refreshing exhibition beneath the train tracks

Hidden away under a dark and damp overpass, twinkle lights lead the way into The Redgate Gallery – a gleaming, white beacon in the heart of Brixton.

The one-room gallery is home to Fractured Narrative – Re-inscribing Space, a new exhibition from third year CSM Fine Art students.

Spearheaded by Suzanne de Emmony and Andy Lacey, the ten artists were brought together through similar explorations within their works. “We were interested in how these differing approaches would operate and what dialogues would be struck up between the work outside of the studio,” says de Emmony.

The congruencies in this multidisciplinary show are not readily apparent. Translucent, delicate paper wall hangings by Eleanor Carter and tiny battery-powered LED constructions by Sarah Fassnidge, all set to the proud soundtrack of the nationalistic chorus radiating from Lacy’s installation, are too obscure to build an immediate narrative. However, the choice of this intimate gallery space has served the exhibition well; with the ability to see all of the works together from one corner of the room, a story slowly begins to unfold itself.

Large, geometric paintings by Zoe Panya and Christie Dasher speak back and forth across the space and overtop the sexually charged dissection sculpture by Issac Murai-Rolfe. The photographic series by de Emmony and Camilla Greenwell, although strikingly different in composition and subject, both maintain a certain quietness that whispers throughout the show. Slightly more obscure are Stuart Scott’s exaggerated tongue installation tucked away in the corner and Lina Rukeviciute’s three short films, but they both serve as surprising interludes of energy that contribute to the well-paced curation of the show.

Fractured Narrative – Re-inscribing Space remains true to the unpredictability of such an inviting gallery in a somewhat dim corner; at times it seems random, but once the initial introductions are over the plot is revealed to be engaging and memorable.

Keren Dee: Erased Postcards
Text by Laramie Shubber
Postcard collages by Keren Dee

Wimbledon College of Art Fine Art alumnus Keren Dee works with postcards in her art to create unique pieces using mass-reproduced images of pre-existing works.

Keren Dee chooses to work with what people consider a negative aspect of the arts: art, and particularly photography within art, is often criticised for its mass reproduction.

“The Erased Postcard series attempts to turn this idea on its head by re-presenting each postcard as a unique object, whilst highlighting the futile endeavour of  searching for something new,” says Dee. “They are randomly deconstructed by cutting and mutilating, then playfully reassembled in a cynical attempt to find new possibilities on the banal everyday art postcard.”

Dee’s work has multiple borders, between reality and fantasy, between the obvious and the concealed. The title, Erased Postcard, suggests a political undertone: an idea of choosing to erase what has already been ‘laid down in stone’ is controversial in mainstream media. That is Dee’s intention however: the Erased Postcard series aims to erase the past as elements of the postcard are eliminated ‘until the invisible reveals itself.’

The ‘invisible’ is often in the form of ambiguous and comical figures at odds with the title of the original image. For example,  A Postcard of Henri Matisse’s ‘Trivaux Pond’ is transformed into a portrait of a green man wearing a goatee and a floppy hat; Ryan Mosley’s The Curious Tale of the Butterfly Hat is mutated into a manic-looking girl running from disembodied hands pulling her hair; Winifred Nicholson’s Flower Table becomes a servile nude man with large buttocks and wearing black thigh-boots, offering a cup of tea to an invisible master.

This lighthearted approach to art gives the series a certain accessibility that many similar works lack; something that I find truly uplifting.

See more of Karen Dee’s work on her website.

Gavin Fernandes: Cyber-punks and Sci-fi Photography
Text by Clare Green
Photography by Victoria Mullins

Gavin Fernandes teaches at LCF and has photographed countless shoots, including model Alek Wek’s first. Known for great image making and a unique approach to styling here he recalls how his career began with making the most of an opportunity:

“I had always dreamt of going to the Royal College of Art but once I got there it all went a bit pear shaped. My professor was very conservative and there was little creative freedom. The strict boundaries blocked my creativity and eventually they asked me to leave. I felt down at the time, but really it was a blessing in disguise.

“After leaving I was a bit lost, I consulted my foundation tutors who referred me to Steve Pyke, a photographer who created these interesting stories about certain groups based on role play.

“I had the idea to do a story on cyberpunks- a subculture inspired by technology and sci-fi. I photographed cyber punks and styled the shoot using a mix of the models own clothes and pieces I had found. I used a mix of second hand and if I did want something from a shop I’d leave a cheque with the staff and ask them to tear it up when I returned the clothes in good nic.

“Cyberpunk was picked up by a lot of magazines and years later people would still be asking to use it. The V&A saw the shoot and asked me to contribute to their future street style exhibition. I started looking at the graduate shows and found 13 outfits (including designs by Julien Macdonald and Eley Kishimoto), expecting them to take eight or so but they ended up showing them all.

“Styling just happened, I would never say “I’m a stylist”- I’m a photographer and believe that the end product is what counts.  I pass this message onto my students, styling is one thing but it’s more important to be able to control a photo shoot, conduct yourself in a professional way and get the pictures into print.”

British Asian Style: Fashion and Textiles, Past and Present is out now, published by V & A Publishing, £24.99. British Asian Style is available from the V&A online gift shop.

See more of Gavin’s work on his website.

Green Photography: A Spotlight on Andrew Watson
Text by Keren Oertly
Photography by Andrew Watson

With UAL officially backing Climate Week (21-27 March 2011), it was great to see UAL taking the initiative to host a series of events as part of its own Green Week  from 07-12 February 2011. The Pecha-Kucha event on Wednesday 09 February hosted an array of speakers from graduate students, tutors and lecturers, to charity groups and of course a representative from the Climate Week team. Each covered in their 7 minute slot the various green initiatives they were undertaking as part of their art practice, teaching initiative, or commercial enterprise.

Among the speakers was Andrew Watson, Lecturer in Photography on the Central Saint Martins BA Fine Art course and Course Director for PG Cert Photography. Moving in a different direction from his former landscape and archaeology-based photography, Watson is now embarking on a new body of work which records the impact of wind generators on the landscape. Working in pairs, Watson presented a series of adjoining landscapes, which are at first empty of wind generators and then populated by them.

The project covers a lot of ground, moving through England, Ireland, and Wales and even stretching to Europe. Working around established windfarms, Watson is concerned with the visual implications of wind generators. He questions whether the generators are “a piece of art in the landscape,” but leaves this debate open through the neutral presentation of his work. Key to his investigation is his interest in the disjunction between the use of old windmills as a heritage symbol in the UK and the paradoxical dislike of contemporary wind generators which operate on a similar principle.

Watson’s green agenda extends not just to the subject of his project, but to the practice of photography in general. He is undertaking a carbon audit for the duration of the project, recording carbon emissions from his car, materials, and technology, and may extend this to the audience he hopes to reach. Yet this carbon audit is not without its difficulties: while Apple are forthcoming about their green credentials, for example, Watson’s attempts at liaising with photography giants Canon and Nikon on this subject have yet to furnish him with the information he needs.

This process of consultation is becoming a key aspect of Watson’s practice, and through it he encounters both the limitations of and possibilities for producing green art. His green agenda goes further, where he proposes to deliver the results of his project via a website rather than an exhibition, in order to further reduce his carbon footprint. His considerations of the environmental impact of his art practice are consistent and impressive, and challenge both the current and next generation of artists to engage with this issue in their own work.

Andrew Watson’s website is still under construction, but keep an eye out for this in the coming year. More information about Climate Week can be found on their website.

Anja Aichinger: Snowballs in Summer
Text by Kate Nelischer
Photography by Anja Aichinger

Central Saint Martins MA Fine Art student Anja Aichinger injects her work with personal, playful touches.

Her face stares back at me, six different times, from the back white wall of her studio. Anja Aichinger points to each of her self-portraits and names those closest to her; grandfather, friend, aunt, the list goes on. The slightly blurred reproductions were taken while she gave herself 15 seconds to think of someone she had loved, and then lost. “I was amazed that my expression changed so much for each person,” she notes, pointing to signs of anger, sadness and happiness in the image grid.

This emotional range is reflected through all of Aichinger’s work. Aichinger lets her childhood memories inform her art. She throws her head back in laughter as she tells stories of her grandfather, who she spent summers with in her native Salzburg, freezing snowballs in the winter and bringing them out to play with in the height of summer.

“He encouraged my creativity to roam free.” She acknowledges his influence on her current processes: “I just think about it, think about how it will work and how it will look – and somehow I get there.”

Aichinger has just settled back into her studio after exhibiting her most recent piece in the CSM MA interim show, The New Pretenders. In this show consisting of 78 diverse artist works, her sculptural work Ascend maintained a striking presence. The wooden painter’s ladder, its rungs replaced by meticulously threaded rows of green wool, is surprising, delicate and, well, makes me want to climb it…

“A ladder is meant to get you from A to B, but here you can’t,” Aichinger warns of the work’s fragility. “I took the meanings of both the works away; mixing the traditionally manly wood with the traditionally womanly wool creates an interesting contrast.” The allure of the work is strengthened by the subtle, warm scent filling the air around it. “Frankincense,” she adds, “it references spiritual as well as literal ascent.”

Aichinger has found great success within her MA course, which she says gives her freedom to express herself while the tutors remain supportive and keep students grounded with requirements for research proposals: “it lets you develop as a person and as an artist,” she says.

She is eager to continue developing her work after the completion of her MA this coming August. “Getting people to smile or think, even for just a second, means that my job as an artist is done – I managed to engage them, and that’s what matters.”