End of Year Show Favourites

I was so impressed with the result End of Year show and how much hard work and effort had gone into producing it, not to mention how fantastic the illustration display looked in its first year of showcase. I took many photographs of the work that I was most fond of and that inspired me the most, but there are way too many to write about all of them, so here are a few of my favourite show pieces.

'Living off the Land' - Rosie Taylor 

Surface Pattern

Rosie's project was a children's interior range focusing on where food can be sourced in different areas. I first came across Rosie's work in the art market when someone showed me one of her really charming print of a fisherman entitled 'Graham', (this really tickled me for some reason?!) The thing that I loved most about this range was the use of textures and layering to create a flat image which creates an abstract feel and emphasises each character and shape, whether this be teepees or seagulls there is a glimmer of charm that holds everything together really well.

'After School Club' - Liv Johnson

Fashion Communication

I have an indication that the starting points for this project come from the three words displayed on the board; 'female youth, friendship, true beauty'. The visuals create a strong pang of nostalgia focusing on valuable aspects of social interaction and how the idea of being accepted by society has been twisted and warped as our generation has grown and the next is being suffocated by unrealistic expectations. Liv has written in her statement that she proposes that this project inspires young girls and gives them a positive perspective about achieving their aspirations, also stating that 'real people' and real life should influence fashion.

This project portrays such an important message, and I am really inspired by the way that Liv has focused on different people with different hobbies and interests and documented a truthful and humble story about the ways in which our interests and perceptions of life can be influenced through our love for different things as well as being persuaded and brainwashed by what other people think of us.

 'Doodle do/Imagine' - Vicky Nelson

Visual Communication

Vicky states that the aim of this project is to encourage children to creatively play and use their imaginations away from the digital screen. I love the playful take on the publication, especially in her choice of language and interactive features such as the acetate pages that create more of an 'activity book' approach. The message Vicky is trying to portray is so important, seeing as many children nowadays rely on technology and video games for entertainment as opposed to appreciating real life opportunities. I would definitely buy one of these books if I knew any children that were turning into robots!

'Get rid of the Daily Mail' - Izzy Drake

Visual Communication

For me, this was the most powerful display I had seen amongst the whole exhibition. It truly opened my eyes on how toxic certain publishers within the media can be, and how this is creating an epidemic of small minded hate culture and ignorance throughout society. Previously I always assumed that the Daily Mail was somewhat of a prestigious newspaper, however I guess the olde English typeface completely mislead me, not to mention the contents inside the cover.

Izzy's artist statement reads:

"I really want to make clear the fact that the Daily Mail is not really a news source, but more of a consumer product feeding the capitalist, meritocratic ideology and system. I urge people young and old to have more conversations about society, the way it is run and how we can create positive change"

The visuals raise issues including:

• Aggressive media advertising to children
• Rap 'musicians' boasting about materialism
• How the media only focuses on the negative implications of countries that are more densely populated with a particular religion
• Lack of perspective
• Social media obsession

I found that I could relate to this topic really well as it is something that I am very passionate about. I appreciate how Izzy hasn't solely based the project on slating the Daily Mail, but how she has unpicked the moral and reasoning behind the things that they publish and compared it with valuable first hand experiences from people including herself and other sources. Using newsprint collage emphasises the metaphor of mis-linked pieces of information being thrown together to make a story that ultimately will sell, disregarding all aspects of social responsibility.