Students unveil stunning talents in new public art exhibition

14 October 2019

Postgraduate design show opens at UCLan

A new free exhibition displaying the stunning creative talents of more than 50 designers from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has opened to the public.

The MYMA Show 2019, now showing in UCLan’s PR1 Gallery on Adelphi Street,  showcases the final work of postgraduate students from a variety of courses including animation, ceramics, fashion, graphic design and interior design.

Highlights at the show include an animated short film focusing on the friendship between a horse and a young puppy, a colourful updating of the classic Goldilocks and the Three Bears children’s tale, plus an imaginative display linking art to the impact of humans on the environment and wildlife.

"The standards that the students have set is exceptional and this exhibition is a great opportunity for the public to enjoy the quality of work that has been created by them this year."

MA student Kenneth Dean, from Bolton, has used traditional animation techniques to create a new short film, The Horse and Pup, which is set to be a big hit with visitors to the show. The film charts the story of a puppy dog which comes to the aid of a horse after his rider disappears while exploring a forest. As well as using traditional materials to create the models, Kenneth was also keen to focus on the characters as natural animals rather than displaying human characteristics.

Kenneth, 29, said: “I was keen to make the animals in the film as natural as possible in their behaviour. I wanted to move away from the tendency in modern animation to give them human characteristics.”

Kenneth spent three months preparing the models and sets himself for the film and a further month doing the filming the animation.

He adds: “I was careful to make the models look and move as naturally as possible in the film and hopefully I have created characters that viewers can really empathise with.”

Freelance Illustrator and student Jenny Taylor has managed to produce one of the most imaginative exhibits in the show with her book “Detective Dandelion and the Breakfast Burglar”, which effectively updates the traditional Goldilocks and the Three Bears story for modern younger audiences.

Having studied graphic design as an undergraduate and just completed her MA in illustration, Jenny has filled the book with stunning images and drawings, including some three dimensional sections. In addition to creating all of the illustrations herself, she also wrote the story in the book.

Jenny, 23, said: “I was keen to make the pages of the story come to life as much as possible, whilst also putting some light humour in there to make it more engaging for today’s younger audiences.”

"I’ve been really impressed by the range of creative outputs by the students in the exhibition and particularly the large number that have the potential to reach a much wider audience."

A strong environmental message underlies the exhibit from MA student and Printed Textile Designer Olivia Perks from Blackburn. Titled ‘Extinction Migration’, her fabrics on display reflect the impact of the demand for products like coffee beans and avocado on the environment.

Olivia, 28, said: “With the massive demand for food products like this, it is easily forgotten how the constant mining of products from plantations can help to destroy that environment for birds, butterflies and a wide range of insects.”  

“I want to reflect this message in the work I do and raise awareness of how natural environments like this need to better protected.”

Sending a strong message of peace is the key motivation behind one of the most striking exhibits in the show, which ascends the main staircase in the venue.

Titled “Our Right To Life” and designed by 23 – year – old student Zainab Fazal from Bolton, the display addresses popular misconceptions of Islam and how peace is a key element in the religion.

Zainab explains: “I was keen to demonstrate how the association between Islam and violence that is often portrayed is contrary to what the religion means to people like myself. So with the designs I have made it takes you on a journey from the colour red to a growing influence of white and the message of peace that it signifies.”

Maria Murray, Head of School Art, Design and Fashion and the Institute of Architecture said: “I’ve been really impressed by the range of creative outputs by the students in the exhibition and particularly the large number that have the potential to reach a much wider audience.

“The standards that the students have set is exceptional and this exhibition is a great opportunity for the public to enjoy the quality of work that has been created by them this year.”

The courses represented at the exhibition are MA Animation; MA Ceramics; MA Children’s Book Illustration; MA Fashion Design; MA Fashion and Promotion; MA Games Design; MA Graphic Design; MA Interior Design; MA Product Design and MA Surface Pattern and Textiles.

The MYMA Show is open to the public weekdays 9.30am – 5.00pm until Thursday 24 October and images of students’ work is available on the UCLan Flickr gallery.