Three De Montfort University (DMU) graduates are getting ready to jet off to the other side of the world this month to showcase their degree work in an arts exhibition which is the first of its kind.
Rachael Liddle, Christopher Christophi, and Jason Garlick have been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fly to India for the DMU to Delhi exhibition – an event which has been organised for the first time this year by DMU in Leicester, UK.
DMU to Delhi, which is taking place at The Stainless gallery in New Delhi from 30 January to 2 February 2011, will exhibit some of the award-winning work of recent Art and Design graduates. Creative works by more than 30 graduates will be on display, ranging from footwear, fashion and lingerie, to crafts, fine art and photography.
The graduates’ work left DMU in October and has spent the last few months travelling to India by sail freight, arriving in Delhi a few days ago.
Rachael Liddle, who graduated from DMU’s unique BA (Hons) Footwear Design course, will be showcasing shoe designs from her Hybrid collection, which combines inspiration from punk fashion and medieval armour.
Commenting on her collection, Rachael said: “I became interested in using punk fashion but with a much more modern and glamorous twist. This fused with the medieval armour influence led me to create pieces with a particular focus on metalwork detailing.”
The 24-year-old student, originally from Northern Ireland, has a number of prestigious awards under her belt, including first prizes for awards with Base London and Ann Harvey; and second prize from the Mercury for her childrenswear designs.
Since graduating from DMU in 2009, she has built on this success and has landed herself a job as a Fashion Footwear Designer for an independent company in Leicester, designing products for both the company’s wholesale range and for clients such as Peacocks, New Look, and Deichmann.
“I feel very privileged to have been selected to represent De Montfort Art and Design Faculty in New Delhi and am very excited to see my work exhibited alongside other student work which has been hand picked for the occasion. I am confident about my ability and my work and am looking forward to recommending the university to others,” she added.
BArch Architecture (Hons) graduate Christopher Christophi will present his project entitled The Inventors Emporium.
Designed to be located beneath the mechanical canopy on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, the emporium will provide facilities for new inventors in Scotland to showcase and sell their inventions to the public.
The 24-year-old from Surrey said: “Set in between the only missing piece of the Royal Mile’s rich architectural jigsaw, the Inventors Emporium structural canopy will grow out of its context, lightly supporting itself where possible, inhabiting the space. The creature-like form will at first appear to be sleeping, placing and resting itself within its context permanently.
“However the form of the structure constantly changes throughout the year, responding to the ever-changing weather conditions of Edinburgh. The changing form will allow the design to communicate with the public. Every day, when the light falls and the activity of the emporium comes to an end, the wings will fully contract revealing its context underneath. As the wings stand fully erect, it will communicate to the public that events beneath are no longer active.
“The project explores the possibilities of being able to change architectural form, function and space to an ever changing programme. This unique adaptive structure begins to question the norm of current approaches to architecture, where the creation of one space no longer meets the changing demands of its user.”
Whilst studying at DMU, some of Christopher’s designs were published in one the UK’s popular architectural magazines, Building Design, gaining his work national exposure. He also undertook a placement year with international award-winning architectural company Glenn Howells, and strives to eventually return to the firm upon completing a postgraduate course.
Jason Garlick, 22, from the West Midlands, will be showcasing virtual 3D designs of his two favourite cars, the Jaguar E-Type Series II and the Ford Cortina MK3.
The BA (Hons) Game Art Design graduate, who now works for video game developers CODEMASTER, said: “These two cars are personal favourites of mine for their aesthetic quality. They were (and still are) highly popular in their time and I have re-captured them in virtual 3D imagery.”
Commenting on being selected to go to Delhi, he added: “The India exhibition is an amazing experience for everyone involved, bringing many opportunities. Having my work included is a great privilege for me and is a great end to all the work put into it.”
Dr Gerard Moran, Dean of Art and Design; Chris Hinton, Principal Lecturer in Imaging and Communication Design; and Jamie Scott, Senior Lecturer in Fine Art, will also be attending the event and will be available to discuss some of the work on display.
Dr Moran said: “We have brought this work to The Stainless gallery in New Delhi to open up a dialogue with art and design education providers, creative practitioners and other interested parties in this wonderful city and in the wider country beyond.
“I hope that it will inspire others to bring corresponding work to the UK, that it will stimulate debate, and that it will lead to exchange visits between students, academic staff, artists and designers in both countries.”
The exhibition will also host a series of workshops giving aspiring students the chance to get their portfolios reviewed and to find out more about student life at DMU.
DMU to Delhi will run at The Stainless gallery on Mathura Road, New Delhi, from 11am to 7pm on 30 January to 2 February 2011.
To preview some of the art works that will be on display at the gallery, please visit here.
Featured work by Carly Williamson and Maria Lazari
