Emerging Designers Exhibition
We continue to learn more about the Summer in London, Study Abroad program led by Assistant Professor of Art + Design Katherine Diuguid, through a recent blog highlighting the experience of the New Designers showcase by Katelynn McCorquodale a rising junior in Art + Design.
New Designers is a showcase that exhibits the fresh minds of emerging designers from Europe, primarily the UK. I feel as if this is one of the most inspirational events we have experienced on our trip yet. This showcase is exhilarating for young designers because it shows what is possible and how satisfying it is to make our visions become a reality. Seeing the work of many students studying the same field as me, was eye-opening because it really proves what potential we have as emerging artists. Emerging designers have the ability to control the market, set trends, and create original designs based on our experiences with the modern world.
The showcase was located at the extremely large Business Design Centre right on Islington High Street. As soon as I walked into the facility I was already overwhelmed with excitement because of the density of students displaying their beautiful work. There was an abundance of work to be explored and absorbed, allowing me to notice what techniques used by the students were successful—and which were not.
For example, a successful technique many students used was standing by their work and talking to the viewers about their process. This allowed me to view the work with an understanding of the designer’s ideas and how time-consuming the process was. Also, there were a lot of students exploring techniques with fibers I had never seen before—so hearing their process was helpful and inspirational. For example, weaving processes that are new to me, or working with fibers to create 3-D structures. I now know how essential it is to market myself successfully as a designer, speak comfortably about my work, and organize it in a fashion that makes viewers want to explore my techniques more.
The students that had a “brand” or an overall cohesive collection caught my attention more—and most likely the attention of employers as well.
These designers, in particular, had their own stylistic approach in every aspect of the presentation of their work. The work itself was unified due to the designer’s attention to color, technique, and application. The presentation incorporated items/inspiration that led the designer to chose those stylistic choices without actually having to state them—which made more sense to more visual minds. It wasn’t difficult to understand where their inspiration came from and how they used it to achieve their finished works.
Minimalism and visual displays created the most intrigue amongst viewers. It allowed me to assess what that designer wanted to reveal without overwhelming me with information I didn’t need.
Lastly, I noticed how important it is to market yourself. Many students had business cards that led me to an email at least. But the students that had websites and social media accounts allowed me to access their work/process again. I noticed these were the designers I remembered and truly, if I were an employer, these are the designers I would hire first.
These two designers were part of the “One Year On” showcase, which was displaying the work of students that have been graduated for a year. Seeing the growth in professionalism and personal style from these designers and the undergraduate students was amazing. I really enjoyed noticing how these students have so beautifully made a name for themselves.
Overall, this experience was extremely uplifting—to see the work of students my age creating exquisite works and doing many of the same things I am doing in our program at NC State.
