Alexander McQueen Shoes

This weekend I was invited to Captain Pretzel Gallery in Berlin to see a one-off performance piece by the New York based artist Robert Longo. His charcoal drawings filled the top half of the gallery and on the lower floor there was a contemporary performance piece involving the senses of sound and sight. It consisted of 50 actors each reading a different chapter of Moby Dick, by Herman Melville, at the same time. They were standing in a five by five formation in a dark basement, and the eerie sensation evoked the feeling of being in the gully of a ‘whaling boat’. It was very dramatic and exciting and was filmed, so that it can be projected for the rest of the time the show is on. The gallery is one of the best on the Eastside and well worth a visit when you are in Berlin.

http://www.gallery-weekend-berlin.de/

http://www.capitainpetzel.de/

http://robertlongo.com/work/

Alexander McQueen Dress

I also attended a cocktail reception at the famous designer shop ‘The Corner Berlin East’.  It was a party for Sarah Burton and showcased some amazing fashion designs of the Spring/Summer 2012 Alexander McQueen collection. As well as dresses and accessories, on the walls were art works by Damien Hirst and other international contemporary artists. For two hours the store was packed with models and photographers and anyone and everyone from the German fashion world, but the star of the party was the lovely Sarah Burton herself. The co-creator of The Corner –Josef Voelk – is the most charming man and if you are in Berlin stop by and see him. He is a great fan of London and all things art and fashion.

http://www.thecornerberlin.de/

UAL Language Centre students visited the Crisis Commission at Somerset house this month. Contemporary artists were asked to create a work that represents ‘homelessness’ – and they are all on show for free at Somerset House, London. The pieces will then be auctioned at Christie’s in London on the 3rd May, and all the money will go to the charity Crisis, who support homeless people in the big cities in England – http://www.christies.com/events/?event=crisis-commission-benefit

The students liked all the works but the one that stood out was the one by Anthony Gormely. It is a wooden figure which could almost be a piece of street furniture and yet it also looks like a person. You can see the artist talking about it in the short video found here -http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/crisis

The other interesting thing about our trip was Fernando Casasempere’s courtyard installation of 10,000 ceramic daffodils, to represent the beginning of spring. http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/out-of-sync

The event will be led by the University’s academic coordinators, one from Central Saint Martins and one from London College of Communication. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about opportunities at the University and ask any questions you might have about applying for degree courses at one of the colleges.

If you have a portfolio and would like to get some advice, please tell us at the meeting and we can book you in for a one to one session. You do not have to bring your portfolio to this event.

Attending the event may mean you miss a few minutes of your English class. Your teachers will be aware of this – so don’t worry!

A free lunch will be provided, so please let us know if you would plan to attend so that we can order the correct amount of food. You can do this by accepting the invitation on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/events/321443994587481/

Please come to the 9th floor Boardroom at 272 High Holborn for 12.30 - you can reach it via the express lift.

We look forward to seeing you then.

The Language Centre Team

Tutor Amanda Adorni (23rd November 2011) -

‘Today my English Plus students and the Winter Presessional students went to visit the World Press Photo 2011 exhibition at the Royal Festival Hall on South Bank.  The aim of the trip was for the students to practise their communication skills in both visual and image analysis and group discussions.  The students worked in  mixed-nationality groups of three or four . They viewed the photos together and discussed them.  They then made sketches or notes and practised written visual analysis. Finally for reflective practise the students  regrouped to work with different students and they talked about  their views and feelings about the images and the experience of working in their groups.

After the productive and thought-provoking work of the morning everyone had tea and cake overlooking the Thames.  The exhibition ends soon but it is on every year and you can see some of the images on the website:
http://www.worldpressphoto.org/Exhibition/2011_London

Students from Academic English have classroom debates on topical issues. Teacher Anna McKenna says

“Academic speaking skills are assessed and practised in a number of ways in the Academic English classes. One enjoyable and useful exercise is for the students to get together for a debate. On Friday 8th April  2011, the classes were organised into three groups and given the overall topics of Art; Media and Hypnosis. The groups decided on a motion to debate, elected a chairperson and divided themselves into “for” and “against” teams. Time was given to students to then do necessary research on their motion topic and formulate their arguments. The afternoon was a great success with the three mini debates covering some thought provoking issues, resulting in much heated discussion and lively audience participation.”

See more photos on Flickr.

Take control of your time in London, your university experience, and your artistic future by getting a Buddy! UAL Student Union say

Get personal, email support from current UAL students to discover what life at UAL has to offer, how to get the most out of London and start developing as an arts professional. Buddies are on hand to help you settle into university quicker offering advice and helpful tips when needed. Email support will be provided before you arrive at UAL from June till you arrive in October and feel settled in.

Or maybe

pass on what you know by becoming a Buddy. Being an International Buddy means helping a new International student find the answers you wish you’d had from the beginning of your university career. It’s a simple role that involves pointing students in the right direction and introducing them to new networks, benefitting both of your professional careers and broadening your world view and horizons.

Find out more at Connect UAL or email connect@su.arts.ac.uk

25-26 March: Malaysia interviews
25-29 March: China interviews, Shanghai
28- 30 March: Thailand interviews, Bangkok
28-30 March: China interviews, Guangzhou

For information about attending an interview for a full time course at the Univerisity of the Arts London please contact our official representatives.

Robert Green, Professor H Kumar Vyas, Nick Rhodes and Professor Dhimant Panchal

Professor H Kumar Vyas, Chairman, Academic Council of MAEER’s MIT Institute of Design has been awarded the Sir Misha Black Medal for Distinguished Services to Design Education. The 2011 Medal marks the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Sir Misha Black.

Only one medal is handed out across the world in a year. The medal was awarded at a special award ceremony at the Royal College of Art on March 8, where he delivered an address on his design and education philosophy and spoke about the development of design education in India.

Professor Vyas visited his alma mater (Central School of Art and Crafts now Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design) on Wednesday the 9^th March. He worked in London with Douglas Scott (designer of the Route Master Bus) Associates as a designer for five years before returning to India to join the NID (National institute of Design) to set up its Faculty of Industrial Design and begin training the first cadre of Indian industrial designers and design educators.

Through his pioneering work Kumar Vyas helped innovate a relevant Indian version of the ‘Bauhaus/Ulm’ approach to design that gradually made inroads into Indian manufacturing and production which today ranges from handcrafts to the space industry.

Professor H.Kumar Vyas was accompanied by Robert Green (UAL International Centre), Nick Rhodes (Course Director for BA Product Design and acting Course Director for MA Industrial Design) and Professor. Dhimant Panchal (H.O.D. Pre Design Foundation & Director Design Center). The visit was hosted by Jonathan Barratt (Dean of Graphic & Industrial Design).

This exciting new Postgraduate course at LCC offers graduate students the opportunity for practice based learning and personal development through professional practice.

For more information please:

• See the course leaflet
• Email pgadmissions@lcc.arts.ac.uk
• Tel: +44 (0)20 7514 6400
• or contact Sarah Temple: lccmail@sarahtemple.co.uk