2014 DJCAD Degree Show

Highlights of the 2014 DJCAD Degree Show

To mark the 20th anniversary of our degree shows at Duncan of Jordanstone I went with some friends and their boy (that’s him stealing the show in the video) to the DJCAD degree show.

It was quite surreal to time travel through familiar corridors and studios, changed so little since our four years there.

The day after we got back news of the heartbreaking Glasgow Art School fire emerged – especially resonant as it was 20 years since I lost much of my own degree work through a fire at DJCAD in my final year.

Anyways, apologies for the nostalgia when you just want to hear about the creative talent shaping our future!

The 2014 DJCAD degree show reflected a strong year and it was encouraging to see so much invention and a commitment to follow it through to make work that matters.

Congratulations also to the fine art graduates Uist Corrigan, Abigail Dryburgh, Anna Hughes, Ellis O’Connor and Benjamin Whitney (MFA) for winning 5 out of the 10 Royal Scottish Academy’s John Kinross Scholarships to study in Florence for 6-12 weeks.

So here’s some of my highlights from the 2014 DJCAD degree show and apologies to all the students I didn’t manage to get to or catch on film. Was only using a small handheld camera too so forgive the footage quality while you’re at it!

Fine Art Highlights

You can probably tell from the video that my favourite piece was the installation by Steven Peebles in fine art.

It was one of the first rooms we walked into and I have to admit to a moment of childlike wonder when I looked into the viewfinder to discover another world of illuminated drawings.

Very impressive work, a well deserved place at The RSA 2015 New Contemporaries exhibition (2014 link here) and hopefully the video captures some of the feeling of wonder his work inspires.

There were too many highlights from Fine Art to list them all but include Amanda Lambert’s emotive abstract paintings, Molly McEwan’s reflections on seeing and Moira Watson’s beautifully menacing bombs.

Art, Philosophy & Contemporary Practice Highlights

This was a new department for me and some of my favourite pieces came from here.

Reading the BBC article on Jay Frazer’s beads installation before seeing it in person meant I was going in already impressed at her commitment to process and the material.

Jay’s hand crafted, swirling installation piece was an oasis of calm I would have liked to spend longer with. If our homes, workplaces, schools and hospitals contained rooms like this we might not need so many other forms of escape from our pressure filled lives.

Some other highlights were the immersive laser installation by Sarah Calmus, The pixellated interactive screens of Keith Macleod and the womb like installation of Alice Maselnikova.

Jewellery & Metal Design Highlights

I really liked the miniature bothies of Morag Eagleson.

Growing up in the Highlands the wild and remote open spaces of Scotland have been a huge influence on her work. She talks of a ‘soul nourishig solitude’ that can be experienced through venturing out to these far flung bothies. There’s a simplicity and integrity to these pieces that I really love. I can see Morag doing really well as her passion shines through in her work.

Product Design Highlights

One of my favourite pieces of the day came from product design department. Peter Iveson’s has created a low cost light solution for families in developing countries.

There’s a Rube Goldberg like element to the contraption with a tea light, water pump and moving wooden parts coming together to create power for three LED lights. It also doubles up as a portable torch. Check out the videos on Youtube to see it in action and take a look under the hood at his working process.

Peter said that there’s a strong possibility it will be trialed by a non profit organisation in Africa so fingers crossed it all goes well.

That’s all, thanks again to all the students and staff at DJCAD for putting on such a strong show.