35,000 years ago the first stencil prints were made, a hand held against a cave wall spattered with pigment. This need to make one mark upon the world, to leave a trace of one’s existence, to connect with material, the lived experience and to utilize the latest technology continues to inform the work of the students on printmaking who embrace both traditional and new technologies. This year’s graduating cohort is no different, you will see students using drawing, text, photography, moving image, sound, animation, the book and all sorts of materials including paper, cloth and even concrete to enable them to both explore and communicate their personal experiences and interests.
When I took over as course leader of Fine Art Printmaking this year I had no idea that it would unveil itself as an extraordinary year. When one’s practice is embedded in a process that requires specialist equipment, the sudden loss of workshop access can be devastating. The printmaking students have demonstrated themselves to be highly inventive image makers, using a variety of processes and techniques to continue to develop their ideas despite the magnitude of these recent world events. They have been highly resourceful, inventive and above all extremely resilient. I am immensely proud of the cohort of students this year and it’s been a real pleasure getting to know them all over the last nine months and seeing how their practice has evolved and developed. None of their achievements could have been done without the fantastic support they have received from the team, both academic and technical, who have all had to learn new ways to teach as well as help each student find solutions and develop their individual voices.
One thing that is very true, is that when students leave art school they all face the same problem of how to continue their practice without these support mechanisms and facilities. I feel confident that given each students response to COVID 19, they are all well equipped to continue their practice as artists and enrich the continued history of print.
Phil Tyler
Course leader
How to apply for this course