Brit Art at the RCA

I went to the Royal College of Art show this weekend - continuing the theme of visiting student shows. I was particularly interested in animation because of the student animations I had seen earlier in the week. These were indeed interesting with many hand drawn animations with a delightfully delicate and subtle use of line. A significant difference between these and some of the A Level animations seems to be in the extended and more abstracted narrative of these RCA animations. Curiously only two RCA students explored the notion of projection into, or onto, other things leaving the rest just presenting via rectangular projections on screens. I am always intrigued by the synergy of projected video into unusual and unexpected situations and am surprised there was not more of this. 

I thought it could be interesting to draw down animators of this quality into school as animators in residence. The equipment and techniques are available in schools, and students are already using them with confidence. Unfortunately neither the RCA or the students had a web prescence which showed work. Most students had websites under construction. So it is hard to recommend contacts. By the time this is read this may have been remedied - check RCA website.

In the Battersea galleries sculpture was usually big or heavy. There were two which I found interesting. However, most of it seemed to have the surly charmlessness of adolescent boys' displaying their underpants. An RCA twitterfeed at midday had breathlessly announced that Charles Saatchi had visited the show that morning. Saatchification was indeed fairly endemic as questions of 'what is art and form?' were once again rehearsed, but rather pedantically, and without the elegance and wit that characterised the same debate in the last century from Duchamp to Damian Hirst, via Carl Andre. Brit Art did seem to have lost its sense of humour. A Levels were more fun.

Shakespeare and Summer at Holmer Green

This year there seems to be a real increase in photography and much of it high quality photography at that. Several schools have entered for the first time this year and are talking about increased numbers opting for it next year. At Holmer Green it was interesting to talk about ideas to offer photography and graphics next year. We noted that this blog/record of school exhibitions should be helpful in identifying those schools with useful expertise and experience - Waddesdon for graphics was one of the things we discussed. I really enjoyed the delightful seasonal booklet of photographs 'Summer's lease hath all too short a date'. Its in the video and  shows really intelligent picture taking. It is noticeable that, for all the photographs seen, very few have just relied on Photoshop filters for effect. The work is usually rooted in good, perceptive picture taking: although photoshop is used to crop and enhance, of course.

Other intriguing pieces at Holmer Green were the sets of three or four very small canvases presented as a sequence of repeating icons. These miniatures are, quietly, effective and provide a really simple comentary on the work of other artists such as Julian Opie.

Sketchbooks and research projects continue to impress with the levels of knowledege and understanding of art and artists acquired by students at both GCSE and A Level. It is interesting to note the now common practice of using digital photographs as the research tool of choice for many. There can be very few sketchbooks these days which do not include digital photographs which form the basis of much recording and reflection by students.

It was also good to be able to talk to the headteacher wwho was at the exhibition.  Mr Jones was  there for a long time and clearly made a point of talking to students and their parents celebrating their success. His enthusiasm as always was palpable. You can't help noticing that when senior leaders attend it does make a difference and that it doesn't always happen.

DIY Ofsted: New Guidance for Subject Reviews

On June 9 2010 Ofsted published draft guidance to be used on 'Subject Survey Visits'. These are subject visits by specialist Ofsted inspectors. The outcome is a letter containing the findings and judgements of the inspector. This letter is published on the Ofsted website. Such visits contain judgements about the subject in terms of:

* achievement;
* quality of teaching;
* quality of curriculum;
* effectiveness of leadership and management;
* overall effectiveness in the subject.

This draft guidance provides details of the subject specific criteria and grade descriptors that inspectors will use. Guidance is provided for all subjects. The value of this is that it provides a very useful template for schools and departments to use in their own self evaluation. Many schools now have a cycle of departmental reviews. This guidance will be useful to co-ordinate practice and to align judgements from subject to subject and with the broader Ofsted, SEF criteria. You can access the art guidance directly from this Ofsted site www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/20100015. You should note that this guidance is in draft only and is part of a consultation programme. If you would like to comment reply to subjectdescriptorssummer10@ofsted.gov.uk by 31 July 2010.

It is expected that the final guidance will be published in October 2010.

Supremely confident at Stowe

I was lucky to get access to this A Level exhibition at Stowe School on Saturday morning, but, of course, these students and their teachers work on Saturdays, as well as the rest of the week. The work is extraordinarily sophisticated showing a real depth of understanding about the work of artists which underpins students' own personal enquiry and research. This is working within a genre, but not 'working in the style of'. A key feature of all of the work here was the overwhelming quality and maturity of the painting.  It was really exciting to see so many large beautifully painted canvasses. They were painted with a reflective, self confident, fluidity which shows familiarity with good quality materials and with studio practice. But it was not all painting, I also found a second set of installations and the first prints I have seen in any of the shows visited so far.
A particulaly striking set of work was to be seen in the huge charcoal drawings done for AS Level. The investment in rolls of 'double elephant' paper certainly pays off. The energy and scale of this work in year 12 must be important in underwriting the subsequent work and practice of students. The exhibition takes place in the school 6th form art studio's with each student having their own bay to display their work.

Contemporary, and fine, art at the Royal Latin School

Spotted my first two 100% unadulterated installations this evening at the Royal Latin (see video). Both presented an enagaging and complex narrative and showed a confident understanding of contemporary practice they also smelled interesting (cigarrette butts and old wood and leaves). One, a  shed (coffin?) made of doors, was evocative, thought provoking and really impressive.

In the next room contemporary practice was balanced by studies from Caravagio and a Zeotrope (first created in China around 180 AD by the prolific inventor Ting Huan ). Then just balanced on a window frame was a tiny painting of a fragment or fragment of a painting which was a delight.

Talking to the headteacher (who had come to see the exhibition) we discussed house styles. It seems to me that this is less of a feature in many of the exhibitions I have seen this year. Indeed there are many similarities between schools. The large portrait is rather commonplace and most exhibitions seem to have some of these. Some schools do, of course, have particular strengths which successive generations of students do respond to. But there is little evidence of excessive teacher direction, or of work drawn exclusively from a narrow range of genres, or school of artists. One strength of the Royal Latin has been in the use of wire to define space. This year there is a delightful wire and butterfly piece (see video). Other sculpture invited you to lie down under a table to look at the stars.

This is serious and thoughtful work developed from the study of a wide range of artists ancient and modern. Students are also prepared to take risks. But they pay off. So it was good to hear about a student who I remember had made an wonderful sculpture - a ballet dress exhibited at MAD in 2007 - had just succeeded in getting a placement with Vivienne Westwood.


Royal Latin Grammar School from Dan China on Vimeo.

Chalfonts all singing and dancing and thinking

I've written alot about the digital work at Chalfonts before (for instance see Joe Benson's work). But it is really interesting to see how much more powerful some of these films are when projected onto a big screen (soft canvas with a nice texture) with a good sound system rather than on a small monitor. 

But the fine art work reminds me again of the way this department requires students to take risks and to think deeply about their work. I was talking to Greg about a student's work, noting her references to Vygotski and identity, while looking at her sketchbook page with drawings and photos of her father shaving his legs in the shower. This work really was deeply inquisitive about identity and explored sexual identity with an honest frankness. Elsewhere are some big mournful self portraits as well, but these are moderated by other portraits with jaunty references to self identity and gender stereotyping.

Another characteristic of work in this school is the way that they translate special studies into quirky imaginative pieces - a scroll rolled up, sealed and placed in a high heeled shoe is one. The special study about graffitti is produced as the labels for spray cans with the different colour cans becoming different chapters. But there are more - boxes and artefacts showing curiousity, imagination and humour.

As I write this discretely at the back of the gallery, the teachers and students are giving out prizes and certificates - everyone gets a prize. Its a real celebration and it is good to be here.

A Level Art EXHIBITION 2010

A small exhibition at John Colet

A small exhibition, not because of the quantity and scale of the work, but because it all had to be exhibited in a small art room.  Building works made space a premium in the school so no other suitable space was available. But art teachers do make do. So desktop screens were made and painted and work was mounted cheerfully.

It was interesting to be at the start of something and to meet the first student in the school to do photography. She had made a fascinating photograph of the London Eye - part photograph, part sculpture. I understand that next year there will be many more students opting for photography. So it will be interesting to see that grow, although the department is wrestling with ways to resource it. A couple of old, small computers and Photoshop Elements may not be sufficient, and a teacher's personal laptop will only go so far. Despite the narrow confines of the exhibition, I did enjoy some fine painting and research books, especially a page devoted to Frank Auerbach.

Talking of the study of art I wonder if the success of the Tate Modern is in any way a consequence of the fact that the national curriculum has brought in the study of art and artists at every age, and all children now leave school knowing what art is and something about what an artist does. Study at 6th form level, as shown here, increasingly provides evidence of a rich understanding of the role of art and artists in our society. I do hope the deconstructing of the curriculum does not undo this.

A large exhibition at John Hampden

It is always big here. The department consistently produces really strong, large, robust paintings. I always enjoy these, its a boys school and it shows. So its not quite Jenny Saville more Euston Road. Both of these big confident canvasses are by the same student. The studies were wonderful as well, some really finely controlled line and others with the same robust confident brushwork.  (see the online gallery)

There is a really strong tradition of drawing and mark making here. Every year the school takes part in the Royal Academy life drawing programme. Some of this work is remarkable for the confident fluidity and quality of the lines. This year there was also some intriguing sculptural model making (see in the video) It seems to be a secondary theme for many of the exhibitions I have seen. Quirky, curious sculptures were also seen at Misbourne and Amersham yesterday and at Sir Henry Floyd and Waddesdon. The other main theme this year is large portraits and here there was a wonderful set of three very large, unstretched, hanging canvases with a softly stained face - rather Turin shroud like. Unfortunately I could not get a picture as they were hung behind screens-but if the school would like to send me one it would be good to put in the online gallery. 

Rich textiles (and shakespeare) at Highcrest

I have known Highcrest School for 15 years and have 'Ofsteded' it twice. However, I have not visited for a couple of years now - not since the current teachers took up post. It was a real joy to see the transformation in the work. There was an almost 50% improvement in A*-C grades last year and this show was remarkable for the confident, accomplished and fully commited work by students. The quality of the craftsmanship (womanship) and attention to detail is excellent as you can see from the images here. All students presented work which was very carefully finished supported by well researched and intelligent investigation. Some of the textiles based work was a delight and some of this showed a richness and depth which was a million miles away from the work I recall seeing there years ago. A huge improvement. 

I know that the school has received excellent support from an AST from Sir William Ramsay school. Staff generously acknowledge this influence and well done to Annie.

II


I suspect her influence will be felt here and in other schools she has worked in for some time to come. Annie is now working in Hertfordshire so lucky Hertfordshire. But was intriguing to see the cultural references with rich textiles used purposefully to make an intellectual point and the video shows an illuminated book of poems, including Shakespeare ... season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.

Wonderfully whimsical A Level from Misbourne

Just love this A Level piece from Misbourne.

Photos, life drawing and sculpture at Amersham

Curious to visit a second exhibition with fine photography in the same evening. Again students showed a strong sense of composition and a very fine and subtle use of colour. It was especially interesting to see the accumulation of visual research and references being developed in portfolios.  I recall discussing the importance of discipline in shaping and capturing compositions last year partly as a result of the practice of 'wet' photography which made each shot significant. I understand that there was less darkroom work this year but despite the reliance on photoshop there was still alot of serious picture taking and relatively little use of filters. Perhaps we are all growing out of the indiscriminant use of filters at A Level - and GCSE as well.

Other work was very well grounded and the life drawing showed strong drawing and observational skills which underpinned some of the very large, curious and intriguing scupltures. Life drawing is done in the art room over a block of 4 sessions. These are led by an external tutor who also provides the model. Caroline (HoD) was pleased that a significant number of her students had gained a place on the BNU Foundation course. We both noted how a life class can make a significant difference to students - attitudes as well as skills - and I am sure this was a valuable experience for these students on a variety of levels. Other key images in the exhibition include the number of very large painted portraits. This is, in fact, a feature of all exhibitions so far this year.

Excellent photography and a fish shop at Misbourne

This show was really exciting especially because of the excellent photography on display. Really intelligent highly crafted technically accomplished images. It takes alot to get much from a banana but a sequence of studies shows a real subtlety and appreciation of fine nuances of colour and texture.

The portfolio's also showed the serious study of good photographs and photographers. Many students had developed a working practice which captuted people and places with sensitivity and a strong complositional control. Often students work is based on sites in London. Interesting to see how their work is drawing them outwards looking again at their environment. It was good to meet the keen, enthusiastic, teacher working with these students (NQT - really terrific first year she should feel very proud).

The fine art work was eclectic and often funny. I enjoyed student's work using boxes and  50s Marilyn iconography. One whole corner was taken up with an installation of a fishmongers shop complete with life size trays of oysters, fish and a lobster - see the video.

Dramatic art at Beaconsfield High

The exhibition at Beaconsfield High today presented work from years 10, 11, 12 and 13. Some of the GCSE work was very strong and I use the term advisedly, because the portraits and treatment was robust and vigorous. I particularly enjoyed some of the rich, encrusted, distressed research books. 
A Level work also showed very strong and dramatic images - especially portraits. There were some wonderfully vigorous and powerful drawings. These were not pretty pieces but strong and aggressive statements.  There was an interesting counterpoint where work which superficially drew upon the work of Georgia O'Keefe was in fact much darker - working from a study of tattoo with imagery and text which was nihilistic and despairing.
But these were complemented by other more predictable well researched, subtle and decorative studies taking William Morris as a starting point. But on the whole not a 'pretty girly' show at all. More work from this exhibition can be seen on Flickr.

Cherries and barbed wire at Sir Henry Floyd

This show was really ecclectic with many different styles and reference points (as you will see if you go to the Flickr gallery). Work varied from a full length ball gown made only from barbed wire (Duchamp rather than Dali) to photo-realist cherries and self portraits in the style of Rembrandt (deep shadow). Some of the contemporary references really stood out. I particularly enjoyed the 'vitrine' chrome and mirror cabinet with preserved accoutrements of a dissolute life style. There was an excellent set of strange and compellingly disturbing photographs (see below and on flickr) which added yet another facet to the work of these clearly independant and imaginative students.


It was interesting to hear that next year the art department will be part of a faculty of design led by the head of art - well done Ross. There are relatively few design faculties, that I know, where there is a real fusion of graphics, 3d design, textiles and art subjects. The fact that the faculty will be housed together suggests that there will be some interesting scope to develop new ideas and explore in greater depth the craft and design aspects of our subject(s).

See Flickr for more pictures.

Genre by osmosis - Waddesdon

Just visited Waddesdon Arts College to see their exhibition - actually been twice now. Some genuinely excellent work as always, but the quality of graphics, photography and illustration was extraordinary. Many of these students will go directly to degree courses at art school bypassing the normal foundation year. And why not, they have a really mature, deep and sophisticated sense of genre and style. This is complemented by strong underlying technical skills.

It was interesting to talk to Marc about how they do it. This is simplistic but seems to me to be quite telling. Marc explained that they had invested heavily in books and this is true large, mouthwateringly expensive contemporary books on illustration, photography and graphics are everywhere. These students do absorb the very best of contemporary work and it shows in their work and thinking. This constant exposure to the best practice in the field provides them with a real appreciation of style and genre informed by their access to this work. Marc explained that the last set of books cost £1,000 but money well spent I think. It is true that there are myriad examples of work on the web. But it occurs to me looking through these books that these are carefully presented examples of the very best. The web doesn't select by quality and so does not provide that example of the very best that the books do.

Another interesting convention used by Marc and his colleagues relates to the evolution of project briefs. These tend to start, not with problem solving, but with a period of immersion in professional work. This takes the form of story boards with two focusses. One is about collections of practice (graphics, photography etc.) related to the brief. The other is about collections of inspirational graphics/illustration which may or may not be related but must be inspirational. It is the fusion of these two strands of investigation that leads to creative and high quality outcomes.

A third key feature it seems to me of practice in this school is in the dedicated commitment to visualising through drawing. These students are taught to use rendering/visualisation techniques which enable them to quickly and effectively develop their ideas. It means they don't get seduced by photoshop filters and chance effects of the technology but they develop individual and purposeful ideas which they then have to realise using and applying their skills and understanding of technologies.

Other aspects of the conversation which intrigued me was the practice of usually using two or three teachers teaching on each course. The project briefs and course structure provides a secure spine for independent learning and each teacher can contribute as appropropriate. Thus students are exposed to a wider range of references than they might be otherwise.
PS and I really liked the way that a problem had been turned into an opportunity in KS 3 where 3 lessons a fortnight have to be taught by two teachers. Solution is to have every third lesson a self contained drawing lesson. This gives continuity and depth to developing drawing skills which the old QCDA units almost destroyed by presenting a single unit of work a term with drawing only happening in week 3.
PPS see more art from this years shows on Bucksart at Flickr

More observing

Interesting to see another set of carefully observed and recorded images to compare with yesterday's. These were bluebell paintings by year one children at Padbury School. It will be ten years before these children take their GCSE's. Will they still be looking and recording with such care and interest?

GCSE at SHF

It was good to see this highly crafted, strong, observational drawing permeating all work in this GCSE exhibition. Some things are just timeless. The department will once again be encouraging students to enter their work onto online exhibitions like the Saatchi Gallery.