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Dockyard becomes hub of art and creativity as Medway degree show opens

A full-sized, self-built conservatory, a ‘crashed’ car and the hull of a ship are a just a handful of large-scale installations featuring in a new exhibition by University of Kent students at the Chatham Historic Dockyard.

Titled Joining the Docks, the Fine Art Degree Show was officially opened on Saturday 25 May 2013 by Victoria Pomery, Director of the Turner Contemporary, Margate.

Prominently dotted across various parts of the Dockyard and the University’s School of Music and Fine Art gallery spaces, the installations will be on display from May 26 – June 1. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Alongside pieces from Fine Art students, the exhibition also features works by students from the Music and Audio Arts, and Creative Events; Design and Production courses.

Opening the exhibition, Victoria Pomery, said: ‘I’m delighted to open the degree show and have really enjoyed seeing some of the amazing work on show. Turner Contemporary looks forward to an on-going relationship with the University of Kent.’

Tim Meacham, Lecturer in Fine Art, said: ‘This year’s group of graduating students are the first true Medway Fine Art cohort. Some of the first students to work in the historic buildings of the Dockyard, this year’s group have helped to transform the space into creative and vibrant working environments. The presence of these students was symbolic of a new life for the Dockyard and a continuation of the tradition of making on the site and in the wider area.’

Joining the Docks is the first degree show of its kind to see students collaborate from the three courses – Fine Art, Creative Events; Design and Production, and Music and Audio Arts – at the University’s new School of Music and Fine Art.

The exhibition follows a year of exciting developments for the University’s provision of Arts and Music at its Medway Campus, including a £5million investment in its facilities on the Chatham Historic Dockyard at the end of last year.

For more information on the exhibition, visit: www.joiningthedocks.co.uk.

Contact: K.Scoggins@Kent.ac.uk

Professor Tim Howle – Inaugural Lecture

Friday 22 March, Grimond Lecture Theatre 1, 6pm

‘Seeing Sounds and Hearing Images – Composing with Audiovisual Materials’

Abstract

This lecture will examine the nature of new compositional ideas that are formed when sonic art is combined with video art.

At a recent competition for composers of sonic art, two thirds of the submissions were audiovisual. The jury ranked the purely musical pieces whereas the AV works were problematic in terms of criteria and were left on one side. The language of electroacoustic music is understood; the language of audiovisual music is another matter.

Given that the number of audiovisual outputs is increasing it is interesting that the underpinning theoretical and historical aspects lag behind. There are some obvious connections: graphic scores are pictorial; there is a hybridization of technologies (superficially the software used for audio editing looks the same as that used for video – suggesting a similar paradigm.) The materials can be manipulated in parallel; they can be treated as if they are part of the same phrase.

What is clear is that there is a form of counterpoint taking place between the modalities, pointing towards relationships that go much further than those offered by more traditional ‘film sound’ approaches. Counterpoint is more equitable. It suggests the possibility of audiovisual objects that function like chords pointing towards the potential for consonance and dissonance.

Skills Enhancement Week

Skills Enhancement Week Spring term running in Week 18 – 18th – 22nd February 2013

Timetable (pdf)

We have been very fortunate in getting some exciting and industry recognised guest speakers to give talks along with our usual mix of study skills and employability- related workshops.

Each day has a theme running through it:

  • Monday 18th February 2013 – Day 1 – Self-Employment/Entrepreneurship
  • Tuesday 19th February 2012 – Day 2 – Industry Talks /Developing Partnerships/Networking
  • Thursday 21st February 2013 – Day 3 – Marketing Yourself/ Developing Online Presence
  • Friday 22nd February 2013 – Day 4 – Year Abroad /CV & Writing Skills / Employability at Kent

To book a slot email: M.J.Fullman@kent.ac.uk or call in at Reception, The Old Surgery

 

Also running are Pro-Tools 101 and Pro-Tools 11Certified Training Courses

Monday 18th  February 2013 Tuesday 19th February 2013 Pro Tools 101 is a 2 day course delivering an introduction into Avid Pro Tools 10 Digital Audio Workstation software, with hands on projects and exercises to complete. Along with teaching you are also supplied with a certified textbook to keep. At the end of the 2 days there is an optional test to take, if passed, you will receive certification as proof for completing an industry recognised course.

Wednesday 20th  February 2013 Thursday 21st February 2013 Friday 22nd February 2013 Pro Tools 110 is a 3 day course delivering a more detailed look at the production techniques used in Avid Pro Tools 10 Digital Audio Workstation software, with hands on projects and exercises to complete. Along with teaching you are also supplied with a certified textbook to keep. At the end of the 3 days there is an optional test to take, if passed, you will receive certification as proof for completing an industry recognised course

All Music and Audio Arts Year Group students are welcome to attend

Max of 16 people for the Pro-Tools 101 and 10-12 people for Pro -Tools 110 First come, first serve basis

To book a slot email F.Walker@kent.ac.uk

Medway Culture and Design Awards 2012 Winners

The School of Arts at Medway was successful in winning 2 Highly Commended Awards as below. All categories were highly contested and the standard of nominations was described as exceptional.

The School of Arts were nominated in the following categories:

  • Open spaces and public realm – Place Making Project & the Iron Gym Project
  • Heritage – The Historic Dockyard Building Development
  • Visual arts – The Historic Dockyard Buildings Development & the Iron Gym Project

We received Highly Commended Awards for:

  • The Place Making Project in the Open Spaces and Public Realm category
  • The School of Arts (Building Development) in the Heritage category – for the revitalisation and enhancement of Medway Heritage.

The Guest Speaker was Martin Green, Head of Ceremonies for the Olympics Games who gave a spectacular presentation and speech.

Medway Messenger’s full press article and official photographs of the Awards Evening.

School of Music and Fine Art Taster Sessions

Experience university life for a day.

These sessions provide you with a great opportunity to see and use our wonderful new facilities on the Chatham Historic Dockyard, to meet and work with some of our academic staff and students, and to gain first-hand experience of the courses and opportunities we offer.

We offer taster sessions in the following areas:

  • Drawing
  • Painting
  • Sculpture
  • Printmaking
  • Creative Events
  • Photoshop
  • Photography
  • Music
  • Music Technology

We are able to offer most of the above as half day or day-long sessions.

Interested?  Please email us at getcreative@kent.ac.uk for details of the next taster session event.  We welcome interest from both individual students and from schools and colleges.  We also welcome suggestions of other areas not included in the list above that you would like to see represented.

If your school or college would like to organise a taster day so that your students can get a feel for university life or an insight into particular courses, please email your requirements to getcreative@kent.ac.uk  Taster days are generally subject specific but we are happy to be flexible in terms of both timings and content so that we can best meet your needs.