Inés Mencos
BA (Hons) Design for Art Direction There is a phrase that my father used to say. It’s one of those phrases that stay in your head and mark you but you never fully understand. Like when your mother punished you and when you complained she responded by saying; “you will understand when you have children” and indeed, since you have no kids, you do not understand. The phrase I am referring to is; ‘there is freedom in compromise'. These days I have been able to reconsider and think about freedom and what it entails. Firstly, I think we have a misconception of what the word means. We think to be free means to live without ties, without responsibilities. That no one or nothing can stop us. Being able to pack your bags and get on the first train without a destination. Ergo, we know that the term ‘compromise’ enjoys little prestige, we imagine commitment as a life sentence that gives no possibility of change or advance. However, commitment is one of the most mature attitudes that we can assume. To commit, you first have to educate yourself, know about the one and the other within the possibilities available to us and make that knowledge through an intelligent way of comparison. Therefore, without commitment it will result impossible to live to your full potential as commitment sets goals for you, creates unions, and bestows the virtue of fidelity. What I thought I believed is an immature, naive and privileged notion of freedom. This false idea of freedom is invalid when speaking about repressed individuals. A couple of months ago I read ‘Dispara, yo ya estoy muerto’ (‘shoot, I'm already dead’) a novel by Julia Navarro that in a way spoke about freedom, or the lack thereof. It was about a Russian Jewish family at the time of the Tsar, and of the constant expulsion of their community that led them to Palestine and France; perpetually having to flee from the parties that were persecuting them. I don’t remember it well but there was a conversation in the book that left an impression on me, and which I still think about. When the main character was asked why did he not simply say that he was not a Jew — that in this way he could begin to live in peace — he responds that it is not his decision to be one, that as much as he does not believe, go to the synagogue or read the Koran, he could never give up what he is. His family had fought for his freedom and beliefs, and to reject that would be to negate himself. This conversation made me think, and realize, that it is not a question of beliefs but of repression, that as much as you do not believe in the values, religions or beliefs that have been instilled in you, the moment of having to reject them due to political ideology it is the moment that you stop being free. It is not easy to give up your culture. And if by renouncing them we can reach a promised ‘freedom’, that which they are referring to is false, since it is not you who is free. When your beliefs are being compromised you cannot stand indifferent. Milan Kundera writes in ‘The Unbearable Lightness of being’ about repression in the Czech Republic. “When society is rich, people do not have to work with their hands and are engaged in intellectual activity […] Culture succumbs to the volume of production, the avalanche of letters, the madness of quantity. For this reason I tell you that a book banned in your country means infinitely more than millions of words that vomit our universities.” There is a commitment to your own beliefs. When an idea, whatever it is, wins the opinion market, it is almost impossible to go against it. On the other hand, for those who by false freedom have not developed their own criteria, it is very difficult for them to notice when they think for themselves or when they are being pushed by a hand on their back. And it is that in Spain we are living not only a sanitary crisis but one of freedom of expression. A government that, under the false pretext of wanting to limit the spread of hoaxes, has managed to muzzle its people, by limiting through social media, the messages that are being sent. For example, if you now share an article or video demonstrating the similarities of the Venezuelan government and the one we have now in Spain, you will not be able to send it to more than one person. So not only do they ask us to stay home, but to renounce our beliefs? The book ‘Dispara, yo ya estoy muerto’ also talks about the Kibbutz, the communal farms that were established by the Jews in Palestine when fleeing Russia. With them they brought communist and socialist ideas. No one was forced to be there and share everything with everyone. One could stay in a Kibbutz forever or, if he concluded that this collectivism was too much for him, one could leave without receiving any reproach. This, I believe, would be the most accurate expression of socialism since it was based on the freedom in which nobody was forced to remain in that place. Commitment develops the will because it helps us to stay firm in what we choose. Yet, it is also flexible if we are able to make conscious decisions. A conscious commitment is better than an unconscious pseudo-freedom. The second, sooner or later, becomes a prison from which one cannot escape. This, I believe is what it means to be confined in Spain; a government that has restricted our freedoms for fear that, if we have them, we will go out and unconsciously spread the virus. An autocratic government that decides that we do not have the capacity or enjoy the social commitment to live consciously. Because instead of raising awareness when it had to; they encouraged us to go outside. We could say, in short, that it is as if you have a boyfriend whom you are going to marry and for no apparent reason you decide to leave him for fear that he will cheat on you, ending up alone; no cheating but no boyfriend. In short, it is the story of a country indoctrinated, dogmatic and convinced that the curtailment of our fundamental rights will lead us to our freedom. But what have you to lose, when you are not free? I’d say: Shoot, I’m already dead.
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Harry Colley
IVM Reflecting on the past, my ambitions and future aspirations as an illustrator have definitely evolved, due to the DPS course. Starting the year, I was more interested in working on freelance briefs and in house for studios. Although this is still the case, I’m now also interested in different crafting techniques. Working with more hands-on methods of creating in order to give new life to my illustrations. I was inspired to follow this path after initially working with a punch needle for my final project of the previous Summer. My interest in different techniques quickly grew, and I was introduced to a variety of methods of working through cultural exchanges. These exchanges in skills and craft techniques where introduced to me by the different households I lived and people I worked with whilst in Barcelona. For example, I learnt embroidery from the mother of my first family as I had expressed an interest in textiles. I was introduced to ceramics after I attended multiple school trips with my class to a local ceramic school, and I quickly got to know the owners very well. Attending the studio on multiple occasions, outside of work, to create work. One of my goals of the year was to transfer my illustrations into 3 dimensional objects. This change from working in a digital format to working with a hands-on discipline and I found it to be very refreshing. So far, I have worked with a variety of ceramic techniques, embroidery and rug tufting, and I look forward to continuing building my knowledge in these disciplines and mediums during my final year of University. Whilst making more physical products instead of creating digital illustrative work, I was introduced to a market I had previously overlooked. I realised that there was a large audience for artisan one off pieces of work. The type of products suitable for selling range from home furnishings, artworks and ceramics. It dawned on me that I could create my own business alongside my freelancing practice. This was very inspiring, especially after I quickly sold both my embroidered patches and was commissioned to make more. I liked the idea that I could make money whilst exploring and creating the artwork I wanted to whilst also completing freelance briefs set by clients. I know I don’t like to be restricted to one way of working, and it’s always been interesting seeing my illustrative work in multiple mediums. Expanding my knowledge of different crafts will play a crucial role in allowing me to do this. I will always continue pursuing my digitally led illustration practice. But with these new ways of working I know I can make money whilst also having other creative outlets, and the freedom to create new fresh work whilst learning new skills. Exploring these new mediums has opened new pathways creatively and also professionally. Previously I’d seen a career in illustrations being funded by freelancing for other companies. I recognise that this is likely to be a crucial and important part of my practice. However, I’ve began to see the ways it’s also possible to make products in a new refreshing way, initially for myself but hopefully for a larger audience. This audience will range from online consumers, art markets and fairs there are multiple avenues that I want to take my products into in the future. Ultimately, I like that I’m now in a position to make money not necessarily always working to another person’s brief. Unfortunately, due to the current pandemic I’ve had to put my ceramic practice on hold but because of this I’ve re connect with my digital illustration. I have made multiple illustrations in reaction to the current crisis. I’m most proud of my poster design I submitted to the stay safe and safe campaign. Dan Ioannou BA (Hons) Graphic and Media Design I've been working as a freelance designer and illustrator now for around 4 years. Picking up odd jobs here and there and building a network of contacts along the way. Freelancing has allowed me to explore different directions in the design career path. I've had opportunities to apply my skills to branding and identity, logo and icon designing, editorial and print, and illustration/character design. It's been a great side hustle to have while in education as the hours can be flexible and are in my control. The downside to it is the inconsistency of workflow and income with my priorities being uni work, it can become a bit of a juggling act. At the beginning of this year, as there were no certain prospects of an internship happening, I turned my focus to being a full-time freelancer. The year got off to a busy start with a variety of projects. A few of which were through the University Arts London temps agency, ArtsTemps. The jobs that I applied for through this channel are usually expected to conform to UAL's branding guidelines. However, some are a bit more creative like an illustrated zine that was requested from Chelsea College. The idea that the zine was to work as an exercise book for new short course students. The 16-page zine was filled with illustrated creative tasks that were to inspire creativity The team I was working with had great communications and were supportive in my exploration of various visual narratives. While nearing the completion of the zine commission, I was approached by a company called Snowbility. A ski development organisation created by Richard Fetherston, who discovered the incredible benefits that could be achieved for people with additional needs and mental health challenges through ski and snowboard coaching. The business was in the early stages of redeveloping their brand and were looking into hiring an illustrator for some artwork. Following a call with the business owner, we discussed a strategy of how we would move forward with the project. There were concerns from the owner of costs as she said most design agencies she had approached had charged out of her budget. I stated what my costs were per illustration which led on to discussing how they were looking for multiple images that could be used for merchandise and released through the year. I asked her to forward me a brief and some visuals to get a better understanding of what she had in mind and I would work out would I thought would be a reasonable price for the work I would commit to. It sounded to me like it could be a job that would get out of hand so put some time into writing out a 2-week business proposal. This would state the work I would commit to and different stages of pay I would require. The proposal also had some rough workings and inspirations board to outline what I think I could achieve in response to the brief. The final pitched I proposed was based on 8 final pieces that were reasonably priced however was turned down for being expensive! After stressing that my prices were very reasonable, I wished them luck in finding a suitable designer for the role! After a series of non-eventful job prospects like this one I lost faith in the freelancing world and turned my attention to landing another internship and luckily, struck gold. Alan Kitching is a legend in the letterpress world and someone who's work is globally recognized. An opening for a workshop assistant arose and I jumped at the opportunity. I couldn't believe my luck when I had the opportunity to work with someone who's craftmanship I have admired throughout my time at LCC. Getting to work with somebody who is so proficient in their speciality and respected my creative input was truly humbling. Unfortunately, my time at the studio was cut short because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although Alan didn't terminate my contract, I felt it unwise to continue being in a confined environment with an 80 something your old national treasure! Fortunately, I'm still going to be in touch with Alan and hopefully find some time to help him out with some projects over the summer.
Monday the 20th of April 2020, the beginning of my 5th week in isolation. A direct message dropped into my Instagram inbox this morning from unknown contact. The first message from an unknown someone requesting work from me for a couple of months now. "Hi Dan! I received your name from a friend, who said you'd be able to help me. I am currently writing a mind coaching book, on the first page, I would like an image of a woman's hands doing the heart hand gesture. Within the space of the heart, an illustration of a Universe. Look forward to your reply x" My previous experiences of working as a freelance illustrator have left their scars. My initial response to this is a negative one and filled with doubts. I don't know anything about this person, what they're like to work with and if this will be another waste of time. Is this a job that I'm gonna regret picking up?! However, given the current climate and the fact that I'm not going to be going back to my regular jobs anytime soon, the opportunity to make a bit of money outweighs my anxieties. I get busy putting together a tight business proposal of my hours and rates of pay and forward to the client. It feels as though each business deal has a certain level of risk to it and I have hopes that this will be a good transaction for my sanity and my bank balance. Foteini Spyridakou
BA (Hons) Graphic and Media Design In this industry it is often believed that there is a greater security with individuals who chose to work in big corporations rather than the ones that are self employed, but I have reasons to believe that this crisis is slowly showing us that no one really is fully safe from instability. Stability is a concept that has been on my mind quite often throughout this period of time we are experiencing. More specifically however, the lack of stability. This I believe is a concept that the creative industry has faced and struggled with since its infancy. In my experience I know that there is a running stereotype surrounding the process of becoming a creative. Often times we are told that it is a very difficult industry, which it is, with no guarantee of stability. Well at least not the same type of stability, often seen in areas much as the medical industry, or the legal domains. It makes me now question where my standing is in the future of this industry. It is now becoming clear that the world as we now know it will probably never be the same. And perhaps that is a pessimistic view to some, but that seems to be the truth of the matter as of right now. And as a student who had somewhat a plan of what the future could look like, I am now left to consider that perhaps everything I thought would transpire, no longer has the possibility of coming to fruition. I remember a specific conversation I overheard during one of the days I had gone into the office. I remember that there was a news broadcast in the background, Boris Johnson was addressing the nation and everyone was glued to the screen. One of the women somewhere behind me voiced her concern about what would happen with her kid’s school. Would they cancel the year? Would they have to pay for another year of private school? I remember thinking to myself how odd that was. In my mind that was such an insignificant thing to worry about. Personally the first thing I would want as a parent would be to have my child as far away from a school as possible. Especially when the casualties where still very few in the UK. But the statement that followed awoke me from my naive thoughts. One of her co-workers told her that the possibility that they would cancel the entire year and have kids start it over was quite possible. She shied and stated, “I don’t know if I will have a job till then.” Then I realized just how little I really knew. It was scary to hear an adult say that. Although I am an adult myself, I am not yet at the stage where I have to worry about taking care of someone else let alone of helping support a household. In my mind the naive thoughts were justified, but in reality they were just that, naive thoughts. I don't have children, in reality I'm still much of a child myself, the most I have to worry about is house bills and working towards finishing my degree. But what if I was this woman that I had jumped to judge, what would my worries look like? What do so many people out there have to deal with? The sacrifices they have to make? It made me realize how lucky I am. I have just started to dip my toe into the harsh realities of the world. If in my young age I was scared about my future, to hear adults, with established careers, corporate jobs, which are often seen as the ideal, fear the unknown was oddly unsettling. It made me thinking of what real consequences this pandemic will have not only in the creative industry, but in society as a whole. Myself like many others have had an idea in our minds I’m sure, when we took the leap to join academia. Usually life has a predictable cycle, go to university, get a degree, find a job, maybe do a master, start your career, etc. And then you think about starting a family, affording a home, looking into retirement. Now though, with the amount of uncertainty these plans seem distant. Almost unreachable. I find myself thinking if its even worth completing my degree, will I be wasting too much time, is it even worth to do a masters, what qualifications will we even need to have when the world returns to normal? What will even be normal? All valid concerns, which I know are also shared among my peers. Even now there is uncertainty in regards to how they navigate their education through a screen, away from studios and valued facilities needed to create their desired outcomes. And although personally I know that I will finish my degree, I spent too much time, blood, sweat, and countless tears to back out now, I also feel for my peers that have to consider this reality. However in instability and chaos there always seem to be a glimmer of hope in our fellow creatives. Especially in times like these. It is very touching and admirable to see how quickly creatives have jumped on the challenge to create solutions to larger and hard problems. We have been hearing stories in the news of Cristian Fracassi and Alessandro Romaioli, two Italian based engineers, making ventilator masks from common snorkeling equipment. (Tidman (2020)) An Italian 3D company producing over 100 needed parts for ventilators to assist hospitals that were running out of supplies. (Cockburn (2020)) Students in the UK and the US requesting to use school 3D printers to print protective mask bands, for hospitals and medical staff when supplies are diminishing. Individuals such as the likes of Michelle Obama and Dolly Parton are reading bedtime stories for children through platforms like YouTube. Musicians are putting on concerts from their balconies, celebrities doing live shows from their homes. Although most of us are stuck at home we haven't lost our spark. We are still creating, we are still giving, we are still needed and we will always be needed. At the end of the day people will always need music to sooth them, animation to entertain them, a poster to inform them, a product to assist them, a movie to uplift them, cartoonists to humor them. We will bounce back. There can also be other benefits regarding family dynamics once the pandemic is over. Personally as I child who grew up with a parent that was primarily away due to work, I could see this being to some extent beneficial. Perhaps the industry will come to a quicker balance in regards to prioritizing specific work endeavors over others, and potentially remove the stress from a lot of families like mine in regards to frequent travel and distance. But as this might be positive in some regards it can also have a lot of negatives, in regards to other industries such as Aviation who relies on business men and women traveling. What would happen to those families? It is not a simple challenge that can be addressed over night. And I also don’t truly believe that one is more sustainable than the other. Perhaps this pandemic will help us consider what the middle ground in regard to this issue can be. This pandemic will also probably bring about new opportunities, as more and more countries and businesses are rapidly moving to digital media in order to stay in contact. When before technology was accumulating steadily it has now become one of our primary resources to stay connected, and this might bring about a new wave of innovation in regards to 3D Technology, augmented reality, animation, etc. which we have never seen before. New opportunities that we have yet to imagine. Personally I don't know what the future holds. I don't think any of us do, not anymore. We have reached a level of unpredictability that I doubt any of us have ever seen in our lifetimes. What I do know, however, is that there will always be room for the creative industry to flourish. We might be struggling right now, but we have the advantage of not struggling alone. And we will still be as needed, if not more when hopefully this is all over. The only challenge that remains for all of us is how to bridge, from an income standpoint, today with tomorrow. And this will be a rather big issue for those who have serious financial obligations (mortgage, loans, kids that need to be fed etc), and can’t afford to see their current income diminish... Bibliography Cockburn, H. (2020) Coronavirus: 3D printers used to supply hospital with life-saving respirator valves. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/coronavirus-3d-printing-respirators-supply-hospitals-italy-covid-19-a9408961.html (Accessed: 16 April 2020). Tidman, Z. (2020) Italian engineers use snorkelling masks to make equipment for ventilators. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/coronavirus-ventilators-snorkelling-masks-brescia-italy-engineers-a9420916.html (Accessed:16 April 2020). Katie Scott IVM Fluxus was a movement in the 1950’s where artists and musicians such as John Cage and Marcel Duchamp banded to revise a manifesto that challenged the elitist attitudes that prevailed the creative industries at the time. They believed the current system disenchanted the process of making art and valued only the final result. These avant-garde creatives on the contrary championed the journey that fulfilled the character of the final piece or creative event by emphasising performance and the beauty of the everyday object. Igniting a sense of romance between the artist and their work, a sense of opportunity in every moment, distinguishing a new kind of accessibility that was never before acknowledged in the creative industries. In many ways we can take precedence of this creative moment which has become, if not critical to reference at this time, where self-distancing and quarantine has become the new bizarre regime we face in daily life. Challenged with yet another new unknown in the workplace, in every workplace, instilling not only a sense fear and acute pessimism for our wellbeing, there is an unfounded urgency to adapt to new circumstances as the World we have come to know, has disappeared. There are without a doubt many negatives and of course tragedies, that have arisen because of the COVID pandemic. Regardless, in this submission I would rather like to exercise the positives I have come to respect at this surreal time, and perhaps share a perspective that has the potential to lift spirits rather than break them, even if it’s just my own. Unlike other members of society, creative individuals have the insight to inject perspectives that may inspire those to seek meaning in life; educate essential anthropology/ World regimes; encourage those to be kinder to others; instil a sense of wonder back into the World, revealing all of the beauty that may slip unnoticed during times of hardship; or simply create environments that calm the spirit and camouflage the ugly. Referring back to the artist of the Fluxus movement; ‘These artists wanted to close the gap between art and life, and also too democratise or deglamorize the creative process. When it came to art, anyone could play. - Danchev A, 100 Artists’ Manifestos, 2011, Penguin. There is an important message from this statement outlined, anyone can play and to those who are embarking on a creatively lead job like myself, I must learn to readopt a sense of play within my work - in the confinements of my home. I willingly can no longer rely on external resources and situations to stimulate the work that emerges from these known threads of opportunity. “Purge the world of bourgeois sickness.” No longer taking into account my previous resources and utensils (privileges) I am learning to play independently without the bureaucracy of a perhaps nepotistic, copycat industry. I lucked out on a few opportunities in the workplace this year, so this opportunity to evolve cannot be overlooked. These realisations allowed me to no longer overlook my ‘everyday objects’ and perhaps be rekindled with my privilege that I somehow forgot in the clockworks of London. FLOW & FUSION My integrity, mental health and body at this time has equally been an interesting process during this shift in working life. My self-awareness has been incredibly developmental as I build the blocks towards a healthy relationship with my practise and drive. This will no doubt impact on my future business ventures and work ethic as I’m learning to work with myself and not get perhaps in my own way, as equilibrium and flow are elements that have been developed in isolation Fusion has also been a factor. How will I make things? What are my options? Where do I take things? Is there an autrement to take me somewhere new? This is all essential to keep things interesting and of course useful in the continuum of a quarantine practise. Coming across incredibly existential however without this newfound attitude, I may have not been able to pursue my projects in these new found circumstances. Without a doubt when these restrictions are lifted, I will continue to embrace a sense of urgency and commitment to my work, unapologetically devoting my time to my practise and my development. Segueing slightly from what I have adopted from Fluxus, my reliance towards technology especially regarding communication has been enhanced during lockdown. This brings me to question I guess my previous relationship with technology and how looking to the future this might effect my practise, for better or worse. James Bridle in his publication, ‘The New Dark Age’ highlights an effective analogy in which I would like to apply in my own analysis of the current situation regarding technology and our wellbeing, livelihoods etc… The God Prometheus as we know has a brother called Epimetheus. Putting two and two together, the Gods represent foresight and hindsight. Prometheus commands Epimetheus to gift every one of his creatures with two good qualities, however Epimetheus being forgetful, when he arrived to humans had no more good characteristics to pass on. Prometheus then had to steal art and fire to keep us going. Meaning that humans were created from a double negative, forgetfulness and theft. The God Hermes overlooking the predicament, gives humans the gifts of justice and kindness to others - Hermes resembling the kind of ‘bigger picture’ thinking we must adopt in this World, where not many of us consider the consequences of restricting ourselves to our devices, surrendering too much control and influence that may be cataclysmic. This is something I have considered over the years developing myself as an individual and as a ‘commodity’ in the creative professions. It is important of course to use our many platforms as a means of connection and creation, however we must take time out to also consider the opportunities that lie right in front of us when we put down our phones, tablets and laptops. This previously unattainable isolation period, should in many ways be cherished. Not wasted skimming the virtual worlds we are already addicted too, making time for more meaningful creation. Translating this into the ways in which I am approaching my projects, some of which I considered to have been put on hold or suspended - I am now beginning to think of new ways in which means the process will not stop, severing me from restrictive and elitist systems that I relied on before like budget, expensive equipment and external personal to give me the ink to my pen. Foteini Spyridakou BA (Hons) Graphic and Media Design As we have found ourselves stuck at home, it leaves for a lot of open time to reflect on our year away from university. This time of both isolation and working from home has helped to further establish to me the power of not only communication, but also language and professionalism. The way I define professionalism personally, is through ones ability to quickly adapt to any situation that appear to them while maintaining a level of respect. And that was something I had to keep closely in mind when I was working on both of these big live projects. To start with my first internship, communication was a big aspect of creating a harmonious working environment. Meetings were often long, and through digital means, where often words held little meaning in comparison to an image that could clearly show the client, what I was thinking and how I was going about solving their personal problem. In my other internship I was granted the ability for a short time to communicate face to face with my employer. It was such a nice experience, finally having the experience of exchanging ideas face to face, get feedback live and work simultaneously. However, this was short lived as the start of the pandemic was starting to become something that could no longer be ignored, we had to restore back to working from home and through digital ways. I had the benefit of having practiced this form of communication over a long period of time, so I knew how to navigate this. I made extra effort to keep everyone up to date, sending messages, updates of the illustrations ever couple of hours on my progress. I think one of my biggest realizations was figuring out that not everyone that I communicate with, always understands what I am talking about or my way of thinking. In every industry there is specific terminology, ways of speaking that often come naturally in discussions between people of common industries. And that goes for all industries not only the creative one. However, I came to find that sometimes we can get lost in the terminologies we are used to, especially in an industry such as this. In the beginning there were a few times were I caught myself using words that my clients might not have been familiar with. I had been so caught up in this interaction between my peers who had similar experiences to me that I kind of expected everyone to know what I was talking about. But in the real world that isn’t always the case. Over time I had to find ways to work around that issue, and the way I found was the most effective, was by making sure to explain everything us much as possible and in as much detail as possible. Feedback was also something I had to always take into consideration. It enhances an idea that I already knew so well which was the client is always right. But now instead of being taught this inside the walls of a school or a university, I was seeing it in practice. However, I learned that there is an undertone to the truth behind that idea. To an extent the client is always right, they have a specific vision in their head, and my job was to turn that vision into a reality. However, there where times where I could see flaws in that reality, small mishaps which would either make the process that more complicated or wouldn’t work at all in the aesthetics they were looking for. I learned that my best option was to put to practice giving them the vision that they had in mind, as well as a revised version of what I wanted them to see. That way by comparing the two they would make the final decision on what they deemed better. It was my job to find the middle ground, and I was lucky to be surrounded by people who where open to conversation. Who cared about my opinion and often shout it out. I felt that I was part of the team not an addition. And that was the case throughout all my experiences.
We have such a powerful tool. The ability to communicate through visuals, when words fall short of meaning. Seeing that in action was rather an emotional experience, because when I couldn’t express myself through words I could find comfort in being able to bring my thoughts alive through the use of illustrator especially during calls, where there I could edit work live and have the client interact with it, give their opinion, see what worked and what didn’t. When before we could have spent hours bouncing back and forth ideas and missing the point, with a little bit of effort, time, and care we could all see the idea come to life. Having the ability to do that is powerful. And I think it made me realize just how important people like us truly are. Being able to tell stories through so many different ways and forms. And when I say stories I don’t only mean through a final products, but also through the process of reaching that final product. The series and ideas that may didn’t get developed fully, but helped drive the outcome to somewhere else.
Francesca Adani Illustration and Visual Media Life as changed so much in the last weeks and it’s still hard to understand that this is the new reality I’m living in. Sometimes I find myself looking out the window and all I hear is silence, not one car around. It’s very surreal, everyone stuck in their houses and outside spring is blossoming despite everything. A month ago, I was living in Berlin and now I’m locked in my house in Italy, crazy how things change so fast. I feel like the situation we are all currently facing it’s not easy, and to be honest it has stressed me out a little. Probably because Italy has been one of the first countries to be hit very hard by this virus, and both my parents work at the hospital, so I worry about them and everybody I know. It’s hard not to think about it when that’s all people talk about, whenever I turn on the news on tv or I look at something on my phone that’s all I see. Despite everything I feel extremely lucky that I managed to finish my internship and move back home before all the countries closed their borders. I finished my internship on the 10th of march and reflecting on my time spend working in Berlin I can say that it was a great experience that allowed me to learn so much and improve not only my practical skills but also my mindset towards working in a professional environment. Working as an art director in advertising has been extremely useful for me because it is a field in which I could potentially see myself working in the future, I still don’t know yet what I want to do after finishing my studies but this internship helped think about it and see a proper future career for myself. After moving back home I wanted to take a break from everything, like a short holiday because I felt quite tired after working for 4 months. Plus moving from Germany back to Italy wasn’t easy due to the coronavirus outbreak, I had to leave the country in 2 days if I didn’t want to end up being stuck in Germany. However, going from doing something every day to not do anything at all wasn’t the best idea because I found myself stuck in a loop where I didn’t have the energy or motivation to do anything. One the hardest part for me during this situation is to stay creative and productive, I’ve felt very demotivated in the last month, I didn’t want to do anything, and I had zero ideas. I got to a point where I realised that I had to do something to bust my creativeness. So, I decided to start a new and different self-initiated project. It’s a different one from the one I had in mind a few months ago, but because of the situation, I decided it was better to take a different road. My initial idea for the SIP was to do something about UX/UI, however, it is quite a complicated topic that requires a lot of learning, and right now I feel like I should be diving into make work that I feel comfortable working on rather than rush into learning new skills since I don’t have that much time left before the submission in May. I’m still focusing on the UX/UI project obviously because it’s a topic I’m interested in, indeed I’m following an online course about coding, but I think I’ll work on that more deeply in the next months and during summer, as I will probably not be going anywhere till September. I’m very knee on learning about UX/UI and I want to take my time and not rush it. The new project I’m working on right now is about creating a series of different images for my Instagram page. I didn’t particularly like my Instagram page as it didn’t have a proper direction, I would just post all the work I did and I was doing, so it ended up looking more like a random portfolio rather than a proper page with a style. Therefore, I decided to delete all the work I had on there and take a new direction. The content that I’m creating explores my interest in art direction and image-making. I’m making different pieces that combine photographs, that I’ve taken, with digital painting, to create a sort of different realities and surrealist landscapes. Here are some examples. I like what I’m doing right because I’m combing my passion photography with digital art and I using all the skills that I have acquired in photo editing during my last internship.
I feel like my page looks way better and this project is helping me in finding my creativeness again. I think this state of mind that I’m experiencing is probably what a lot of people are going through, and especially for those working in the creative industries can be hard to find inspiration in a time like this. In my opinion one of the best ways to be productive right now with everything happening is to go back to what we enjoy doing and start from there. Work on something that you are fond of can help get you back on track to create new inspiring work. I also think another way to cope with this situation is to create work that reflects the current pandemic, I’ve seen a lot of work on the internet that pictures the fight against coronavirus to give people hope, and I think that’s a great way to express your thoughts creatively. Hanah Ahmed Graphic and Media Design It's Wednesday 22ND April, it is the 5th week of UK lockdown. At this point I have adjusted to life in lockdown, however week one took a toll on my mental health greatly. I think it was a combination of the anxiety and uncertainty of not knowing when this will end, reading the news way too much, and the thought that I won’t see my friends or boyfriend for an uncertain amount of time. I have been attempting a mental reset for the past few weeks and trying to appreciate all the good things I have right now, I’m quarantined with my family, I can FaceTime people as much as I want, I can go for a walk in the park once a day and get fresh air, and most of all, i’m healthy and safe. In terms of my own creative practise, the majority of my work has always been digital based. My focus is on digital graphic design and animation, I’m rarely a printmaker and always found myself spending a lot more time in the digital suite than any of the print studios in LCC, so adjusting to working from home wasn’t too hard for me. However the lockdown does mean that my search for another internship has been put on hold. On the bright side, this gives me plenty of time to work on my individual practise and projects, such as my D&AD submission, a SIP and my Thesis. I’m really used to going to uni whenever I need to do any work, so It’s been difficult to balance working, sleeping, and relaxing all in my bedroom. And at first caused insomnia because I couldn’t switch off doing all those things in the same environment, so I resulted in using my parents bedroom during the day as my studio. (Like the young professional I am.) I have been trying to stay motivated and productive by completing some projects of my own., right now I am working on my submission for the D&AD new blood awards, creating a new bike scheme in Leeds. All my work will be created digitally using mainly Cinema 4D for a project for the first time! The pandemic has been difficult for a lot of creatives to adapt to. I am very lucky that I’ve been able to work almost as normal at home. I truly feel for my DPS classmates who are printmakers and can’t access the studios and equipment to complete their work, the people who have had internships cut short, and the people currently still stuck abroad.
It is evident that we as creatives and companies are being forced to have a large online presence to stay alive and relevant due to the pandemic. I think this shows we are in the process of adapting and moving towards a future of creating mostly digital artwork as oppose to physical work. An example of this progression of work to online platforms is the 2020 UAL degree show being completely online, which is something that has never been done before, and may become the norm! This makes me question whether the role of print will be as influential in 5 years time. I feel that our creativity is a great resource to keep us productive, occupied (and sometimes distracted.) I do however think that as good as it is for our mental health to stay productive, it is absolutely OK as a creative to feel unproductive or unmotivated to carry on making creative work during these scary, uncertain times where nothing feels normal. Stay safe everyone! ![]() Zuzanna Milancej Illustration and Visual Media 2020 has been an interesting year so far and its only the 4th month. There are a lot of negative things happening in this world right now, no doubt. However this pandemic forces us to think about how lazy and uninteresting our ways of working, publishing or spreading our designs have been so far. At least for me. So during this time I want to explore new and exciting ways to publish your work so that it can be seen by a lot more people online than in person in a fun and exciting way. The first thought I had of this was the Year 3 graduation show which has been a very controversial and touchy subject and for good reasons too. There has been a debate whether there should just be an online graduation show, postpone the actual show or do both. Living with a member of the events team at LCC and a 3rd year student I have witnessed a lot of discussions about the online show and how to proceed. Ideas ranging from wearing hazmat suits and 3d mapping the whole degree show as a virtual reality for millions to see from home to a gallery display of all the artwork online. A big factor in creating this new grad show according to me is safety of everyone involved in the production of the show as well as the bigger the better. If this show is to replace the physical event, it needs to be innovative and proceed all expectations to make it worthwhile doing. Is this going to continue even after the pandemic? Will it be so successful that it will replace the UAL degree shows for good or will it be another futile attempt to digitise the world? Looking at what the main galleries have done by creating an online gallery of all the shows and artworks shows their impressive digitalisation of all the artworks for their archive that now has been used as an online viewing event. However there is no soul to the artwork anymore. How can a sculpture that moves or is time based be photographed? There is no wow factor in looking at the amazing and thought provoking artwork as a photograph and only from 1 angle! An advantage at LCC compared to other galleries and museums is that it is totally packed with creative and innovative tutors and students from many disciplines that can come together to create something amazing compared to a team of creatives in the galleries. Hopefully, this is the time to show how special the teaching and the courses are at UAL and create one of the most inspiring digital shows. Digital publishing is also an area where my practice needs to take a turn and I need to think of many new and exciting ways to publish. Things need to be even more extraordinary and interesting than before since everyone seems to be drawing nowadays even if they have nothing to do with it professionally. Making my own work stand out against the swarms of people being bored and drawing is a task that requires a lot of my work to be finished and polished like never before and although there is time, sometimes thinking about the fact that there loads more people now doing the same thing can be frustrating to my own profession and maybe its time to give up? But no, I have spent the last 3 years convincing myself that I am good enough to be noticed and this is not the time to give up but a time to encourage people to do things like draw. They say if you cant beat them, join them and what a better way than setting an example, rather than trying to stay afloat because the 20 life boats were already taken and the ship is sinking! I believe when the pandemic ends, companies and people all over the world would have developed and explored so many new possibilities with technology that apart from physical places or events, we will have many more attributes online since it is much cheaper than, for example, a physical store. As well as this, many businesses might have to close due to the economic crash that is bound to happen do to the current circumstances and online will be a much more renown way to develop their business. Alike, I believe that UAL should start thinking about developing an online catalogue of all the graduation shows throughout the future years to not only showcase the work but also for archival purposes and an advertisement strategy. Imagine being able to virtually walk through your exhibition 20 years ago and look back on how the university developed as well as everyone’s work. A benefit for the university is being able to showcase a virtual gallery tour for future students and sponsors, showcasing what kind of work can be created through the specific courses, allowing for prospect students to really get a feel for which course they want to do. In my opinion being able to step back and take a limitation into account and develop new strategies and new ideas is beneficial for the development of creativity and new possibilities that can stay in place after this finishes to create a more open world where much more information can be obtained online using virtual and augmented reality to truly inspire and let people explore art and design in their own time and space. Inés Mencos BA (Hons) Design for Art Direction As I write this, Spain is the leading country for deaths caused by coronavirus (according to their deaths per million inhabitants), adding up a staggering 192.282 confirmed cases and 20.162 confirmed deaths. Taking into account that those deaths are only confirmed if the Co-Vid test is realized, we assume that the official number is much lower than actual truth. Spain is in a state of alarm with forced quarantine, as most countries around the world. However, on the news the only thing we see is the idealization of quarantine; Pedro Sanchez (the president) comes on TV announcing the state of alarm in a monologue that lasted about an hour and a half saying to stay home and watch Netflix. All we see are images of people coming out to their balconies at 8pm to clap to the doctors and sing ‘Resitiré’ (I will resist), which has become the official confinement anthem. Influencers changing their night time skin routine and teaching — through a never-ending series of directs on Instagram — how to exercise at home or to cook the perfect gluten-free, lactose-intolerant, vegan cookies. No images of the pain; no images of the temporary morgues that have had to be built across the country because medical centers had commenced to be paralyzed by the accumulation of corpses. No mourning for the dead. No images of families unable to attend the burials of their loved ones. Nothing about sanitary workers having to choose between the lives of an elder with two kids and grandkids, or a healthier 50 year old. I have not yet seen anyone come out to say that they are 7 living in an 80 square meter apartment without a fridge or the ability to pay for food. I am sure it’s because with this amazing, all-encompassing government, those things are not happening. Because what we are seeing in Spain is everyone quarantining in their palace, swimming in their interior pool, watching French cinema and reading Kafka. As Queen Marie Antoinette once said, if the peasants have no bread “Let them eat cake!”. The viral image of a sign hanging from a balcony stating "Romanticizing quarantine is a class privilege” has made me think about social classes, because the not only exist, but matter. It is not the same to quarantine in a huge house with a perfectly mowed lawn and a pool than in a shared tiny official protection apartment where the windows are so small that hardly any light enters through them. There are those who pass it on the street, there are those that can’t even afford food and much less face masks or hand sanitizers. Social distancing is a privilege. It means you have a house large enough, running water, or money to buy protection equipment. The houses with the fewest meters and least light are also the ones with the most fear. I have been going out these past days to volunteer in two organizations; a food bank preparing basic need kits and food that will be distributed around Madrid to people without resources and another that helps distribute face masks and protection equipment to hospitals, workers and nursing homes. We know that there is a lack of equipment around the country, what we have not yet seen is what lengths we have reached of political negligence. What I mean to emphasize is the importance of communication in a state of crisis. Because Spain is not only going through a sanitary crisis, but one of political communication. Photos by me
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AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
March 2022
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