RCA First Year Interim Shows

Don't wait for the Degrees shows to come around as you can catch up with how the work by the College's current student intake is developing. The interim shows are good to see because the pressure is not yet quite on for the students so the work is still experimental and personal. The first of this year's 'interim shows' included work from the Fashion and Textiles, Photography, Gold/Silver/Metalwork schools. There were some intriguing approaches in Fashion - the shift towards constructed clothing and intricate cutting continues - the move away from what seemed to be years of flat fold fantasies is welcome. There is still a need for closer working relationship between the clothing and the textile designers - so often beautiful prints and weaves are destroyed when brought into multi dimensional form and constructed forms disassociate from their material essence. Photography too offered works that followed or challenged the process - apothecary versus reportage. The most interesting aspect of the GSM&J was its presentation - The 'boxed' filed relics provided touchstones for inspiration - there was no precious tradeable commodity but a series of potentials.... just what is needed in the interim.