Manchester School of Art at Manchester Metropolitan University is launching Falling Into Place, the annual degree show celebrating the achievements and talents of graduating students.
Launching on Friday (June 10), the exhibition showcases work from more than 800 graduating students featuring everything from architecture to sculpture, craft to filmmaking, and textiles to photography.
A digital platform will complement the physical exhibition and will showcase the work of graduating students from across all Manchester School of Art courses.
Professor Martyn Evans, Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and Director of Manchester School of Art, said: “We’re delighted to be showcasing the fantastic work and achievements of our 2022 graduating students. As ever we are extremely proud of everything our students have achieved during their time at Manchester School of Art and the exhibition will be a real celebration of their incredible hard work.
“As the first on campus degree show for 3 years, I cannot wait to see students, staff, family and friends come together to celebrate their achievements and explore the variety of work presented in the exhibition.”
Falling Into Place launches with a private view on June 10, from 5.30pm – 9pm, with the exhibition opening to the public from June 11 to 22. The exhibition will take place in Manchester School of Art’s Benzie, Grosvenor, and Chatham buildings, as well as the University’s new School of Digital Arts (SODA).
A series of free live performances from BA (Hons) Drama and Contemporary Performance students will take place in the Holden Gallery throughout the run of the show starting with a live performance of Installation by Bitterroot (Chris Richards and Jake Rayner Blair) on June 10 from 6pm to 7.30pm.
This will be followed by live performances of If It’s To Break by Bitterroot on June 14, What a Clown by Maxx Orrell on June 15, Val’s Haunted Discotheque by Valentina Vettore on June 16, and All The Things I Lied About by Katie Bonna, with performance from Amy Dewsnip, on June 17.
The Textiles in Practice Collective at Manchester School of Art have created a large-scale installation for the degree show by re-purposing fabric banners provided by Manchester United.
The fabric banners, which were originally used to wrap stadium seats at Old Trafford during the pandemic when matches were played behind closed doors, have been hand cut into raw edges, re-weaved and re-presented to celebrate the opening of the degree show exhibition.
As ever we are extremely proud of everything our students have achieved during their time at Manchester School of Art and the exhibition will be a real celebration of their incredible hard work
Each year, Manchester School of Art invites an alumnus to create the identity for the degree show. This year’s identity has been created by 2018 BA (Hons) Textiles in Practice graduate Daisy James, who is a visual storyteller working across graphics, illustration, publication, and public art.
Taking inspiration from Manchester School of Art’s heritage, James’ design concept Falling Into Place explores the connection to place and belonging.
The design speaks to the experiences of students graduating this year, celebrating their return to the Manchester School of Art studios, and showcasing their final-year work in a physical exhibition.
Establishing a sense of the legacy between past and present students, the design takes inspiration from a wallpaper print by Lewis F. Day, British decorative artist and industrial designer, which is rendered onto concrete across four columns in Manchester School of Art’s Benzie building.
