The Degree Show is for most students, the real moment when their accumulated knowledge from Art School is produced and demonstrated, giving them the opportunity to effect change in the world. Although we can characterise this as a rite of passage, unlike examination results or even a graduation ceremony, this is an event students look forward to with joy. This is where everything ends and life beyond Art School begins. It serves as both a finish line and a starting grid.
Third edition
The Faculty of Visual Arts in the University of Visual and Performing Arts is presenting its third edition of the Degree Show in 2024.
Eighty-two students at this year’s exhibition represent a wide range of mediums, themes and views they have explored during their academic journey.
The nine Departments within the Fine Art and Applied Art disciplines are creating fresh, innovative minds as a practice-based academic approach at the university.
The Departments are Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, History and Art Theory, Visual Communication Design, Multi-disciplinary Design, Ceramic, Textile and Wearable Arts and Multimedia Arts.
The department’s works span multiple mediums, from painting, sculpture and installation to digital media, video art, production designs and innovative applied products.
The Faculty nurtures young critical thinkers and writers from the Department of History and Art Theory, empowering them to showcase their creativity through active participation in the exhibition.
The collective body of artistic works and productions comes into being when guided by Faculty expertise and empowered by the creative freedom given to students.
This fluidity permits students to push beyond traditional modes of expression, embracing interdisciplinary approaches and forging new languages of creativity.
Some Painting Department students confront personal narratives, using autobiographical elements to reflect on identity, nostalgia, love and memories, while others engage in broader societal critique, focusing on feminism, ecological anxieties and rituals in their home contexts.
Thematic approach
The energetic Sculpture students focus on current socio-political issues, including systems of power and crises among youth. The students’ thematic approach is highlighted by their experiments with materiality and their work with light and shadow, which could surpass traditional or classical boundaries. Printmakers move with many thematic approaches, such as personal issues, nudity, animals of ecological value and controversial religious practices in Sri Lanka. Woodcut, dry point and mixed media serve as these students’ expressive mediums to bring those themes to life on paper surfaces.
The Applied Arts section of this year’s Degree Show celebrates the intersection of creativity, craftsmanship and function. In the highlighted projects each student has explored materiality and process by utilising conventional methods and cutting-edge approaches. Ceramic students have produced utilitarian objects in a creative way, while using technological support from the ceramic media to express their perspectives on current socio-political issues. Many ceramic students’ works bridge artistic expression with practical design, challenging our understanding of beauty in everyday life.
Reflection
The featured projects of textile and multidisciplinary design reflect an exploration of materiality and process, where each student has employed traditional techniques and innovative practices. Themes such as sustainability, heritage, personal narratives, and nature emerge. These works are not just objects of utility; they carry stories, emotions and inquiries into societal values. This section also invites the audience to engage with the tactile nature of making. Through participatory pieces or objects designed for interaction, the work dissolves the line between creator and user, encouraging reflection on how design impacts human experience.
In an era of rapid technological advancements and hyper-connectivity, Graphic Design and Multimedia Arts students celebrate the convergence of diverse creative practices, materials and media. This section explores how visual communication has evolved beyond static forms to embrace fluid, interactive and immersive experiences, challenging conventional boundaries. Several group projects and individual practices by students have been highly influenced by motion graphics, digital storytelling and animation.
Launching points
This exhibition is a testament to the resilience and creativity of a new generation of artists, offering a snapshot of the future as seen through their eyes. These works are not merely final projects, they are launching points, signaling the beginning of each artist’s contribution to the ever-evolving discourse of visual art.
As we navigate a world marked by rapid change and complexity, the importance of artistic voices that are thoughtful, challenging, and deeply engaged cannot be overstated. We invite you to explore this space with an open mind, engage with the works on display and celebrate with us the creative achievements of these emerging artists as they embark on the next chapter of their artistic journey.
