The Manchester Craft & Design Centre has unveiled details of its latest exhibition celebrating the incredible talents of students from the Manchester School of Art.
Each year, as part of the Manchester Metropolitan Graduate Awards, the venue selects a lineup of standout students who get the unique opportunity to showcase their works within one of the city’s most iconic creative spaces.
Now in its 18th edition, this year’s exhibition, Movement Through Materiality, explores themes of materiality, movement, and the environment, highlighting how materials interact with and reflect their surroundings.
Displaying works this year will be Mary Craig (@craigs.canvas), a textile designer and activist artist blending embroidery and graphic art to spark dialogue on environmental sustainability, Sam Holmes (@samholmes.design), a jeweller inspired by nature, crafting meaningful wearable art that celebrates the earth’s beauty, and Isla Paine (@artis.paine), an interdisciplinary artist whose Material Sound project merges music, dance, and sound into wearable sculptures.
Drawing inspiration from their surroundings, these innovative graduates use the movement of place and person to reflect the harmony of nature and life. Their work conveys messages of urgency and hope, seeking to empower the audience towards a brighter, greener future.
Isla’s work will also feature in Divinity Studio as part of the Manchester Metropolitan University Graduate Showcase Exhibition. Selected by Divinity Studio’s Jewellers Eve Redmond & Stacey Hill for her innovative approach, Isla is creating a special body of work for this showcase, running alongside Movement Through Materiality from Mon 13 Jan – Sat 29 Mar. Divinity Studio can be found in Studio 22 on the first floor.
Details of a special celebration event in late February/early March will be announced soon. Keep an eye on the Manchester Craft & Design Centre Instagram (@manchestercraft) for updates.
Movement Through Materiality runs from Mon 13 Jan – Sat 29 Mar. Entry is free, for more details, head over to the Manchester Craft & Design Centre website.
- Words:
- Brad Lengden
- Published on:
- Tue 7 Jan 2025
