Sustainability, recycling and the environment are themes explored in Teesside University student Jen Chapman’s final degree show.
Her installation, which creatively combines use of video with imagery and garments made from recycled fabrics, is part of Sublime, a celebration of work by final year art, design and media degree students.
Jen, 23, from Darlington, completed the installation as the final project for the BA (Hons) Fine Art.
Combining with Sublime this year is world-leading animation and computer games festival Animex and ExpoTees, the annual dazzling display of portfolios from new computing graduates.
Jen said of her time at Teesside University: “The support from lecturers and technicians has been amazing. It really feels as though they have time for you, which is really important to me.
“I love how the degree enables students to explore their creative interests and we have so much freedom. I really feel as though I can combine all of my interests.”
Jen, who works part time at Arc in Stockton, is interested in art history and hopes to pursue a career working in an art gallery or museum.
“I had the chance to visit Berlin during the final year of the degree and visited so many galleries, including the Bauhaus. It has made me want to travel more.”
Jen chose Teesside after initially starting her studies elsewhere. She said: “I was originally thinking about studying performing arts, but also had an interest in media and photography so completed an art college foundation year.
“I went on to begin a fine art degree at another university, but felt disillusioned as I wasn’t enjoying the course. I took a break from my studies and came to visit Teesside University on an Open Day and was impressed as it felt like the students received more individual time with lecturers.
“I am really pleased I decided to study at Teesside University as the degree enables the students to be creative, with so much encouragement and support.”
Jen’s work recently featured in A-N magazine, which is read by artists across the UK. Her designs appeared alongside work from another BA (Hons) Fine Art student Thomas Tyler.
Thomas said: “My work attempts to question or even reject how we might consider sculpture. I have been doing work under the name Plastiglomerate.”
He recently had a show with Scaffold Gallery in Manchester, working with objects wired up to manipulate sound. He added: “I am hoping the work in my degree show might begin to draw a parallel between audio and sculpture, as the two are common recurrences in my work, while still seeming to exist as something distinct. I have been interested in looking at how the two might become one.”