Show RCA 2011

through 3 July '11

Royal College of Art
London

The Royal College of Art end of year exhibition is now on, presenting the culmination of two years work for postgraduate students at one of the world's most prestigious creative education institutions.

The show takes place in two locations: Show Battersea focuses on the Fine Art related courses, while Show Kensington showcases work from the three design programs - Design Interactions, Design Products and Innovation Design Engineering, as well as Architecture, Communications, Animation, Textiles and History of Design. This is, in fact the first time since the 2007 Great Exhibition, that the 431 graduating art and design students have exhibited simultaneously.

There is a hugely diverse range of work and disciplines on show, which will challenge and inspire in equal measure, showcasing the next generation of artists, designers, writers and thinkers.

For Design fans particularly, there is a broad spectrum of approaches to encounter. This ranges from the practical, solution based Innovation Design Engineering course, which is run in partnership with Imperial College to the speculative and highly conceptual Design Interactions program, which focuses more on ways in which design can engage with narrative, futures and emerging technologies; with the third design related program of Design Products, moving somewhere between the two.

Highlights include:
Ilona Gaynor's 'Everything Ends in Chaos'; an attempt to artificially construct a 'black swan' event, featuring some stunning visuals. Emily Hayes gruesome but intriguing 'Manufacturing Monroe', which imagines a future where tissue engineering products are designed, allowing consumers to (quite literally) own a 'piece' of a famous figure. 'Urban Stargazing' by Oscar Lhermitte offers a slightly more optimistic prospect; aiming to re-engage city dwellers with the night sky by creating new constellations which appear as though new stars, and refer to stories of the city.

For more information on these projects please see:
Show RCA 2011 Catalogue
Ilona Gaynor
Emily Hayes
Oscar Lhermitte

The Show is on until 3 July '11 (closed 1 July)

Ilona Gaynor 'Everything Ends in Chaos'

Emily Hayes, 'Manufacturing Monroe'

Oscar Lhermitte, 'Urban Stargazing'