New Designers wow Upper Street
Today British consumers are more aware of design than they have ever been. In part, this is because more young people have had the chance to study design at school or college. Indeed, Design Technology, once considered a subject not worthy of serious academic interest, has become the most commonly chosen optional subject at GCSE level.
More than 100 colleges are producing well in excess of 4,000 design graduates each year. Seeing their work would be a full-time job, so for professionals and journalists the annual "show of shows" is New Designers, a showcase of the output of a broad range of young designers. Design-aware members of the public can ride along, too.
This year sees the 17th New Designers show, which now includes One Year On, a review of the progress of graduates 12 months into their careers when they are said to be chastened by the realities of the market place. For 2002, a further innovation is Exposure, a look at the work of 48 makers who have spent at least three years "in the real world". Their work may still be cutting-edge, but it is also well made and realistically priced.
NEW DESIGNERS 4 - 11 JULY
Judge for yourself at New Designers at the Business Design Centre, Upper Street, Islington, N1.
The show has two parts:
Part One (4-7 July): includes Exposure and is displayed in four "zones" - ceramics and glass; contemporary applied arts; jewellery, silversmithing and metalwork; textiles, fashion and accessories.
Part Two (11-14 July): includes Exposure plus six zones - graphic design and interactive media; product design; furniture design; illustration and animation; managing creativity; spatial design, model making and theatre design.
Opening times: Wednesday 3 and 10 July, 11am-9pm; Thursday 4 and 11 July, 11am-6pm (then late opening for shopping to 9pm); Friday 5 and 12 July and Saturday 6 and 13 July, 11am-6pm; Sunday 7 and 14 July, 11am-4pm.
Tickets: in advance, £7.50;late-opening Thursday, £5 with reduced voucher for weekend return visit. On the door £9, concessions £6 (available on the door). Ticket hotline: 0870 7390973. More details on www.newdesigners.com.
