Ilam Campus Gallery Student Series #4: In the Space of Open Water

Amelia Barrett/ Miah Borlase/ Katie Griffiths

In the Space of Open Water is an exhibition that draws together works from the Graphic Design studio that have won the annual SELECT Award.

Curated by Graphic Design students; Amelia Barrett, Miah Borlase and Katie Griffiths; In the Space of Open Water brings together works by Harriette Herlund, Stella Sales, Issy van der Leden, Luke Shaw, Lee Richardson, Emma Kevern, the Blue Monday Collective, Thomas Barrar & Amy Hollands, aka ‘Barry/Holly, and Lucy Mackie. This selection of work documents a diverse range of speculative and poetic graphic design works and practices; spanning the fields of print, sound, video, and installation. 

This exhibition seeks to explore what it means for a ‘graphic design’ studio to operate within the context of an ‘art’ school. Design studios and departments were pulled out of all other art schools around New Zealand in the 1990s and set up as stand-alone design degrees, all of which are now led by ‘industry advisory boards’. The Graphic Design studio at Ilam operates very differently to other institutions. Existing under the aegis of a ‘Bachelor of Fine Arts’, the design program here leans into more critical, speculative, and poetic approaches to graphic design practice.

It is interesting to us that Graph Design students regularly win Select awards. These awards are chosen by a visiting curator from an art gallery, and so this cross-over between ‘art’ and ‘design’ — different and distinct disciplines at other institutions — seems rich with potential here at Ilam. This is an anomaly that we wish to consider, discuss and share; through the bringing together of all previous graphic design select winners in this exhibition. 

In the Space of Open Water will be reproduced as a publication following the exhibition.

Artis talk: Wednesday 4 September, 12pm. 

Exhibition ends Friday 6 September.