November will be all about knitwear as Nottingham Trent University draws the spotlight on the city’s position as a world centre of creativity and innovation with the launch of a major exhibition, Knitting Nottingham.
Tea sets made from electro-plated knit, exhibits by internationally renowned designers, samples of 3D print combined with knitwear and technology embedded into yarn will all be part of the exhibition which will be held at Bonington Gallery from Thursday 6 November 2014.
Knitting Nottingham casts off the comfortable, cosy image of knit and introduces visitors instead to the technological advances made over the centuries and knit’s vast potential.
Ian Mcinnes, Principal Lecturer in Fashion Knitwear and Textile Design at the University, said: “We are delighted to have a diverse range of well-established and new emerging creatives who use knitting to explore innovative ideas and products. This exhibition is a milestone in capturing the history of knitting innovation in Nottingham and its international reach and showcasing how this history has influenced and inspired future focused research and the global knit and textile industries.”
Ever since 1589, when William Lee invented the knitting machine in Calverton, Nottinghamshire has been at the heart of global innovations in both knit design and technology and Nottingham Trent University continues to be the research hub in leading knitting innovation.
The exhibition has been organised as part of the University’s anniversary of 170 years of art and design. Among those the University has to thank for the establishment of a design school in Nottingham are companies involved in the burgeoning knitwear industry at the time who helped fund Nottingham’s Government School of Design in 1843. In 1863, a pair of locally made stockings was buried in the foundations of that school’s new building, Waverley, which remains part of the School of Art & Design at Nottingham Trent University to this day.
Ann Priest, Pro Vice-Chancellor at Nottingham Trent University, said: “This exhibition is an exciting opportunity to demonstrate how Nottingham is at the forefront of pushing the creative potential of an industry with such strong connections to the city and it felt only right to recognise that during our 170th anniversary celebrations.”
Current research into the potential of knitting and knitted structures being developed at Nottingham Trent University will be displayed, including work by academics Will Hurley and Catherine Challender who have machine-knit a complex structure resembling the delicate individual bronchial tubes of a pair of lungs created on knitting machine to demonstrate the creative possibilities of industrial machinery.
Danish fashion designer, Henrik Vibskov, renowned for his use of knit not only in fashion but also in interior design and art installations, will be showing five pieces of work selected from collections made during his career.
Other exhibits on display include a knitted tea set, created by Frances Geesin who electro-plates knit to create rigid forms and Laura McPherson, a visiting lecturer at Nottingham Trent University who takes the 3D element of knit a stage further with her collaborative pieces. Working with designer Mark Beecroft, she incorporates elements of 3D printed materials directly into knit to create movement and flexibility within printed forms.
In addition, through kind loan from BBC Radio Nottingham, a framed poppy knitted by Paul Smith as part of the station’s Big Poppy Knit appeal to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the First World War, will be on display.
Visitors on the opening day on 6 November are being encouraged to wear an item of knitwear and have their picture taken to add to a growing “knit wall”. This is a wall of the gallery’s atrium space which will be dedicated to photographs of people in and around Nottingham wearing their knitwear.
Knitting Nottingham will be held at Bonington Gallery from Thursday 6 November to Friday 28 November.
Bonington Gallery has selected a new manager, Tom Godfrey, to drive forward its future programme and cement its position at the heart of Nottingham’s thriving arts scene.
Tom’s appointment as Gallery Resource Manager comes as the gallery at Nottingham Trent University launches its new programme for 2014-15, featuring exhibitions which honour 170 years of art and design heritage at the University site. They celebrate Nottinghamshire’s knitting industry with Knitting Nottingham and explore cutting edge research and craft practice associated with textiles and the body with Crafting Anatomies. Renowned UK artist Simon Callery will also be exhibiting and creating his unique, large scale paintings on site.
Bonington Gallery has also been working to establish itself as a central point for information on the wider Nottingham arts scene. The team has been developing its website to include an interactive map to locate all the arts spaces in the city. The gallery’s website will also include a blog and online archive of past exhibitions.
Tom explained: “It is about Bonington Gallery serving the city and being a centre point of information about the arts in Nottingham.”
Work is under way to improve the appearance and accessibility of the gallery, helping to attract external visitors while continuing to serve those within it.
Internationally renowned “doodle” artist and Nottingham Trent University alumnus Jon Burgerman has been commissioned to design a mural and lettering to signpost the gallery within the Bonington building on the University’s City site where it is located.
It is at this exciting time for the Gallery that Tom joins to build on the work already achieved by the team and outgoing Gallery Resource Manager, Geoff Litherland.
For Tom, his appointment marks a return to where his artistic career started. He graduated with a degree in Fine Art from Nottingham Trent University in 2004.
He went on to co-found Moot gallery in the city with fellow graduates Tristan Hessing, Candice Jacobs and Matt Jamieson. Their motivation was the lack of provision for national and international artistic exchange and the desire to create a central meeting point for Nottingham’s independent art community.
The founding of Moot sparked a chain reaction, with other spaces such as Tether and Backlit opening, many led by former Nottingham Trent University students. When Tom returned to the city in 2012 after two years in Glasgow studying for his Master of Fine Arts, Nottingham had transformed.
“The talent retention in Nottingham is so much better now,” said Tom. “Artists don’t have to leave Nottingham because there is a lot happening here.”
Now, Tom has returned to the University to help inspire future generations of artists while also ensuring Bonington Gallery continues to play a vital role in the city’s arts offering.
“What I like about Bonington Gallery is that it sits in a place where knowledge is being formed and not where finished, polished objects exist, like a museum,” said Tom. “The gallery is a big part of that process of learning – it is an example to students who will be putting on exhibitions of their own in the future.”
Tom is now busy visiting other art schools in the country to share knowledge, forge connections and partnerships as well as meeting with Nottingham art groups to learn their views about the gallery and how it serves the community.
He said: “Bonington Gallery is vital to the city. Nothing much rivals it in terms of scale and history. Nottingham has built a strong platform and reputation artistically and we want to bring together and highlight those artistic connections in the city.”
The Bonington Blog is live… and what better way to start it than featuring the freshly painted murals, designed by artist Jon Burgerman?
Over the summer our technicians have been busy painting an exciting and vibrant new permanent artwork at the entrance to the Bonington Gallery. We invited alumnus, Jon Burgerman to design a series of large-scale murals that aim to reflect the creative processes, enjoyment and energy of the School of Art & Design.
Jon Burgerman is an English-born artist, living in Brooklyn, New York. His work oscillates somewhere between fine art, urban art and pop-culture, using humour to reference and question his contemporary milieu. Jon exhibits internationally and his work is also in permanent collections at the V&A Museum and the Science Museum in London. Burgerman studied BA (Hons) Fine Art at The Nottingham Trent University, graduating in 2001 with First Class Honours.
Check out Burgerman’s website: www.jonburgerman.com
Burgerman also designed some artwork for the corridor, which you’ll be able to see when you come and visit the Gallery!
Established in 1976 by the Association of Illustrators, Images is the premier and longest running jury-selected illustration annual and touring exhibition in the UK. It provides the leading showcase for the huge variety of contemporary illustration commissioned in the UK today, published alongside self initiated promotional artwork and up-and-coming new talent.
Images 34 is a selection of 220 artworks showcasing incredible talents of illustrators who have made a significant contribution to their industry over the last year. In addition to the original artwork, the illustrations will also be showcased in their applied form – published copies, packaging, animations – to present the many uses of illustration today.