Drawing practice was featured for the first time in special adjunct exhibition as part of the June 2013 BA Degree Show at Wimbledon College of Art.

Exhibition Notes

Curated by graduating students Josefina Nelimarkka and Kelise Franclemont, work from 28 artists featured in the ‘2013 Drawing Show’, which included the works on paper as well as submissions such as digital animation, Post-it notes and even a machine that draws by itself.  Third-year Wimbledon students from every discipline sent in work – sculpture, painting, print/time-based media and even theatre.  The main criteria for inclusion in the show was simply that the piece could be justified as a drawing.

Installation view of '2013 Drawing Show' at Wimbledon College of Art. Photo credit Kelise Franclemont.
Installation view of ‘2013 Drawing Show’ at Wimbledon College of Art. Photo credit Kelise Franclemont.

Such open criteria allowed for small objects as well as two-dimensional works.  A highlight of the show was the machine drawing “Archive 73” by Michael Barnes, who was also awarded the 2013 Dean’s Drawing Prize for his innovative work.  Barnes created the machine, attached to a computer, to draw from scanned or digital photographs, some of which were submitted through his website www.michael-barnes.co.uk.

Michael Barnes, 'Archive 73', 2013, machine drawing with ink on cartridge paper, in '2013 Drawing Show' at Wimbledon College of Art. Image courtesy the artist.
Michael Barnes, ‘Archive 73’, 2013, machine drawing with ink on cartridge paper, in ‘2013 Drawing Show’ at Wimbledon College of Art. Image courtesy the artist.

Using technology together with drawing also facilitates the work of those creatives who are not thought of as artists in the traditional sense. Theatre/Costume Interpretation student, Alexander Connatty, submitted an example of his design process in which he uses a photocopy machine, pens and paint to iterate and layer ideas in order to arrive at a final design.

Design by Alexander Connatty, 'Rich scene, arrested - Jeanne de la Motte Valois', 2013, ink and photocopy print (2 pages), in '2013 Drawing Show', at Wimbledon College of Art. Photo credit Kelise Franclemont.
Page 1 of 2 page design by Alexander Connatty, ‘Rich scene, arrested – Jeanne de la Motte Valois’, 2013, ink and photocopy print (2 pages), in ‘2013 Drawing Show’, at Wimbledon College of Art. Photo credit Kelise Franclemont.

Through this show, the curators hoped to capture a general view of contemporary drawing as well offer a perspective on drawing when it is not the primary mode of the artist.  At times experimental, sometimes with purpose, in this exhibition, drawing is confirmed as central to the practice of any creative professional.

More Information

Exhibition details: Drawing Show appears as part of the 2013 Wimbledon BA Degree Show from 14 – 22 June 2013 at Wimbledon College of Art, Merton Hall Road, Wimbledon SW19 3QA.

Artists featured: Sheung Yun, Michael Barnes, Jed Wrobel, Emilia Orlans, Bryony Bodemeade, Barbara Graham, Sasha Webb, Elysia Byrd, Thea Von-Mantripp, Esperanza Gomez Carrera, Sian Sims, Kirsty Nafack Momo, Elle Sinclair, Peter Glasgow, Josefina Nelimarkka, Jasmir Creed, Anna Thompkins, Lisa Eurgain Taylor, Alexander Connatty, Liliana Kielczeski, Kelise Franclemont, Mitsuko Aikawa, Natasha Sayliss, Anna Litchfield, Robert Miles, Christopher Searle, Amy Dolan, Kaajel Patel.

Installation view of '2013 Drawing Show' at Wimbledon College of Art. Photo credit Kelise Franclemont
Installation view of ‘2013 Drawing Show’ at Wimbledon College of Art. Photo credit Kelise Franclemont