Manchester School of Art launches end-of-year digital exhibition

Manchester School of Art at Manchester Metropolitan University today launches ‘All Eyes On You’, a vast digital exhibition celebrating the work and achievements of graduating students.

The online exhibition showcases the class of 2021 from across art and performance, design and media.

An exclusive ‘in conversation event’ featuring artists Yinka Ilori and Es Devlin with writer and broadcaster Miranda Sawyer will mark the launch of the show this evening at 5.30pm, alongside the launch of the special ‘All Eyes on You’ digital platform which features profiles of students and the opportunity to see their innovative and eye-catching work.

Following the launch event there will be a live video jam night showcasing student work edited by filmmaking alumni and featuring more than 600 pieces of student work.

Alongside the exhibition, a series of events will take place throughout June which will include discussions with keynote speakers and careers-led events focussed on supporting students in making industry connections.

The show will close with two nights of live music on 24–25 June in a special event delivered with the Art School Live Festival. The event will be led by Manchester School of Art technical staff alongside students who will be filming, editing and marketing the event as part of the University’s RISE project.

Professor Martyn Evans, Director of Manchester School of Art, said: “We are delighted and proud to be celebrating the incredible hard work and achievements of our final year students. After an unprecedented year, our digital exhibition is a real celebration of our students’ creativity, dedication and resilience.”

Gavin Parry, Head of Media at Manchester School of Art, said: “The virtual showcase is start of our celebration of the rich range of work generated by Art and Performance, Design and Media students over the last year. The richness and quality they have produced over the last year is incredible and testament to our student’s talent and commitment, as well as to the dedication and support of their staff teams.”

All Eyes on You will be the School of Art’s second major digital showcase, following on from 2020 show ‘In Progress’. Last year’s virtual end-of-year showcase reached around 40,000 people, demonstrating its global reach.

After an unprecedented year, our digital exhibition is a real celebration of our students’ creativity, dedication and resilience

The launch ‘in conversation’ involves Devlin, an Olivier Award-winner and Royal Designer for Industry, who has worked on a range of projects across art, opera, music and technology, including the closing ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics, with Ilori, a multidisciplinary artist who fuses his British and Nigerian heritage into provocative and playful furniture, and has exhibited his work across Europe, Africa and North America.

Writer Miranda Sawyer started her career writing for Smash Hits, and her writing has appeared in Vogue, GQ and the Guardian. She is now a radio critic and feature writer for The Observer.

Each year, Manchester School of Art invites an alumni to create its end-of-year show identity. This year’s identity has been created by design studio Rice & Gold, founded by Manchester School of Art Graphic Design graduates (2008) Jonny Wan and Muiz Anwar, who have gone on to gain industry experience working with clients including Apple, British Airways, Nike and The Guardian.

The design centres on a modular set of concentric patterns made up of eyes spiralling towards to the centre of the medium, showing that students’ work is the main focus. Its minimalism is typical of Rice & Gold’s aesthetic sensibilities, and the colour palette synchronised with Manchester’s iconic bee.

The richness and quality they have produced over the last year is incredible and testament to our student’s talent and commitment, as well as to the dedication and support of their staff teams.

The two designers said they “wanted to make sure the students really felt seen, and what better way to remind them that they’re about to go global with an online show, than a phrase like ‘All Eyes On You’”.

Physical shows within the Manchester School of Art’s exhibition spaces are planned for Spring 2022, if COVID restrictions permit.

You can find out more about Manchester School of Art and explore student profiles on the All Eyes on You website.