Contemporary Design

Overview:

Combines academic, object-based study of design, decorative art and craft from the art nouveau period to the present day, with an exploration of the professional design world. It is aimed at students with a commitment to, and passion for, 20th century and contemporary objects, and those who intend to pursue a career in this field, whether as dealer, curator, interior designer or writer.

In particular, the course seeks to equip students with well-developed, object-based skills which are both academically rigorous and vocationally appropriate, whereby they will be able to establish, and distinguish between, materials, date of production, style and historical context of the decorative arts, and further, to recognise the inter-disciplinary nature of objects and their relationship, where appropriate, to the fine arts of the period.

The programme further aims to foster independent high-quality research skills in the investigation, documentation, critical analysis and interpretation of art objects. It seeks also to enhance students’ written and spoken presentation skills, thus broadening their opportunities for employment within the international decorative art and design world.

Structure and Content:

Is often of fourteen months’ duration, comprises three semesters. The first two semesters are intensively taught on three days per week. There is no formal teaching in the third semester during which students complete their dissertation. Teaching is by means of lectures given by in-house staff and by visiting experts, and by regular seminar discussion.

These sessions are supported by regular visits to a range of museums and collections, to 20th century houses in and around London, to workshops and studios, and to appropriate dealers, retail outlets and the auction houses. Students also visit appropriate temporary exhibitions. These visits are intended to reinforce the teaching but some will also introduce students to the market for 20th century and later design. A study tour to Paris is included as part of the course, to examine both museum collections and the market. Throughout the programme, students have regular one-to-one tutorials to discuss individual work and progress.

Semesters I & II

In Semesters I and II, students follow core units in the history of design from art nouveau of c.1900 through to the present day. Developments are examined chronologically in relation to all the decorative arts (furniture, ceramics, glass, metalwork, wallpapers and textiles), and against the background of architecture and interiors. Jewellery and dress, and their relationship to the decorative arts, are also considered. The wider theoretical and cultural contexts for design of this period constitute integral parts of the lecture and seminar programme.

Assessments for these design history units are intended to develop research, analytical and synthetic skills in relation to a wide range of objects, and to promote the student’s ability to present material in different written and spoken modes.

In addition to these design history studies in Semesters I and II, students follow Academic and Professional Practice unit. This comprises lectures, seminars and workshops that introduce students to the literature and different methodological approaches to design history, with particular emphasis on object-based investigation. In addition, the unit assists students to develop academic skills necessary not only for course assignments but also for a range of careers in the art world. The assessment for this part of the unit culminates in a Research Paper (for PGDip students) and the Dissertation Proposal for MA students.

The unit also introduces students to the professional design network. Through visits and lectures from practitioners in the field, students are made aware of the skills needed, and issues involved, in working in a variety of design contexts, including museums, galleries, interior design, auction houses, dealing and consulting. The strategic, financial, legal and marketing aspects of these professional design contexts are explored. The assessment in this unit culminates in The Project which involves working in a team and as an individual to create (for example), a hypothetical exhibition or historic interior or new design journal.

Semester III (MA students only)

Transition to Semester III is dependent upon successful completion of Semesters I and II. Students who complete these first two semesters satisfactorily but elect not to proceed further, or students who are considered unlikely to complete the dissertation process successfully, are awarded a Postgraduate Diploma.

For MA students, the third semester is devoted to the production of a dissertation of between 12,500 and 15,000 words, involving original research on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with tutorial staff. Students receive guidance and support in this (as in all their assessments) through regular individual tutorials.