Last month, London College of Fashion (LCF), UAL, launched the Wolfson Takeover Space: a new takeover space showcasing student work open to the public, responding to the theme of Collective Care – the latest exhibition now open in LCF’s Gallery.
The first showcase of the series began in collaboration with CASS Art and LCF's Creative Director for the School of Design Technology, Rob Phillips - featuring over 40 artists’ work (including LCF staff and students) that goes beyond current norms in a fashion context.
As part of this showcase, LCF hosted several workshops supported by Cass Arts and Liquitex offering the chance to draw, paint and make with leading contemporary image makers.
We went along to the Stilled Life workshop run by Faye Dobinson, a London born and West Cornwall-based multi-disciplinary artist, curator, activist and educator.
Faye managed to turn the traditional notion of Still Life on its head with a bizarre but wonderful collection of materials placed in the centre of one of the large art tables in the Wolfson Takeover Space.
In this way, the attendees of the workshop were allowed the creative freedom to select an area of the object arrangement that they were naturally drawn to, trying to practice creative expression without question or judgement. With acrylic paints supplied by Liquetex, and an illuminating introduction by Faye, we used just three basic primary colours to learn how to create a colour palette, and in turn, a rainbow of figurative marks. We were encouraged to look away from the paper in front of us, and instead focus on the collection of objects, while painting, to develop our interpretation and expression.
To develop our making process, Faye introduced tapes and pens for further immersion into marks, colour and creativity. The workshop was inspiring and individual, encouraging us to feel rather than think, while being incredibly informative about acrylic painting techniques.
The Unseen Fashion Faces and Figures: Ink Faces Workshop saw contemporary figure artist Rob Unett guide participants through a series of fast paced, simple but effective approaches to depicting the human face using his favourite Liquitex inks.
Rob Unett is a UK based artist and image maker. With over 25 years of experience in fashion and art he divides his time between academic teaching and creative direction, and his personal practice.
Described as bold and brave, Rob works instinctively, drawing upon memories, researching subjects and the immediate world around him in order to create. Sex, gender, a pose, a gesture, movement, confusion, power and pain, destruction and construction, all feature in the abstracted figures Rob depicts.
For anyone who had never drawn faces before, Rob started the session with practical tips, starting with an egg shape and then where to position features and using different angles of the face. Rob then showed us how to apply ink and use water to expand features and create different textures dabbing the mixtures.
The conversations about contemporary fashion illustration started by the exhibition and workshops in the Wolfson gallery continued with a panel discussion led by LCF’s Cultural Producer Mirren Kessling and featuring Rob Unett, LCF School of Media and Communication's Creative Director Bex Cassie, illustrator and lecturer Alex Mein, and illustrator Anjelica Roselyn, an Associate Lecturer for BA (Hons) Fashion Imaging and Illustration.
As part of the “LCF: Sampled” monthly talk series, the event focused on how illustration and figurative art can challenge notions of identity. The speakers covered a variety of topics, such as starting out in fashion illustration, getting rid of biases common in fine art, and building their own universes for endless inspiration.
The discussion also highlighted the responsibility of fashion illustrators working today. Illustrator Alex Mein stated that making the creative process feel more like a dialogue with the models, rather than simply imposing a strict artistic vision, is crucial. This approach would empower the next generation of fashion illustrators to stand up for their values and start conversations about matters they care about.
The panel discussion ended with exploring the role of fashion illustration in the digital age. With a background in fashion illustration and art curation, Bex Cassie emphasised that fashion illustrators offer something unique - an emotional response to clothing rather than a literal depiction. While cameras can capture every precise detail, illustrations will always remain instinctive, personal reactions to what the artist sees.
London-based illustrator Anjelica Roselyn was excited to join the panel not only because she loves talking about fashion illustration, but also because of her fellow panellists. “It's people I know and respect and whose work I love,” she says. “I just felt so honoured to be sitting amongst them.”
The award-winning illustrator appreciated how the discussion celebrated fashion illustration as a deeply intimate practice.
She realises that it’s easy to talk about fashion illustration with fellow creatives, but most people aren't that familiar with drawing. “People don't know how to consume or understand it, and they may think it's easier or harder than it is,” Anjelica comments.
The LCF Sampled monthly talk series is looking to fill this knowledge gap and make the most of the publicly accessible spaces of the East Bank campus.
With this particular panel, Mirren wanted to highlight how fashion illustration and figurative art can challenge notions of identity. “There's a magic to it – because it's depicting fashion, you can put anyone in it. So, it has the potential to push fashion images forward a lot more than potentially photography or catwalk shows,” Mirren believes. She also thought it was especially important to encourage students to think about representing diverse bodies and perspectives in their work and the personal stories they’re sharing.
First-year illustration student Roxy Hughes attended the event after being encouraged by her tutor. “I wanted to get a better understanding of the topic,” she explains, adding that the topic was closely related to her first course project brief. “I have my points of view on the things that are missing in fashion illustration, but other people might have a completely different perspective.” Now, Roxy is looking forward to going to many more of the upcoming LCF’s Cultural Programme events.
Check out the upcoming student-led programme of exhibitions, activations and events at the Wolfson Takeover Space, including an exhibition launching on 14 November at LCF After Dark’s event, showcasing our collaborative drawing initiative with women from the local community in Poplar and the vicinity of East Bank, together with BA Fashion Imaging and Illustration, Making for Change, Portal Centre for Social Impact, and The Line.