Raw talent between exposed brick walls. Yes, it sounds predictable, yet is really everything but. University of the Arts' London College of Fashion and its school of Media and Communications have taken over the underground space of House of Vans London for just over a week in order to showcase the best of projects from this year’s graduates. From MA Costume Design for Performance through MA Fashion Journalism to MA Fashion Media Production – the pieces shown at the Found in Translation exhibition range from interactive x-rays all the way to a hard copy of a beauty-themed magazine.
One of the show-stopping moments of the whole exhibition is a simple Kodak slide projector. A project by Kovi Konowiecki, a Taylor Wessing 2016 shortlisted photographer and a MA Fashion Photography graduate presented ”the romanticised view of the mundane intricacies of home” as he puts it. Combining his own images of Long Beach, California with the ones his father and grandfather took at a younger age, he’s showcasing how different (or rather similar) photography is now versus how it was then. When asked why he decided to specialise in travel/documentary photography, Konowiecki smiles and says: “I like to be the odd one out. And having a fashion perspective on photography is a good tool to have.”
An image by Kovi Konowiecki
But the educational point of the LCFMA17 show doesn’t just stop at the showing part. It also includes a doing one. To include a wider audience into this space that is open to the public, London College of Fashion is organising a variety of free – and fascinating – talks and workshops. Want to hear filmmaker Kathryn Ferguson speaking about feminism, or go knees deep with virtual reality? Found in Translation will be your dictionary destination.
The LCF Found in Translation exhibition is open until February 26 at House of Vans London, Arches (Station Road Approach), 228-232 Station Approach Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 8SW with a variety of workshops available to book here.
Text by Dino Bonacic; images courtesy of LCF