EIT’s School of Arts and Design staged one of its largest exhibitions ever for graduating students as the culminating event for those completing their Bachelor of Visual Arts and Design.
The exhibition was wittily entitled DA DA – a declamatory expression, an acronym for Design Art Design Art and also a nod in the direction of Dadaism, the early 20th century European cultural movement which challenged conventional attitudes to art.
Exhibited in the school’s D Block, the works encompassed 3D design, graphic design, painting, drawing, photography, video, ceramics, screen printing, sculpture and installation art.
Diversity was to the fore. The exhibited art included a board-game design, architectural plans drawn up by a student in redesigning a family whare, Pacifika-themed furniture inspired by navigational charts and detailed paintings depicting the bodywork of early model cars.
Some 28 students displayed their art – a third more than in 2010 when 19 graduating students took part in the annual event – and many of their works were offered for sale.
Head of School, Arts and Design, Dr Suzette Major said diversity and quality were outstanding features of the exhibition and that was reflected in sales that totalled more than $13,000 over the five days the artworks were on show.
The school’s first graduation exhibition was mounted in 2001 for 15 students and it has been held as an end-of-year event ever since.
EIT will sponsor a public art exhibition for prize-winning students announced on the night – Top Overall Degree Student Vonda Christensen, Top Visual Arts Student Fiona Fox, Top Design Student Dean Moroney and Top Research Student Sarah Horn. The exhibition will be held at the Hastings Community Arts Centre from February 6-18.