Pairings: Conversations, Collaborations, Materials
12th - 13th May 2011
This two-day conference seeks to make a significant contribution to expanding knowledge on collaborative practice in craft, design and art environments.
Papers and discussions will focus on:
- collaboration within and across disciplines
- good practice of how to work between institutions and collaborate with outside partners
- collaborative curating of exhibition
- collaborative student projects
- influence of collaborative strategies on learning and teaching practice
- collaborative manifestos
MAP Consortium will be providing conference interventions and co-facilitation.
Satellite projects, installations and exhibitions will run throughout the two days.
Background to The Pairings Project
The Pairings Project at Manchester Metropolitan University was set up to explore the potential of collaborative creative practice. It was initiated not only to make new work, but also to engage in conversation and establish links with other makers and institutions. The participants came from a variety of backgrounds in the craft, design and art spectrum, engaging with materials ranging from clay, glass, textiles, metal, wood or paper to new technologies such as digital and film media. They were all lecturers (some part time) at a number of educational institutions in the UK.
Paired up across both disciplines and institutions, there was no brief only the deadline of a booked exhibition space in the Special Collections Gallery, where it was hoped processes could be shown, even if there was no finished work produced.
Key note speakers
Dr Glenn Adamson Deputy Head of Research and Head of Graduate Studies, V&A Museum
Dr Alke Groppel-Wegener Staffordshire University
List of Provisional Speakers
Joe Mccullagh Head of Design, Manchester Metropolitan University
Barbara Hawkins Director for Graduate Studies and Distance Learning, School of Creative Arts, UWE
Simon Taylor & Rachel Payne: THE MAKING, Education and Community Outreach Manager
Lesley Millar: Professor of Textile Culture, Director Anglo Japanese Textile Research Centre, University for the Creative Arts
Alice Kettle Senior Research Fellow MIRIAD Manchester Metropolitan University, Jane Webb Senior Lecturer, History of Art and Design, Manchester Metropolitan University, David Gates Furniture maker, PhD studies, King's College London
Amanda Ravetz, Research Fellow MIRIAD, and CJ O'Neill, Senior Lecturer MA Design/Craft, MMU and PhD candidate MIRIAD
Jane Wildgoose Artist, writer, broadcaster, and NESTA Fellow.
Elle Reynolds Course Director FdA Fine Art Skills & Practices, Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design
Barney Hare Duke and Jeremy Theophilus A FINE L/NE: cultural practice, Fellows (MIRIAD) Manchester Metropolitan University
Francesca Baseby PhD Candidate, University of Edinburgh & Dovecot Studios
Rhian Solomon, Visual Artist
Stephanie Boydell MMU Special Collections, Dr Alke Groppel-Wegener Staffordshire University
Jason Cleverly: University College Falmouth; Applied artist who designs and makes automata, furniture and sculpture
David Gates Furniture maker, PhD studies, King's College London
Sharon Blakey, Senior Lecturer in Design, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Liz Mitchell, Interpretation Manager from Manchester Art Gallery
Dr Jill Fernie-Clarke: Arts, Media and Education, University of Bolton
Chara Lewis, Senior Lecturer Manchester Metropolitan University, Anneke Pettican, University of Huddersfield and Dr Kristin Mojsiewicz, Edinburgh College of Art
Faith Kane Loughborough University School of the Arts
Bhavin Kothari, NID Ahmedebad, India, Avni V Varia, MA Candidate, London Metropolitan University (Arts and Heritage Management), Cindy Gould, Associate Professor, College of Design, Iowa State University, USA, Nita Thakore, internationally renowned artist, educator, Fulbright Scholar; Vadodara, India.
Other papers, digital presentations and performances
- Cathy Gale, Teaching Fellowship Award
- Nigel Morgan composer and Alice Fox Bradford School of Arts & Media BA in Contemporary Surface Design and Textiles
- David Littler and Jason Singh, Culture clash
- Loren Schwerd, Assistant Professor of Art, Louisiana State University School of Art
- Rachel Beth Egenhoefer, Assistant Professor, Design Department of Art + Architecture, University of San Francisco
- Polly McPherson, Associate Professor in 3D Design and the Award Leader of BA(Hons) Designer Maker and MA in Contemporary Designer Maker at the University of Plymouth.
