- John
Swinney met with Scottish and international students to hear more about their
innovative and ground-breaking projects
The Deputy First
Minister, John Swinney MSP, visited The Glasgow School of Art’s Graduate Degree
Show at the Garment Factory during the opening weekend. Mr Swinney met with Professor Tom Inns,
Director of The Glasgow School of Art and Chair of the Board, Muriel Gray, to
hear more about the work that the GSA has been undertaking to mitigate the
effects of the fire in the Mackintosh Building, ensuring in particular that the
student experience continued to be delivered. He then toured the exhibition and
met with Scottish and international students to hear more about their
innovative and ground-breaking projects.
Minister, John Swinney MSP, visited The Glasgow School of Art’s Graduate Degree
Show at the Garment Factory during the opening weekend. Mr Swinney met with Professor Tom Inns,
Director of The Glasgow School of Art and Chair of the Board, Muriel Gray, to
hear more about the work that the GSA has been undertaking to mitigate the
effects of the fire in the Mackintosh Building, ensuring in particular that the
student experience continued to be delivered. He then toured the exhibition and
met with Scottish and international students to hear more about their
innovative and ground-breaking projects.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said:
“Glasgow School of Art is
internationally renowned, and is an institution that is loved, not just by its
students, staff and the people of this city, but by many around the world.
internationally renowned, and is an institution that is loved, not just by its
students, staff and the people of this city, but by many around the world.
“I was delighted to
have the opportunity to see this latest exhibition. The highly innovative work
on show underlines the value of supporting emerging talent in art and creative
industries, research and innovation, and creating networks of expertise and
practice.
have the opportunity to see this latest exhibition. The highly innovative work
on show underlines the value of supporting emerging talent in art and creative
industries, research and innovation, and creating networks of expertise and
practice.
“I commend Glasgow
School of Art on their efforts to support students in the light of the tragic
fire and I am clear that the Scottish Government will work with them to recover
from these tragic events.”
School of Art on their efforts to support students in the light of the tragic
fire and I am clear that the Scottish Government will work with them to recover
from these tragic events.”
“The fire in the Mackintosh Building has had an impact on all our post
graduate students, but we have been focussed on making sure that they were able
to continue with their studies,” says Professor Tom Inns, Director of The
Glasgow School of Art.
graduate students, but we have been focussed on making sure that they were able
to continue with their studies,” says Professor Tom Inns, Director of The
Glasgow School of Art.
“Graduate Degree Show is an important platform for our students to show
their work. It was a pleasure to welcome the Deputy First Minister to the
exhibition and to give him the opportunity to learn more about the innovative
solutions our students have developed to issues facing contemporary society,” he
adds.
their work. It was a pleasure to welcome the Deputy First Minister to the
exhibition and to give him the opportunity to learn more about the innovative
solutions our students have developed to issues facing contemporary society,” he
adds.
Mr Swinney met with six
students studying on a range of programmes delivered by the School Of Design,
Innovation School and School of Simulation and Visualisation.
students studying on a range of programmes delivered by the School Of Design,
Innovation School and School of Simulation and Visualisation.
Chahat Abrol a student from India who is studying Innovation Design and
is based at the GSA’s Highlands and Islands campus in Altyre has explored the nature of a visitor’s museum
experience and engagement. She shared talked to the Deputy First Minister about
how tying the haptic understanding of artefacts to social understanding and
memories can enrich the museum experience.
is based at the GSA’s Highlands and Islands campus in Altyre has explored the nature of a visitor’s museum
experience and engagement. She shared talked to the Deputy First Minister about
how tying the haptic understanding of artefacts to social understanding and
memories can enrich the museum experience.
An Innovation Design student based in Glasgow, Akshaya
Kannan from India has undertaken a project that is rooted in her own
experience of disaster – her home city of Chennai has experienced
cyclones, floods and tsumani in recent years. In the centenary year of the great Spanish Flu epidemic – the first
UK fatalities of which were in Glasgow – Akshaya looked at how to build
resilience at the city level to deal with a pandemic.
Kannan from India has undertaken a project that is rooted in her own
experience of disaster – her home city of Chennai has experienced
cyclones, floods and tsumani in recent years. In the centenary year of the great Spanish Flu epidemic – the first
UK fatalities of which were in Glasgow – Akshaya looked at how to build
resilience at the city level to deal with a pandemic.
“The threat of deadly pandemics is right up
there with nuclear war and
climate change. It is widely understood that innovation, cooperation, and
careful planning can dramatically mitigate the risks presented by each of these
threats,” says Akshaya “When the next pandemic strikes, it could be
another catastrophe in the annals of the human race. Or it could be something
else altogether. An extraordinary triumph of human will. A moment when we prove
yet again that, together, we are capable of taking on the world’s biggest
challenges to create a safer, healthier, more stable world.”
climate change. It is widely understood that innovation, cooperation, and
careful planning can dramatically mitigate the risks presented by each of these
threats,” says Akshaya “When the next pandemic strikes, it could be
another catastrophe in the annals of the human race. Or it could be something
else altogether. An extraordinary triumph of human will. A moment when we prove
yet again that, together, we are capable of taking on the world’s biggest
challenges to create a safer, healthier, more stable world.”
Akshaya worked closely with the resilience team
at Glasgow City Council, NHS Scotland,
ScoRDS and East Lothian Council.
at Glasgow City Council, NHS Scotland,
ScoRDS and East Lothian Council.
Award-winning illustrator Helen Kellock, from
Glasgow, showed the Deputy First Minister pages from her soon to be published
children’s illustrated book, The Star in
the Forest.
Glasgow, showed the Deputy First Minister pages from her soon to be published
children’s illustrated book, The Star in
the Forest.
Helen has been snapped up the international publisher
Thames and Hudson who said of her work: When we first saw Helen’s original artwork we knew we were looking at
someone with remarkable talent. Helen’s illustrations for The Star in the Forest are so rich in atmosphere, they transport
you to some other place entirely. As an art publisher, we are always on the
lookout for illustrators like Helen who
can present the world to us afresh and reveal something we hadn’t seen before.
Combined with her charming story about the friendship between two siblings,
Helen stood out as a young artist with incredible potential.’
Thames and Hudson who said of her work: When we first saw Helen’s original artwork we knew we were looking at
someone with remarkable talent. Helen’s illustrations for The Star in the Forest are so rich in atmosphere, they transport
you to some other place entirely. As an art publisher, we are always on the
lookout for illustrators like Helen who
can present the world to us afresh and reveal something we hadn’t seen before.
Combined with her charming story about the friendship between two siblings,
Helen stood out as a young artist with incredible potential.’
The Star in the Forest tells the story of
Maisie and Pip who decide to set out into the night to find a shooting star
which they saw fall out of the sky and crash into the nearby forest. Driven by
their curiosity, the girls navigate their way through the eerie forest towards
the star and in doing so discover creatures and overcome their fears along
their way.
Maisie and Pip who decide to set out into the night to find a shooting star
which they saw fall out of the sky and crash into the nearby forest. Driven by
their curiosity, the girls navigate their way through the eerie forest towards
the star and in doing so discover creatures and overcome their fears along
their way.
Glaswegian Fashion and
Textile Design student Noor-e-sehar Sajjad presented elements of her collection to John Swinney.
Textile Design student Noor-e-sehar Sajjad presented elements of her collection to John Swinney.
Noor utilises hand stitched textiles to explore
personal narratives, drawing parallels between the rural tribes of Pakistan and
India and life experienced as a British Pakistani Muslim. Her striking work navigates
the duality of culture, multicultural misconception, and craftsmanship to
understand and unpick ideas around identity and belief while breaking down
barriers and bridging eastern and western contexts.
personal narratives, drawing parallels between the rural tribes of Pakistan and
India and life experienced as a British Pakistani Muslim. Her striking work navigates
the duality of culture, multicultural misconception, and craftsmanship to
understand and unpick ideas around identity and belief while breaking down
barriers and bridging eastern and western contexts.
Medical Visualisation & Human Anatomy student Amal Amzan from
Malaysia has created an App to help people understand the often complex
information around medication so as to be able to fully consider the benefits
and the possible side effects before making an informed decision on whether to
take the treatment.
Malaysia has created an App to help people understand the often complex
information around medication so as to be able to fully consider the benefits
and the possible side effects before making an informed decision on whether to
take the treatment.
When patients do not understand and are not well informed on their
medical conditions, the quality of disease management decreases and so
do medication adherence rates. Patient education is very important in
improving the outcome of these issues, but the current resources are often not
as well-designed as they should be. Current patient education material is often
disorganized, repetitive has too much information and has language that is full
of complex medical jargon and often leave patients overwhelmed,” says Amal.
medical conditions, the quality of disease management decreases and so
do medication adherence rates. Patient education is very important in
improving the outcome of these issues, but the current resources are often not
as well-designed as they should be. Current patient education material is often
disorganized, repetitive has too much information and has language that is full
of complex medical jargon and often leave patients overwhelmed,” says Amal.
Amal demonstrated her App which focuses on Alemtuzumab a recently released drug for MS. It uses plain language, and is
straightforward and accessible. Illustrations and animations complement text to
help users absorb information and visualize it better, and bright colours and
visual content help the user to cope with information which is often not
pleasant to take in. Amal hopes that it will be possible to do further
research and also develop it for people with different conditions.
straightforward and accessible. Illustrations and animations complement text to
help users absorb information and visualize it better, and bright colours and
visual content help the user to cope with information which is often not
pleasant to take in. Amal hopes that it will be possible to do further
research and also develop it for people with different conditions.
Aberdonian Bruce James May,
a Product Design Engineering student, shared his Printel design with John
Swinney..
a Product Design Engineering student, shared his Printel design with John
Swinney..
“Construction
toys such as LEGO and K’Nex are used in schools as a way to teach children
about STEM subjects in an engaging and hands-on way,” says James. “By using a system that children are
familiar with they can more easily grasp difficult topics such as maths,
physics, mechanics while also having fun.
toys such as LEGO and K’Nex are used in schools as a way to teach children
about STEM subjects in an engaging and hands-on way,” says James. “By using a system that children are
familiar with they can more easily grasp difficult topics such as maths,
physics, mechanics while also having fun.
“There are several logistical problems with construction toys being
used in schools such if elements get lost during lessons, it can be costly to
replace them either by purchasing individual elements from the supplier or buying
additional kits. Also, if a school invests in one brand, there is a lack of
incentive to buy other brands as there is a lack of compatibility. This can
reduce and constrict the creative freedom of children in class.”
used in schools such if elements get lost during lessons, it can be costly to
replace them either by purchasing individual elements from the supplier or buying
additional kits. Also, if a school invests in one brand, there is a lack of
incentive to buy other brands as there is a lack of compatibility. This can
reduce and constrict the creative freedom of children in class.”
James has developed a library of parts which can be
made in School using a 3D printer and which not only replace missing parts, but
can also connect pieces from the two different educations kits. Testing with a
group of young people proved very successful, and James is now is now
looking to refine the design, testing a wider range of 3D printers, and investigating
packaging the software for retail and distribution.
made in School using a 3D printer and which not only replace missing parts, but
can also connect pieces from the two different educations kits. Testing with a
group of young people proved very successful, and James is now is now
looking to refine the design, testing a wider range of 3D printers, and investigating
packaging the software for retail and distribution.
Ends
For
further information on the GSA contact:
further information on the GSA contact:
- ·
Glasgow
School of Art has one of the largest post graduate cohorts of students in the
UK following creative programs. - ·
Graduate Degree Show runs in the
Garment Factory, 10 Montrose Street, G1 1RE and
the Tontine Building, 20 Trongate, G1 5ES
from 1 – 9 September. Open 10am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 5pm
Saturday/Sunday. Entry free.