News - Unique Photographs go to Auction
University College Falmouth press release
If you're interested in owning a unique piece of photography taken by some of the world's leading photographers and the industry stars of the future, then head to University College Falmouth's Woodlane Campus Bar on Wednesday 11 March at 6pm when the bidding will begin.
This fundraising auction is the brain child of final-year students on University College Falmouth's BA(Hons) Photography course. Their aim is to raise enough money from the auction of the prints to enable them to hold their final year exhibition at Free Range in London following the College's annual showcase of graduate work in June.
The students have contacted renowned photographers from around the world asking them to donate their work for the auction. Simon Roberts has donated a signed copy of his print of Lena River, Yakutsk, Sakha Republic; Brian Griffin, who is best known for his surreal portraits of businessmen taken for Management Today, has donated a recent B&W portrait '"Ray" Michigan, USA, February 2009' ; Justin Quinnell, pinhole photographer and UK Publicist for World Pinhole Day, has donated two of his images from his Slow Light collection and Andrew Buurman, recipient of the World Press Award in 2003, has donated a signed copy of an image from the series Serpentine Swimming Club. These are just some of the artists who have generously supported this year's auction.
In addition to the work donated by professional photographers, each student has donated prints for purchase at the auction. The images are as diverse as the student body, ranging from landscape and fine art to still life and portraits. Prints are available for immediate purchase online and additional prints will be available on the night of the auction.
"This kind of event provides the students with the opportunity to develop skills that will be vital to them in their future careers" said Sian Bonnell, BA(Hons) Photography Lecturer. "University College Falmouth is now widely recognised as one of the leading centres for studying photography and we encourage the students to understand the importance of professional presentation whilst co-ordinating and co-operating with each other, questioning and developing their skills at each stage of their progress - producing graduates who have a head start in this rapidly evolving industry."
Free Range was set up to showcase the works of budding designers and artists to both public and potential employers alike, giving students the best opportunity to promote their work. Each year the show has increased in size and popularity, making it a destination point for thousands of lovers of the visual arts. Over 150,000 people visited this free-entry show last year putting it in the same league as The Royal Academy of Art or the Victoria & Albert Museum. Last year's BA (Hons) Photography students who exhibited at Free Range 2008 were quickly snapped up by industry professionals who offered them employment or were featured in subsequent exhibitions.
"I'm really excited about the potential of this year's auction" said student, John Cherry. "We have an enormous variety of high profile artists donating prints and the support we have received has been phenomenal, encouraging us to create work that is innovative and unique for the London exhibition."
Fellow student, Pete McNicol, has been delighted with the response to the auction website and the feedback that has been received so far about the students' contribution: "People have been really interested in the student work that's been created for the auction when they've viewed it on the website - and are really impressed with the quality of our work."
For those unable to attend the live auction in person all is not lost! You can place a maximum bid for your favourite piece prior to the auction by emailing natileejohnson@hotmail.com or bid on the night, live and online for these rare pieces of photography by visiting http://www.falmouth.ac.uk/photographyprintauction. The website will be updated live as the bidding is taking place.
For more information regarding Free Range please visit http://www.free-range.org.uk.
University College Falmouth's Photography courses are located in thepurpose-built Photography Centre that has been designed following consultation with the industry. It includes hugely expanded digital and photographic facilities as well as specialist resources such as an electronic picture desk, all of which cements the College's position as one of the top providers of photographic education in the UK.
For further information about BA(Hons) Photography at University College Falmouth, visit http://www.falmouth.ac.uk/photography, email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 213783.
University College Falmouth is the only independent Higher Education institution in Cornwall with the powers to award degrees in its own name. It has two campuses in Cornwall - at Woodlane in Falmouth and Tremough in Penryn (which it owns, and jointly manages with the University of Exeter) - and a third campus at Totnes in Devon, following its merger with Dartington College of Arts in 2008.
This merger created a new institution focusing on the expansion of Falmouth's expertise in Art, Design and Media and Dartington's expertise in Choreography, Music, Theatre, Art and Writing. The Devon-based courses will relocate to a new, high-specification Performance Centre at Tremough in 2010, paving the way for a new specialist Arts University in Cornwall by 2012, that will be unique to the South West.
The College is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC), a unique initiative to promote regional economic regeneration through Higher Education, funded mainly by the European Union, the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council.