UWE Bristol art students to showcase their work during Spike Island’s Open Studios

Media Relations Team, 15 April 2024

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UWE Bristol students perform as part of the Open Studios exhibition at Spike Island in 2023 - photo credit Dan Weill Photography — UWE Bristol students perform during the Open Studios event at Spike Island in 2023 (credit: Dan Weill Photography)

Fine Art students from UWE Bristol will exhibit, perform and screen their work during Spike Island’s annual Open Studios, next month.

The free event taking place during the early May bank holiday weekend offers visitors a chance to go behind-the-scenes of the internationally renowned contemporary art centre on Bristol’s harbourside, with whom UWE Bristol has a substantial partnership as home to the university’s BA and MA Fine Art courses.

The Open Studios kicks off with a preview evening on Friday 3 May and runs until Sunday 5 May; visitors will be able to explore the working environments of hundreds of artists, designers and creative businesses based there, including UWE Bristol students studying BA and MA Fine Art. They can meet the artists in their studios and see their working practices, enjoy family-friendly activities and browse unique art works for sale.

UWE Bristol’s studios and facilities are located on the ground floor of Spike Island, which forms part of the University’s City Campus.

The BA Fine Art students are presenting a weekend of curated exhibitions, screenings and performances including a technicolour psychedelic anti-fashion show, an Andy Warhol-inspired Silver Studios environment and ‘Perceived’ - a specially designed bar of heightened surveillance and intrusion for opening night on the Friday.

The MA Fine Art students will present a curated exhibition across three interlinking spaces: ROOM/LOBBY/HALLWAY, adjacent to the Fine Art studios. The works respond in kind to the idea of Scapes across the three spaces that will include video, painting, sculpture, sound and soap.

In addition, senior lecturer Steven Paige will be available for informal drop-in conversations about UWE Bristol’s MA Fine Art programme from 11am - 1pm on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 May.

Markus Eisenmann, senior lecturer in Fine Art, said: “This event is a key weekend in Bristol’s cultural calendar, offering visitors the unmissable opportunity to see and experience the exciting and diverse work of our Fine Arts students as they exhibit alongside other creative practitioners at Spike Island.”

Spike Island Open Studios takes place on Friday 3 May between 6 and 9pm (preview evening), Saturday 4 May and Sunday 5 May between 11am and 5pm.

More information, including how to book the preview evening, is available here.

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