Iridescent will see ARU creative students shine
Illustration and Graphic Design graduation exhibition to open in Cambridge
Part of the “Life As Remembered” artwork by MA Illustration student Jiaqi Wang
Creative students from Anglia Ruskin University’s Cambridge School of Art are preparing for a major exhibition to coincide with their graduation this month.
Running from 9-25 November at ARU’s Ruskin Gallery, the exhibition, called Iridescent, will showcase the final projects of talented artists and designers from the Illustration and Graphic Design MA courses as they prepare to launch their careers.
The title draws inspiration from iridescent surfaces, which reveal different colours depending on the light. Just as each colour contributes to the whole, each student's work brings its own character to the exhibition.
Iridescent sees the students move beyond the traditional two-dimensional page or screen, demonstrating how illustration and graphic design can extend into physical spaces, including through immersive film projection.
"My Master's project explored the theme of imagining the future of my city. I studied films, manga and games, and my research led me to experiment with various ways of displaying work including panoramic illustration, immersive room projection and animation.
“My completed work includes static images of daily urban life, but also a number of immersive animations, which aim to invite the audience to engage with the scenes I’ve created.”
Jiaqi Wang, who is graduating from the MA Illustration courseFor the graduating artists, the exhibition marks a moment of transition. Capturing their growth and development during their postgraduate studies, the exhibition celebrates a point along their creative journey.
“The MA has been a self-led journey, supported by feedback and conversations with our tutors. Throughout the process, I've seen not only my work transform, but myself grow alongside it. I see the same evolution in my classmates' practices, each of which carries its own vision and direction.
“For me, Iridescent is not an endpoint, but the beginning of something that will continue to develop long after the exhibition. We're sharing where we are now, while recognising that our journeys as artists are still unfolding.”
Sonali Jagirdar, who is graduating from the MA Illustration courseThe public exhibition runs from 9-25 November at the Ruskin Gallery on ARU’s Cambridge campus. The Ruskin Gallery is open Monday to Friday, 10am-5pm and entry is free. The exhibition can also be visited on Saturday, 14 November as part of ARU’s Undergraduate and Postgraduate Open Day.