Staffordshire University's annual show and tell exhibition opens tomorrow
A western film with a twist, a celebration of body diversity and a place for refugees to call home are among the eye-catching and thought provoking projects featured at an annual Art and Design Degree show.
The show, which opens tomorrow (FRI), celebrates the work of more than 300 art and design students from Staffordshire University across 20 different courses - including photography, crafts, graphics and animation.
One of those on display is animation stop motion and puppet making student Andy Baker's who has hand built mini saloon bar for his animated western The Good, The Bad and The Monkey.
He said: "It’s a standard premise – an ape walks into a bar looking for a wanted outlaw.
“Being thrifty and finding bit and bobs that I can use drives my wife mad. She’s forever finding me in skips looking for odd trinkets that might make a miniature golf club or bottle."
Another display is that of photojournalism student Fiona Cole, whose project is based around her own experiences of body shaming and promotes diversity in fashion photography.
She said: "Usually in fashion magazines you find models who are size six or size zero but my photos feature models ranging from UK size six to 18. My project is trying to show that you can be any size and still be beautiful and successful in the fashion industry.”
The show, which runs until June 10 at Staffordshire University's College Road site in Stoke-on-Trent, will also feature the work of product design student William Pilgrim. William designed a temporary pop-up accommodation pod after seeing images of the poor living conditions refugees were facing at the temporary camps in Calais.
He said: "They’re living in broken tents and haven’t got a proper bedroom. They need a place to call home, even if it’s temporary.”