Three graduates from Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) were chosen from hundreds of submissions to have their work exhibited work at the prestigious Graduate Art Show at London’s Woolff Gallery.
Launched in 2022, the Graduate Art Show offers graduate artists a vital platform at the start of their careers. Transitioning from art school to the professional world can be challenging, and this initiative, founded by Victoria Charlton and Professor Anand Saggar, aims to bridge that gap.
This year’s edition marks a new milestone with a record number of submissions, reflecting the show’s growing reputation. From hundreds of entries, 50 artists were selected to exhibit their work. The exhibitions run for three weeks at Woolff Gallery in London and four weeks at Vanner Gallery in Salisbury, with £500 awards presented at each venue.
Among those exhibiting are AUB’s MA Illustration graduates, Minh Hieu (Dala) Nguyen and Vasundhara Srinivas, and BA Hons Illustration graduate Sophia Saunders.
Sophia exhibited her work, titled Peace and Quiet, explaining, “It’s the final double page spread from my children’s picture book, Let’s Go Lottie!"
Knelt between the flowers of his seaside allotment, Lottie and her grandad plant the findings from her twisty turvy magical journey that she took to get to his house.
“I was so honoured to be selected!" says Sophia. "Leaving university has been quite daunting, but the support and encouragement from everyone at the Woolf Gallery private view was so lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed being able to meet the other graduates and see the range of brilliant work on display.”
Meanwhile, Dala exhibited his Love To Love project, saying, “Love comes in many forms, and everyone has their own stories to tell. In this piece, I depict seven different stages of love based on interviews with 100 anonymous individuals.
“Each stage represents different emotions, behaviours, thoughts, and feelings, corresponding to seven boxes. Inside each small box, there’s an item representing the emotions of that stage. You can start or stop at any stage you wish, as long as empathy and resonance remain with the character at that moment.”
Showing her project Rest, Vasundhara explains, “As creatives, we often feel pressured to constantly produce, but a rested mind is more open to inspiration, problem-solving, and fresh ideas. Overworking leads to burnout, stifling the very creativity we aim to nurture. Rest isn’t just a pause; it’s an investment in your creative potential.
“Having my work recognised on such a prestigious platform is deeply rewarding. This opportunity inspires me to continue exploring meaningful narratives and push the boundaries of my creative practice.”
Jenni Saarenkylä, Course Leader on MA Illustration at AUB, adds, “We couldn’t be more thrilled for our graduates. To be selected by the Graduate Art Show to be included in this year’s shows is a fantastic achievement and a brilliant start to their artistic careers."
This year's Graduate Art Show takes place from from 15 November until 3 December 2024.
