Unitec’s annual Grad Show even more exciting

Media Release

25 November 2009

New element makes Unitec’s annual Grad Show even more exciting

New Zealand’s creative industries’ future talents will be on display when Unitec’s annual Grad Show opens tonight.

The Grad Show is a massive public exhibition of student works from the departments of architecture, landscape architecture, design and visual arts, and this year for the first time, includes Unitec’s highly regarded performing and screen arts.

Students from the Department of Performing and Screen Arts who will be showcasing their dance, acting and singing skills, as well as exhibitions in the areas of costumes design, documentary and filmmaking and lighting displays.

The Unitec Grad Show kicks off with a big bash tonight and runs until Saturday at the Mt Albert campus. It is one of the biggest events to be hosted at Unitec and attracts hundreds of people each year. Many of these students will go on and lead the way in the creative industries in the future.

Executive Dean of the Faculty of Creative Industries and Business, Associate Professor Dr Leon de Wet Fourie, says the inclusion of the performing and screen arts department adds yet another dimension to what is already a successful event.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for our students from performing and screen arts to participate and showcase their talents and add even further excitement to the show,” says Professor Fourie.

“It’s the biggest event on our faculty calendar and rightfully so with the high standard of work produced by Unitec’s talented students.”

Unitec students have again enjoyed many successes this year, and many of them will display their much talked-about work at the Grad Show. This includes design student, Matt Arbuckle who was recently awarded with first runner up in the prestigious Wallace Art Awards (behind Unitec staff members Marcus Williams and Susan Jowsey), and Runi Schoenhofer, a final-year interior design student who has been identified as having a particularly bright future in the industry.

Other highlights include group works from the Department of Architecture including some major projects such as the design a new mental health unit in Whangarei with established architecture firm, AECOM, and the redevelopment of the Lion Nathan Brewery site with Newmarket based firm Chow: Hill Total Design.

Further group projects include the work done by product design students as part of Unitec’s Sustainable Habitat Challenge 09 (SHAC09) entry. The competition is open to groups from various tertiary institutions to design, develop, and build sustainable housing in their local community. Its aim is to make ideas and methods for low-energy, low-resource housing a reality for New Zealand.

Landscape architecture students have also been involved with various projects including the redesigning of Kinder House in Parnell.

The Grad Show will showcase the talents of students from jewellery, animation, painting, photography, graphic design and product and furniture design.

Throughout the four-day event, Unitec’s Building 1 (through Entry 1) will be transformed into a giant art gallery with industry representatives, the media, and friends and family amongst those who attend.

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