To complement INVENTORIUM, CINECITY presents a selection of film posters from the Quay’s own personal collection complemented by posters from the archive of the International Council of Graphic Design Associations held by the Design Archives at the University of Brighton from the archive of the International Council of Graphic Design Associations.

Polish poster design is one of the 20th Century’s most distinctive artforms. From the 1950s film posters were produced by various art studios for the national film distribution system. Unlike their American and Western European counterparts, photographs of film stars were rarely used and instead artists were commissioned to make eye-catching poster designs employing a whole new arsenal of graphic interpretation.

On their very first day at Philadelphia College of Art, the Quay Brothers, “saw this fabulous exhibition of Polish posters which was consummate in terms of the imagery that was assaulting us, the typography, the names which were unpronounceable, but in a way, on inspection and through the next year or so, we researched all these names of posters, names like Borowczyk, Lenica, Starowieyski … through the research we realised that Lenica made animation films after having done posters, and Borowczyk made animation films and went on to make feature films, and it probably set a tiny star for us to maybe inherit.”

An exhibition devoted to visionary and poetic world of the Quay Brothers featuring Dormitorium – a collection of film decors – and the multi-media installation Eurydice - She, So Beloved. Complemented by a programme of screenings and special events.

http://www.cine-city.co.uk/2008/

The Quay Brothers visionary and poetic cinema has established them as among the most respected and imitated of film-makers. Born in Philadelphia in 1947 and based in London, the identical twins have produced a unique body of work filtering arcane visual, literary, musical, cinematic and philosophical influences through their own totally distinctive sensibility. For almost 30 years they have created their own alternate universe – part myth, nightmare, fairy-tale - with their beautiful but disturbing blend of puppetry and stop-motion animation.

DORMITORIUM Film Decors of the Quay Brothers
An exhibition of sets, puppets and other creations of the Quays including work from their renowned films Street of Crocodiles and Institute Benjamenta.

EURYDICE – SHE, SO BELOVED…
A Homage to Monteverdi’s Orfeo 1607 -2007
A gallery installation by the Brothers Quay in collaboration with contemporary dance choreographer Kim Brandstrup, Royal Ballet principal Zenaida Yanowsky and acclaimed opera singer Simon Keenlyside.
Commissioned to mark the four hundredth anniversary of Monteverdi’s Orfeo, the first opera ever produced, EURYDICE - SHE SO BELOVED is the first time the Quays have made a work specifically for a gallery situation. It is inspired by the classical story of love and loss as Orpheus enters the underworld in an attempt to bring his deceased young bride Eurydice back to the world of the living.

For full details of the CINECITY 2008 programme visit:
www.cine-city.co.uk. Highlights include:

UK PREMIERES and PREVIEWS of new features, documentaries and shorts from around the world

CINEMA OF NEW EUROPE including Katyn, Time to Die, Autumn Ball, Romanian Shorts

CITY EYE: Gdansk on film including The Tin Drum, Man of Iron, See You Tomorrow, Squaring the Circle

LIVE CINEMA New scores performed live including Geoff Smith’s interpretation of Lotte Reiniger’s The Adventures of Prince Achmed and Simon Fisher Turner’s score to the Ozu classic I Was Born, But …

DANCE FOR CAMERA weekend presented by South East Dance

ARCHIVE films from Screen Archive South East

Notes:The 6th edition of CINECITY The Brighton Film Festival takes place from 20 November to 7 December 2008

CINECITY is presented in partnership with the University of Brighton and the Duke of York’s Picturehouse, part of the City Screen chain of cinemas.

INVENTORIUM is presented with the support of Arts Council England.
EURYDICE was originally commissioned by Opera North and Capture

For more information and a selection of images please contact CINECITY on:
info@cine-city.co.uk Tel 01273 644721 or 07851 730205

The University of Brighton’s exhibition, From Art School to University: Art and Design at Brighton 1859-2009, brings together work from artists and designers associated with the university to celebrate the founding of the original School of Art 150 years ago.

Over 150 exhibits will be on display including drawings by Turner Prize winners Keith Tyson and work on paper by Antony Gormley, sculptor of the Angel of the North; a crystal-mesh couture dress by Julien MacDonald; sculpture by Turner Prize winner, Rachel Whiteread, whose ‘Monument’ occupied the empty plinth in Trafalgar Square; a self-portrait of Alison Lapper, widely known for posing for Marc Quinn’s statue, ‘Alison Lapper Pregnant’, that occupied the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square; and prize-winning illustrations by author and illustrator, Emily Gravett. 

The exhibits illustrate the collective contribution that the visual, creative and
performing arts from Brighton’s staff, students and alumni have made to the wider community, with fashion, textiles, 3D, illustration, fine art, architecture, performance art and graphic design items. The array of exhibits demonstrates the 150-year history with works by students in the late 19th Century, prospectuses from the Design Archives at the University of Brighton, through to the innovations of the 1900s, culminating in contemporary works from the 21st Century.

Highlights include:

• Works by Turner Prize winners, Antony Gormley, Keith Tyson and Rachel Whiteread
• London Transport posters by Clive Gardiner and John Bellany
• Watercolours by Dorothy Coke
• Illustrations by John Vernon Lord, and Kate Greenaway Medal winners including Emily Gravett, Raymond Briggs and Quentin Blake
• Photographs by Magnum photographer Mark Power
• Garments by Jerwood Prize winner Caroline Broadhead, Mark Eley and Julien Macdonald
• Stamp designs by Andrew Restall and Royal Designer for Industry George Hardie
• Promotional material for Deep Purple, the Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, Fat Boy Slim and Muse
• Award-winning dance footage from Liz Aggiss, and Alice Fox’s 2008 Smudged performance at the Tate Modern
• A model for 3D sustainable design by Duncan Baker Brown, who came to widespread popular prominence as the architect of ‘The House That Kevin McCloud Built’ for Grand Designs Live in May 2008.

Anne Boddington, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Architecture, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the history of today’s multidisciplinary, international Faculty of Arts and Architecture. Reviewing the artistic achievements of staff and students demonstrates the development of this vibrant creative educational institution.”

The exhibition starts with images and artefacts from the beginnings of the Brighton School of Art. Doors first opened to more than 50 students on 17 January 1859 in a room off the kitchens of the Royal Pavilion. Events leading to the school’s development are examined such as the establishment in 1835 of a parliamentary select committee on arts and manufactures to investigate underlying causes for deficiencies in the public’s taste and British manufacturers’ increasing difficulties in competing in terms of design in the international marketplace.

1900 to 1930 saw the school forging links with industry and enjoying national success through its showing at the international 1925 Paris Exposition des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. It gained more awards than any other institution outside London and swept up 22 per cent of those made to provincial art schools.

Fine artists Charles Knight and Louis Ginnett came to prominence in the interwar years. Both taught painting classes in Ditchling, home to the world-renowned arts and crafts community. The exhibition includes items from Ditchling notables Ethel Mairet who taught weaving, dyeing and spinning and was part of the Department of Women’s Crafts established at the School in 1938, and illustrator John Vernon Lord, Professor Emeritus of the University of Brighton.

Numerous Brighton staff and students contributed to expanding the aesthetic and leisure horizons of millions of commuters who travelled daily through the ‘People’s Gallery’ of London Transport. Posters embraced a variety of styles – from Cubism, Futurism and Deco, through to the present day – and what was acceptable in the context of the underground was far from the case in art galleries above the ground. The postage stamp has also been a vehicle for visual interest. Designers associated with Brighton include Andrew Restall and George Hardie. Brighton graduates have also contributed designs for Christmas stamps; in 1996 Laura Stoddart was the youngest designer commissioned.

Brighton has produced many distinguished illustrators over the past century. The tradition goes back to Philip Hagreen, a founder of the Society of Wood Engravers and has continued through Cyril Hodges, John Lawrence, Raymond Briggs, John Vernon Lord and Emily Gravett. It is a mark of Brighton’s standing in the field that since 2000, five of the seven winners of the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal have been Brighton-trained.

Classic images associated with rock and pop have been created by Brighton’s staff and students. Examples include John Vernon Lord’s cover for Deep Purple’s The Book of Taliesyn (1968) and George Hardie’s designs for many iconic record sleeves, including Led Zeppelin (1968)andPink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon (1973). Hamish Makgill art-directed the cover for Fatboy Slim’s You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby (1998), Paul Burgess the Sex Pistols Box Set (SEXBOX1, 2002), Martin Andersen a series of covers for July Skies, and Jasper Goodall the cover for Muse’s Invincible (2007).

Change continued with the establishment of Brighton Polytechnic in the 1970s, followed by University status in 1992. In the new millennium, Architecture was welcomed back into the newly designated Faculty of Arts and Architecture, and the three multidisciplinary schools we see today were created: Arts and Communications, Architecture and Design, Historical and Critical Studies. The exhibition ends with screenings of graduate fashion shows and performance art. The fashion and textiles courses have graduated household names including Julien Macdonald, Mark Eley and Biba legend, Barbara Hulanicki.

[Ends]

Contact details:
Rebecca Haroutunian, Communications Manager
University of Brighton
01273 643022
Out of hours details: 07958 515509

Notes to Editors:

• From Art School to University: Art and Design at Brighton 1859-2009 is at the University of Brighton Gallery from 16 January to 14 March 2009. Entry is free.

• The exhibition’s curator is Professor Jonathan M Woodham, Director for the Centre for Research and Development, Faculty of Arts and Architecture, University of Brighton.

• An accompanying book and catalogue - Art and Design at Brighton 1859-2009: from Arts Manufactures to the Creative and Cultural Industries - has been published by the University of Brighton and will be on sale from the University of Brighton Gallery.

• Lenders include the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Ditchling Museum, London Transport Museum and the Aldrich Collection, as well as many individuals.

• Supporters include the University of Brighton and the Aldrich family.

• Burt Brill and Cardens (www.bbc-law.co.uk) also support the degree shows of the Faculty’s creative community of students.  

• Visit www.brighton.ac.uk/arts150 for information about all the activities planned to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Brighton School of Art.
• The Faculty of Arts and Architecture would like to get in touch with any lost alumni.
• On Friday 16 January 2009 curator Professor Jonathan M Woodham will be available to speak about the exhibition. A private view including exhibiting artists and book contributors will be held from 6pm on Friday 23 January 2009. Contact Rebecca Haroutunian  (01273 643022 or 07958 515509) to arrange an interview.