79 projects using a wide range of resistant and non-resistant materials (e.g. limestone, ceramics, glass-reinforced plastics, wood, metal, textiles) form part of this year’s MCAST art and design exhibition being held at the St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity. The exhibition showcases the final-year projects of students attending the MCAST Art and Design Institute in Targa Gap.
First Diploma students worked to a given theme, which was sea creatures. They sought inspiration from this generic theme and developed an own response.
For the one-year National Diploma in Foundation Studies, project briefs were self-initiated.
Each student explored an individual theme and often came up with a designed functional product.
Students in the ND Diploma in Design Crafts worked to a negotiated theme, which was fire and water.
They were given a free hand working on any material or combination of materials which they had practiced with during their two-year course of studies. The project by Jennings Falzon has been awarded the Malta Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce Trophy and the Prize for Best Product.
HND Product Design and Graphic Design students produced very interesting and innovative work making full use of new technology which is continually updated to reflect professional standards.
At the opening of the exhibition, Education Minister Louis Galea said that such exhibitions are a vital part of the MCAST mission in that they not only give students the opportunity to showcase their hard work and their creative genius but also give the public and particularly companies, an opportunity to see how the college is preparing its students and what their skill, creative capacity and quality standard is.
Minister Galea said that the government is all the time insisting that engineering, science and technology will only bring about added value if cross-fertilised with the disciplines of art and design. The government wants to see all MCAST students getting cross-curricular credits from different institutes so as to enable them to appreciate better the valuable linkage between the different disciplines.
Minister Galea said that the art and design institute at MCAST is doing a good job of preparing its students not only practically and academically but also keeping in mind the application of the subject and its relevance to the workplace.
He said that this year six students from the institute will be furthering their studies abroad. One in particular, will be studying fine arts in Kent.
Three others will be topping up their degree in 3-D design and another two in photography.