Ahead of Central Saint Martins’ MA Fashion Communication exhibition, AnOther speaks with five promising image-makers from the course
In an era marked by division and polarising opinions, the MA Fashion Communication students at Central Saint Martins have created work that searches for connections and yearns to be understood.
Fueled by multiple interests and backgrounds, these common themes are reflected in exceptionally diverse approaches. Course leader Adam Murray says diversity is a powerful tool for fostering new talent. “There’s no point having a room full of people doing the same thing,” he says. “Part of the joy of being here is that the students can all learn from each other.”
Below, AnOther spoke with five graduating image-makers poised to make an impact in the industry.
Jess Wishart
A self-proclaimed internet kid, Scottish image-maker Jess Wishart marries traditional photography with new techniques to create surrealist digital works. In a world where we’re constantly surrounded by screens that mirror our everyday lives or create alternate realities, Wishart is fascinated by technology and its implications for modern society.
Wishart digitally manipulates her photography, sometimes using her friends, but mostly her own face as a canvas to experiment with panorama effects, FaceTune and Instagram filters. While these features are often used to edit out imperfections, Wishart’s work has an unnerving undertone. “When using apps like FaceTune, it’s funny to see what it thinks they need to change about me to look better,” she says.
By enhancing and distorting certain elements of her imagery to explore the limits of technology, Wishart shows us just how flawed the online world can be.
Rino Qiu
A former engineer turned photographer, China’s Rino Qiu has an innate curiosity about how things work, finding beauty in the process rather than the outcome. Shot in Shanghai, where he lives, his final project at Central Saint Martins directs the camera towards the inner workings of the fashion industry, capturing mundane yet tender moments of professionals preparing for photo shoots.
Although they’re invisible in the final shot, Qiu knows the significance of each person’s role on set and the hard work they put in. As a photographer himself, he’s aware of the blood, sweat, and tears often required to produce something beautiful. “The industry depends on these workers behind the scenes,” he says. “Without them, we can’t do anything.”
In the hands of Qiu, a simple action such as moving a piano is serenely portrayed, transforming runners, set designers, stylists and photographers into protagonists of their own tales, which usually go untold.
Hannah Hall
A multidisciplinary artist hailing from County Durham, whose work encompasses set design, styling and character building, Hannah Hall uses photography to document characters narrating semi-autobiographical stories of everyday life.
Her latest project, titled I never wanted to sell you a Fantasy, explores morality around womanhood and queer existence, bringing a fresh perspective to themes sometimes ignored or else misinterpreted. Hall captures herself and other models against dreamlike backdrops of billowing curtains. The scene is set for an otherworldly performance. Beneath this veneer of whimsy is an unsettling undercurrent as the models’ rigid postures and averted gazes suggest a sense of emptiness.
Through her work, Hall challenges the notion of women adopting the guise of femininity to fulfil societal expectations. Beneath carefully constructed facades are individuals yearning to be understood and accepted.
Adam Lin
Hailing from Taichung, Taiwan, Adam Lin captures uncensored emotions that arise from intimate human connections. For his final project, Lin explores his own relationship with masculinity, delving into its multifaceted nature through the lens of domestic life. Working with multiple households in Taiwan and London to portray simple moments shared between male family figures, Lin observes how men behave towards people they trust most, revealing a side of masculinity often hidden from public view.
At times, he has questioned how his role as a photographer has changed their behaviours. “I’m making a very private space a public one. Will they act the same way without me around?” he asked himself.
Despite the rigid concepts of masculinity that society often holds to, Lin’s delicate imagery suggests room for much nuance. “In a way, everything men do is masculine – and I think that’s something interesting to think about.”
Samuel Edwards
The body, carnal desire, and intimacy are topics of constant reflection in Samuel Edwards’ photography and personal life. For his final project, the Manchester native explores voyeurism, inviting the viewer to glimpse the emotional vulnerability exposed in raw moments of sexual connection. He teases the onlooker by playing with the tactile textures of fur and leather, hugging the most intimate parts of the human body, evoking feral feelings of hedonism. Edwards tantalisingly treads the fine line between kink and erotica to find a tasteful middle ground.
His sharp angles transform his subjects into bodily sculptures. It’s a nuanced message, aiming to transcend the conventional binaries of societal standards. Edwards shows that exposing lots of skin is not the only way to portray sex appeal. A sense of mystery always heightens desirability.
The MA Fashion Communication Showcase is on show at Central Saint Martins in London from 21 – 23 November 2024.
