Transition GCSE – GCE
These are the main differences between GCSE and A level
The Relationship & Focus of the Assessment Objectives for GCSE & GCEAO1 / GCSE / Develop their ideas through investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and cultural understanding
GCE / Develop ideas through sustained and focussed investigations informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding
AO2 / GCSE / Refine their ideas through experimenting and selecting appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes
GCE / Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops
AO3 / GCSE / Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to their intentions in visual and/or other forms
GCE / Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to their intentions, _____reflecting critically on work and progress
AO4 / GCSE / Present a personal response, realising intentions and making informed connections with the work of others
GCE / Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements
Understanding and using contextual references: Your Artist Research
Carrying out good quality artist research is an important part of A level textiles. To do this it must:
· Support your understanding and improve your practical work.
· Your practical work and your contextual work should form a relationship that informs and supports each other.
· Give you a deeper understanding of the work of artists and designers, and thus improve your confidence in developing your own ideas.
· Be accessed from a range of sources; books and periodicals, contact with live work through visits – to museums and galleries, to and from artists and designers; from web sites. All should be referenced.
· Show that you understand the artists’ ideas, meanings and intentions. To do this well you need to read about the artist and their work and also add your own thoughts and feelings. You must be able to explain how your work relates to the work of the artists you have researched.
As part of your transition from GCSE to GCE I would like you to carry out a piece of contextual research.
Una Burke
Úna Burke is a luxury leather accessories designer who utilises traditional leather-working skills in the creation of sculptural belts, corsets, jewellery, handbags and abstract body pieces. With her distinct construction technique, using leather panelling and brass fittings, Úna develops intricate forms from vegetable tanned bovine leather. This work is often concept based, with influence commonly taken from psychological and military sources.
Born and brought up in County Roscommon, in the west of Ireland, Úna now works from her studio in South London. She completed a BA in Fashion Design at Limerick School of Art and Design in 2003, and then worked in several Irish and UK design studios including those of Philip Treacy and Burberry.
Returning to study in 2007, Úna completed an MA in Fashion Artefact with her graduate collection, 'RE.TREAT', winning the 'London College of Fashion, Off Catwalk Award 2009'. Having been featured in the following September's issue of Vogue Italia, Úna was then invited by Vogue to present her work during Milano Fashion Week SS10. She has since gone on to win numerous national and international Awards and in 2011 alone, was chosen as Irish Designer of the Year and nominated for WGSN's Global Fashion Awards in New York. Úna's sculptural leather pieces have featured in Fashion, Art and Craft events throughout the UK, Ireland, Singapore, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Hungary, the US, China, Austria, Greece and South Korea .
Unaburke.com
AW10 - RE.TREAT - Graduate Collection
Collection Story
"Where restriction becomes healing"
This conceptual collection of wearable art pieces, depicts a series of eight human gestures associated with the cause, the physical and psychological effect and the healing stages of human trauma. Sculptural forms are created around the shape of the contorted female body while a number of pieces are reminiscent of prosthetics and medical braces. This signifies the potential for healing within the boundaries of something which inhibits the body. Carcass-like in form, each piece is hand crafted from vegetable tanned leather, resulting in a colour indicative of human flesh. They have been produced to be viewed as contemplation artefacts observed in the environment of the gallery. They can also be used as fashion accessories when broken down into sections, such as arm braces, leg braces, and accessories for the head, neck and shoulders. These pieces could be combined with other garments in flowing fabrics which would create beautiful contrasts with their structured forms.
Other collections include SS11 - TRANS.FORM
Collection Story
"Where beauty lies in the unexpected"
After her graduate collection has restricted the body in carcass-like shells, Úna now uses her signature construction technique to examine and exaggerate physical distortions and deformations. She plays with the human form through her structural pattern cutting technique, taking the contour of one area of the body and applying it to another. For example, the hip shape has been applied to the upper back in the creation of the hunchback jacket, questioning our preconceived ideas of beauty.Other pieces refer to the military and armour-like sources of protection which were significant in the development of Úna's previous collection, RE.TREAT. This influence can be seen in variations of the high collar, shoulder holster and puffball epaulette. The inclination towards human distortion and disfigurement is the next step in Úna's original concept of trauma; the event, the aftermath and the recovery, which was prevalent in RE.TREAT. This collection is consciously less restrictive and more accessible as the healing continues.
Úna Burke - Leather Artisan
Úna Burke is a multi-award winning Luxury Leather Accessories Designer and Artist. Each piece produced in her South London Atelier is crafted entirely by hand using British and Italian Vegetable Tanned leathers, earning the brand the 'Positive Luxury Butterfly Trust Mark'. With her work being concept based there are often human stories behind the designs and influence is taken from psychological, military and medical sources meaning her styles are timeless, elegant and sculptural. These pieces are designed for the discerning customer who appreciates quality and creativity and the brand has developed a strong celebrity following including Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Heidi Klum, Lebanese singer and actress Haifa Wehbe, Taiwanese popstar Elva and fashion icon Daphne Guinness. She has also produced collections and commissions for big name brands such as Joyce, L’Oreal, Unconditional and Fox Network and costumes for film and stage including The Hunger Games and Baroque Opera at Innsbruck Festival of Early Music.
Using traditional leather-working techniques in her distinctly complex constructions, Úna makes both seasonal fashion accessories collections and sculptural art pieces. The accessories collections are stocked worldwide and include handbags, belts, jewellery and abstract body pieces. Meanwhile, the Art pieces are figurative in form and are developed on a commission basis for private art collections, public exhibitions and museum archives. Úna's clients include Phillip Lim, Seoul's Simone Handbag Museum, The National Museum of Ireland and and Nick Knights creative laboratory 'SHOWstudio'.
Studying for her MA in Fashion Artefact at the prestigious Cordwainers College at the London College of Fashion, Úna's graduate collection won the 2009 Design Award for Best Static Collection. She set up her eponymous label in 2010 and went on to win several more national and international awards, including ‘Irish Designer of the Year 2011 and nomination for WGSN’s Global Fashion Awards in New York. Úna‘s work has been exhibited in over twenty countries throughout Europe, Asia, USA and the Middle East. It regularly appears in publications such as Vogue, i-D, Collezioni and Numero.
Now with a wealth of industry experience behind her, Úna has been invited to give talks, leather workshops and work as a visiting lecturer at the RCA, London College of Fashion, NCAD, DeMontfort University, SoFA Design Institue in Manila, Bilgi University in Istanbul and The Trend Boutique Student Conference in London. She also promotes British design on an international platform in collaboration with the British Council and has travelled to the Philippines to judge the 'Look of Style Awards' and has spoken at the international fashion convention 'Fashion Future: Where Business Meets Design' in Turkey.
Critical and Analytical Framework
These are the 5 main areas that your artist research needs to cover:
WHAT TO DO?
1. Read through the written information about Una Burke and highlight the information that you think is the most important.
2. Read through each of the brainstorm boxes and work out were each piece of research best fits.
3. Visit unaburke.com and other websites to find at least two other pieces of her work that you like from other collections and years. Add images of them with names and years.
4. Use the written information about these new pieces and highlight the important parts.
5. Add this research to one of the 5 paragraph boxes.
6. Complete a 1st draft of your essay.
7. Read through carefully; make sure you have included all of the information as well as your own insights into her work.
8. Make improvements as necessary.
9. Credit websites, books or any other places that you used for research.
Tips
1. Refer to the artist as Burke.
2. Each time you discuss a piece of work; write the year after it in brackets i.e. RE. TREAT (2010)
DO NOT:
1. Copy and paste large pieces of information. Write in your own words as much as possible.
2. Make long lists of awards, collections or qualifications.
3. Include any words that you do not understand.
4. Discuss a piece of work without an image to look at.
5. Include images without titles and years.
This process becomes easier the more you do it. If you follow these steps they will support your contextual research during year 12.