The Surrey Institute of Art and Design University College
The Textural Space project has been originated through The Surrey Institute of Art and Design University College.
The Institute is one of the largest centres for Art, Design, Media and Communications studies in Europe. As a specialist Higher Education Institute it delivers all levels of courses from further education and access programmes to degree, postgraduate and research studies.
The Institute has both a strong regional commitment to the South East of England and a strong commitment to international links with more than 26 nationalities represented within its 3000+ student community.
The Institute has particular and developing links with Japan. For a number of years it has maintained an active postgraduate exchange programme with the Okinawa Prefectural University of the Arts (OPUA) and maintains an office in Nagoya for Japanese contacts (paultaylor@hkg.ne.jp)
The Textile programme in the Faculty of Design also has a strong track record of organising cultural and contemporary exhibitions of world textiles. These recently have included Maio Textiles from China and an exhibition of double ikat weavings from Telia Rumal in India.
The Faculty of Design is also home to the Crafts Study Centre, an established collection of 20th century crafts including an extensive collection of textiles and ceramics (Rie, Leach).
The Study Centre, which is in the process of transferring to new buildings, through its collection also has links with Japan.
TEXTURAL SPACE brings together these interests to introduce to the UK and to our students the excellence of Japanese contemporary textiles and to support our developing relationship with Japanese artists and institutions.
The Curator, Lesley Millar, is currently a researcher and lecturer at the Institute.
For further information about the work of the Faculty of Design please contact the faculty registrar, Michele Maher at mmaher@surrart.ac.uk
