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Embrace the spirit of the Avant Garde

British Library challenges postgraduate creatives to 'break the rules'

Inspired by major figures in the European Avant Garde, could you design work for an area of public display in the British Library? Can you demonstrate how the spirit of the European Avant Garde has influenced your own work in a creative design field?

The British Library has launched an exciting new competition for postgraduate design students to coincide with its exhibition ‘Breaking the Rules: The Printed Face of the European Avant Garde 1900-1937.’

From 1900 – 1937 the European Avant Garde embraced the spirit of revolt, challenge and change brought about by industrialisation and the decline of traditional hierarchies, particularly after the 1914 – 1918 war. In this way, Avant Garde represents a pushing back of the boundaries of what is acceptable as the cultural norm in society.

The British Library challenges postgraduate students to design a piece of work which embraces the spirit of the European Avant Garde, exploring whether its philosophy is relevant to them and the world today. The winning entry will be displayed at the British Library in the Shop window, facing the piazza and showcased on the British Library website. The deadline is Friday 9 November 2007

The winner will be decided by a panel of experts including graphic designer Peter Saville, author Charles Leadbeater, Phil Baines, Professor of typography at Central St Martins College of Art and Design, Madeleine Holt, Culture Correspondent, Newsnight and Caryl Harris, Creativeinterpartners.

  • Entries of the proposed design for the space can be submitted in any creative medium from photography, typography, painting, illustration to digital media.
  • Students can submit photos of an existing piece of their work which they feel has been inspired by the spirit of the Avant Garde, and will fit within the designated space, such as a painting or photograph.
  • They can also submit a plan for a new piece of design work to be built specially for the space. This may be more suitable for students studying graphic design or exhibition design.

At the launch debate for the competition, Are there any rules left to break?,
Dr Joanna Newman, Strategic Partnerships Manager at the British Library, said: This is a great opportunity for students to gain experience of producing a design according to a challenging brief, and gives us the opportunity to highlight the fantastic resources that the Library has for the creative industries.

Graphic Designer Peter Saville said ”I am anticipating interesting responses to how we might understand an avant garde now.”

For further details on how to enter and full terms and conditions please go to http://www.bl.uk/breakingtherules

For further information, contact Catriona Finlayson at the British Library Press Office: +44 (0)20 7412 7115 or catriona.finlayson@bl.uk

Notes for Editors

The competition is supported by CreateKX, University College for the Creative Arts (UCCA), Central St Martins, University of the Arts London, and the London Design Festival.

Embracing the Spirit of the Avant Garde Competition
The British Library Exhibition Team has set aside a budget of up to £3,000 to build the winning entry: this will need to cover all building material and any other related costs. Students will need to take this into account.

  • The competition is open to postgraduate student studying in a creative design field and who are resident in the UK.
  • The design needs to fit in a display area which measures 3430mm wide x 1800mm height x 700mm depth
  • Entries must be sent in the following format: A2 boards (maximum of 4) to show development, final concept and designs. Models of mock ups can be submitted as photographs or print-outs mounted on an A2 board (this can be in addition to the 4 design boards – 3D work should not be submitted at this stage.
  • A short typewritten text (maximum 500 words) expressing ideas from initial research to design including information on materials to be used and full costings. The Library may use this text for the winning entry as part of the final display, as background information to the work.
  • The judges’ decision is final
  • The closing date for entries is Friday 9 November
  • Full terms and conditions are available on the British Library website

The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world’s greatest research libraries. It provides world class information services to the academic, business, research and scientific communities and offers unparalleled access to the world’s largest and most comprehensive research collection. The Library’s collection has developed over 250 years and exceeds 150 million separate items representing every age of written civilisation. It includes: books, journals, manuscripts, maps, stamps, music, patents, newspapers and sound recordings in all written and spoken languages. Further information is available on the British Library’s website at www.bl.uk.