HNC’s A Level Textile Design students have recently returned from Venice, where they have explored one the world’s most beautiful cities to inspire their creativity and develop their cultural capital ahead of their final projects.
In A Level Textile Design, students gain inspiration from the world around them, transforming their ideas into fashion and creating garments and pieces that not only showcase their technical skills but also demonstrate their wider understanding of the arts. In this four-day visit to Venice, the group were able to explore the unique architecture and culture of Venice and will use this as inspiration for their final exam pieces. Throughout the trip, students were tasked with documenting their time in Italy through photography and journal entries, and enjoyed a range of cultural and artistic experiences to inspire their future work.
During the visit, the group explored Venice’s iconic architecture and enjoyed visits to world famous landmarks such as Pałaso Dogal (Doge’s Palace), Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square), Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, the Basilica Santa Maria della Salute, and the Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge), the oldest of the four bridges spanning Venice’s Grand Canal. The group also visited the famous islands of Murano and Burano, known for their contributions to the world of glass and lace production respectively, as well as their colourful and unique streets.
As well as spending time exploring Venice’s landmarks and using the Venetian Vaporetto (water bus) to cross the city, the group also enjoyed visiting two of Venice’s galleries, the Ca’ Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art and the Guggenheim, which saw students explore a variety of modern art and world famous artists, from Dali to Jackson Pollock, as well as a special exhibition by Roberto Matta, one of Chile’s best known artists and an influential surrealist. Outside of time spent gaining inspiration for their portfolios, the group also enjoyed soaking up the Italian culture and fashion, as well as eating a range of Italian dishes in authentic local restaurants – and of course, enjoying a gelato or two!
Vicky Close, Faculty Lead Enrich (Art and Media), comments “In A Level Textile Design, students are encouraged to take inspiration from the world around them – and what better place to be inspired than the beautiful city of Venice! Italy is often cited as one of the world’s most fashionable countries, and I know that those who joined us on the trip will use this life-changing opportunity to inform their final projects. It was wonderful to see the group making the most of the experience and enjoy soaking up the Italian culture. I am incredibly proud of our students who truly embodied the College’s values of responsibility, enthusiasm and reflection, and there are already lots of excited conversations taking place in the classroom. I can’t wait to see the influence the trip has on their final pieces”.
Below we share a gallery of the group’s time in Italy.