17 Oct 2012

Yinka Shonibare MBE to give inaugural Royal College of Art/Outset Visual Cultures Lecture

The Royal College of Art School of Fine Art is to launch a new public talk series with an inaugural lecture given by Yinka Shonibare MBE. The Visual Cultures Lecture Series is organised by Professor Ute Meta Bauer, Dean of the School of Fine Art with the support of the Outset Contemporary Art Fund and will run throughout the academic year 2012/2013. Under the title 'Current Modes of Artistic Production', six eminent artists will investigate existing structures, conditions and economies that contribute to the production, circulation and reception of their work through in-depth focus on a specific project. As the series aims to give an insight into the complex fabric of artistic production, the invited artists will together provide a critical overview of what it means to work as an artist today.

'Yinka became an Honorary fellow of the RCA in 2010 and has this year been appointed as the School's first Visiting Professor of Fine Art, providing inspiration and guidance to all of our students, who are gathered together in same location for the first time on the College's history' said Dean of the School of Fine Art Professor Ute Meta Bauer. 'We are therefore doubly delighted that he has agreed to give the inaugural RCA/Outset Visual Culture lecture.'

Yinka Shonibare is well known for his exploration of colonialism and post-colonial debates within the contemporary context of globalisation through a range of classical artistic media spanning painting, sculpture, and photography. His practice also encompasses spatial intervention, film production and costume design. Shonibare was a Turner prize nominee in 2004 and in 2005, he was awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. His work has been presented at Documenta11 and at the Venice Art Biennale as well as in numerous leading art museums around the globe.

Outset Contemporary Art Fund was founded in 2003 as a philanthropic organisation dedicated to supporting new art. The charitable foundation focuses on bringing private funding from its supporters and trustees to public museums, galleries, and art projects. Since its inception, Outset has supported leading visual arts institutions with capital campaigns, education, outreach and programming needs and donated nearly one hundred works of challenging contemporary art to public institutions across Britain and abroad. Outset has a range of programmes, enabling supporters to direct their patronage to different areas of interest.www.outset.org.uk

The RCA/Outset Visual Cultures Lectures will take place throughout the academic year at the recently inaugurated Dyson Building, in its state-of-the-art lecture theatre.

A series welcome will be given by Candida Gertler, co-founder of Outset and Dr Paul Thompson, Rector of the RCA, will open the event.

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