Untitled 10

Latest News

‘Beyond What We Know’ – Part of our Inaugural Lecture & Exhibition series

‘Beyond What We Know’ celebrates the contributions of Paul Fieldsend-Danks and Stephen Felmingham to artistic and educational discourse across intersecting careers for more than 20 years.
<p>‘Beyond What We Know’, part of Arts University Plymouth's Inaugural Lecture &amp; Exhibition series, was an exhibition held in MIRROR, presenting the work of <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/people/paul-fieldsend-danks">Paul Fieldsend-Danks</a> and <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/people/dr-stephen-felmingham">Stephen Felmingham</a>, celebrating their contributions to artistic and educational discourse both at Arts University Plymouth and the wider national and international field. </p> <p>The event, which presented a dialogue with and through the arts, marked the conferment of professorships to Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Paul Fieldsend-Danks, Professor of Fine Arts Education, and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Stephen Felmingham, Professor of Artistic Research.</p> <p>The exhibition title reflects their view of artistic practice and learning as fluid, unfixed processes and a space of ‘not knowing’. Both artists see creation and teaching as evolving traditions, inspired by figures such as Richard Hamilton, Joseph Beuys, and Roger Ackling. ‘Beyond What We Know’ offers a glimpse into the work of Paul and Stephen, hinting perhaps at ideas beyond their shared knowledge.</p>
Untitled
Untitled 6
Untitled 7
Untitled 10
Untitled 3
Untitled 12
Untitled 2
Untitled 5
Untitled 8
Untitled 9

The opening of 'Beyond What We Know', December 2024

<p dir="ltr"><strong>A convergence of art and creative pedagogy</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">For more than 20 years, Paul and Stephen have intersected as artists and educators, engaging in a dialogue about contemporary drawing and the pedagogies of the Art School. Since 2000, they have consistently crossed professional paths through group exhibitions, academic journals, conferences, and teaching in specialist arts higher education.</p> <p dir="ltr">Their careers converged again at Arts University Plymouth: Stephen joined as Course Leader for BA (Hons) Painting, Drawing &amp; Printmaking in 2013, and Paul joined as Associate Dean in 2016. Their shared commitment to creative arts pedagogy was articulated earlier this year through the conception and creation of Teaching for our Time.</p> <p dir="ltr">Representing Arts University Plymouth’s pedagogical principles, Teaching for our Time is a key tenet of the University’s <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/strategic-plan">Strategic Plan to 2030</a> and a distinctive proposition within the landscape of creative higher education worldwide.<br /></p>

Professor Stephen Felmingham | 'Drawing On Common Sense' | Inaugural Lecture 03

<p><strong>'Drawing On Common Sense'</strong></p> <p>As part of ‘Beyond What We Know’, Stephen Felmingham gave a public professorial lecture in the Arts University Plymouth Students’ Union, titled ‘Drawing on Common Sense’. This was the third in Arts University Plymouth's series of Inaugural Lecture series.</p>
We stimulate and excite ourselves with media and technology, to extend our sensory capabilities through our technologies, but what we have as human beings is exponentially more exciting and interesting than anything we can invent.
– Professor Stephen Felmingham
<p>Throughout his teaching and his drawing research Stephen has been fascinated by everyday acts of seeing, speaking and writing, and the potential they hold for deeper meaning, both for creativity and for understanding outside of the narrow confines of our perceptions. His lecture told the story of his research and the implications for human creative potential in our technological age.</p>
Untitled 4
<p><strong>Professor Paul Fieldsend-Danks' Inaugural Exhibition</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Professor Paul Fieldsend-Danks, an artist and educator, is the first Vice-Chancellor of Arts University Plymouth, where he led the institution’s transition to university status. Currently a Professor of Fine Arts Education, an RSA Fellow, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Paul joined the UK Council of Creative UK in 2023, and was elected as Chair of GuildHE’s UKADIA in 2024. He serves on the Plymouth Growth Board, Destination Plymouth, and advisory panels supporting creative industries in the Great South West.</p> <p dir="ltr">Paul’s research includes both practice-based and pedagogic strands of inquiry. He is interested in the production of artefacts within an expanded field of contemporary drawing practice and the discourses that inform new perspectives on creative learning in art and design higher education. Paul has exhibited his work in the UK, Australia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Spain, and Switzerland, with works in both public and private collections.</p> <p dir="ltr">As an academic, Paul is currently on the editorial board for the international journal 'Drawing: Research, Theory, Practice', published by Intellect, and was previously a co-director of the international drawing visualization and research journal 'Tracey', published by Loughborough University (2011-2014). Paul regularly contributes to academic peer reviews, including 'Making Futures', 'The Journal of Visual Arts Practice', and book reviews for Bloomsbury Publishing and Intellect Books.</p> <p dir="ltr">For 'Beyond What We Know', Paul created several new art works that provided a continued dialogue with themes previously explored throughout his career, including our relationship to landscape and the lost narratives embedded in place.<br /></p>
Untitled 3

'Beyond What We Know', installation view, MIRROR (2024)

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Arts University Plymouth's Inaugural Lecture &amp; Exhibition series</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">This public series of lectures, exhibitions and events is designed to celebrate the significant milestone of a member of the Arts University Plymouth community achieving the title of Professor.</p> <p>Previous professorial lectures in the series at Arts University Plymouth include <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/on-making-learning-as-artefact-professor-andrew-brewerton">'On Making: Learning as Artefact'</a> by Andrew Brewerton, Professor Emeritus, and <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/an-occult-avantgarde-professor-judith-noble-to-lecture-on-filmmakers-maya-deren-and-kenneth-anger">‘An Occult Avantgarde: Maya Deren and Kenneth Anger - Magic, sexuality, gender and transcendence’</a>, by Judith Noble, Professor of Film &amp; the Occult.</p>