WEST DEAN COLLEGE OF ARTS & CONSERVATION SCHOOL OF ARTS

MODULE LEADER/LECTURER MEDAL PROJECT

STEFANO SANTILLI

LECTURER AND CASTING

STEPHEN COLES OF COLES CASTING

HELENKA BODEN The Gogglebox

‘Having previously worked in the television production industry, I decided to explore my personal story and design a medal reflecting on the evolution of television. My medal illustrates the contrasting experiences of people viewing historical events in the past, compared with the present day, whether it is the size of the device itself or the proximity and relationship of the people watching the same footage, or even where these events were viewed. At first, televisions were expensive and few families could afford them, so everyone gathered in one house to watch black and white images on the small screen. Now hand-held devices are in full colour giving people around the world the chance to stream and view live events “on the go”.’ This medal received a Merit.

KATHERINE HERNON-JOHNSON It’s a Cycle

‘The medal comes from the idea of plant symbolism and the continuous cycle of life: birth, death and rebirth, either literally or metaphorically. The plants depicted on the medal represent an aspect of this medal. Ivy represents man’s sojourning journey through life; yew is associated with death and immortality; birch represents new life. The ivy leaves are present on both sides, to indicate the moving through these stages. In addition, their Ogham alphabet symbols are present to show the link from past to present.’

RICHARD MOSS Time is Fleeting

‘My medal is a reflection on the idea that many old things are becoming lost to the newer methods, be that skills such as clockmaking, which I studied and is on the endangered crafts list, or the memories and history of the past. On one side of my medal is the front of a Japanese clock; the Japanese were the last to use an old method of timekeeping, where daylight is divided evenly into sections. The reverse is the back of a French clock movement made around the same century as when the Japanese changed to what was used in the Western world. All of this together represents how old methods die to make way for the new, and sometimes better methods, however also becoming forgotten along the way.’

ELIZA ROSE SMITH Lumber Jills

‘My medal is a celebratory moment dedicated to the Women’s Timber Corps of the Second World War, better known as the Lumber Jills. Far less known than the Land Girls, I felt this courageous and industrious organisation needed their own commemorative medal, as acknowledgement and gratitude. At its peak in 1943 there were around 13,000 women taking part in this difficult and dangerous work, previously only undertaken by a male workforce. The strong silhouette of the woman on the front of the medal highlights how these women shone in the face of adversity. On the reverse we see a simple pile of logs, each log representing the life of the workers. Rural vernacular culture is fascinating.’