Mokita 2: The Sentimental Gene

Mokita 2: Sentimentality

Symposium

Tuesday 16^th October

10.00 – 17.00

Portico Rooms 
Somerset House London

Mokita 2: The Sentimental Gene

A one day Symposium Tuesday 16 October 2012

Details & Tickets:

http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/learning/mokita-2-sentimentality-symposium

Mokita’s second illustration forum will explore "The Sentimental Gene" in illustration, covering themes of presence, function, validity, and role of 'sentimentality' as a medium in Illustration.

The idea of sentimentality in visual language is often viewed negatively, whether through the cult of Kawaii (Cute), Character Art, Greetings Cards, Folk Art or Nostalgia, Fantasy Art, Souvenirs, Kitsch and even Hello Kitty. Yet these are all deeply rooted within culture & have mass visual appeal, with ‘retro’ and ‘folk’ particularly emerging as recurring themes in many contemporary illustrator’s work. Mokita will be ideal for students, practitioners and professionals involved in illustration. The fee includes lunch and refreshments.

Speakers include:

-Rob Ryan
-Sanna Annukka

-Jasper Goodall

-Jonny Hannah

-John O"Reilly, Editor of Varoom Magazine

-Laura Carlin

Organised by:

University of Brighton

Camberwell College of Arts, University of the Arts London

Kingston University London

Peepshow Collective interviewed by It's Nice That

Peepshow Collective interviewed by It's Nice That:

http://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/peepshow-collective

A Future of Illustration.

As part of an AOI Master Class workshop delivered with the Illustrator Holly Wales we discussed the future possibilities for Illustration including self-publishing, art-direction, moving image, animation, & set design. 

Photographs taken from Amon Tobin's ISAM tour.

Illustrator as Author: Presentation Images #3

Drawings by the artist Donald Urquhart who illustrated the book Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray published by Four Corners Books.

Illustrator as Author: Presentation Images #2

James Pyman's illustrated version of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Designed by John Morgan & published by Four Corners Books. 

During the discussion with Luke Best we defined the difference between self-authored work, exploring sequential or narrative forms, and self-promotional work, usually creating product in the form of t-shirts, tote bags, surface decoration... 

Self-authored work is not simply personal work done outside of the commissioning process but has a defined context. It is where the illustrator can bring into focus their own subject matter/content. Today with the means of reproduction more widely available (in the form of small publishers such as Nieves Books, Nobrow, Landfill Editions, Ditto Press...) there are opportunities for illustrators to explore content within their practice.

Illustrator as Author: Presentation Images

During the onstage discussion between Roderick Mills & Luke Best at the first Mokita event a rolling slide presentation featured
the Swedish artist Jockum Nordström.