UAL: Central Saint Martins Fine Art 2025
I attended CSM having come straight from Battersea and after 5 minutes I texted a friend: “I’m only in the first two fine art rooms and it’s already way better than RCA as a show. Some of the art is shite, but at least there’s room to appreciate it.”
Is it unfair to compare the art school degree shows? No, and judging by the positive improvements I’ve seen CSM implement over the last few years it’s clear that someone in their fine art department has been watching the competition. Each of the students has been given ample space to show multiple works, and it’s clear that the pairings and placement in many of the rooms had been thoughtfully curated. There are even supplemental write-ups (some lovely printed editions, others via QR code) that provide thorough details about the artists and their practice.
As for the work? Oh my… What fun! It was such a joy to view so many works that found a way to be serious without being po faced. A few artists clearly went all in on whimsy or shock factor, but for the most part what I saw was a cohort of artists who appreciate that a subtle, light-touch sense of amusement is often the best way to both lure someone in and keep them engaged.
As for that crass comment about quality I texted to my friend, you can’t avoid the fact that at CSM there are noticeably larger gaps between good and great. There’s even a few works that will make you wonder if some of the artists should be made to repeat a year. But seeing a wide range of talent and technical skill is all part of the enjoyment, and hopefully a helpful experience for everyone that has placed work in the show.
Here are the artists that caught my eye:
Scarlett Brown (@scarleyyy.brown)
Shirley Fu (@shazart101)
Arlin Leipold (@ayttacke)
Dalia Halwani (@dxlixhxl)
Mayan Zucker (@mayanzuckerart)
Quinnely Rose (@quinn_ly)
Zack Miller (@zackmiller_dp)
Zena Harper (@zenaharper__)
Rosa Madsen (@sugarspikegirls)
Kana Kimura-Dickinson (@kana_kimura_dickinson_art)
Jiyuan Xing (@jiyuan_xing_april)
Plan your visit
‘Central Saint Martins Shows 2025’ runs 17-22 June 2025.
Visit the official site and follow @unioftheartslondon on Instagram for more info about the venue.
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