Vertical Gallery

During our student’s final year, by means of an open call, we invite proposals for the Benzie Vertical Gallery space. The Gallery is situated at the entrance to the School of Art’s Benzie building and is a vast space comprising of wood, metal, glass and concrete, with large walls, platforms and intricate walkways.

As the space is so visually demanding, students are encouraged to be ambitious and further develop their work for the space. The philosophy of this exhibit is simply to enable students to propose, pitch and create work in a competitive commission process. As well as writing the proposal, students also deliver a presentation to a panel and beyond this, if successful, the students will work closely with the gallery team until opening night. This opportunity also comes with financial support to enable our students to create ambitious commissions should their proposal be successful.

We aim to represent all of the courses within the Manchester School of Art family, including; Manchester Fashion Institute and Manchester School of Architecture. Only then are our visitors able to see the breadth of the disciplines that make up our community and the exciting practices and collaborations forming within them.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, we paused the process in its first stages. This area features the work from those students who made proposals at that first stage. Whilst it’s not wholly representative of our wider courses, the work that has been created during isolation is too good not to be featured. Students have used any means available them to create their work, and like many of the students across the UK, they have overcome these challenges creatively.

These and all of our students have worked incredibly hard, they have displayed resilience and professionalism, and we are proud to have worked with them during these challenging times.

Tom Gladstone

Tom Gladstone

In my practice I aim to create ethical design that is calming and has a positive impact on our lives. My current project is a collection of individual aroma diffuser …

Sophie Vickers

Sophie Vickers

My third-year project Buko’s World has been based in exploring the use of hand drawn illustration within immersive technologies. Buko’s World began with a drawing of an alien monkey baby …

Sophie Jarvie

Sophie Jarvie

The overarching theme for my work relates to interaction and immersion, ideas that rely on the senses and space. With the effects of lockdown, I have learnt to play with …

Molly Swann

Molly Swann

Hello my name is Molly, I am a final year 3D Design student. In this video I’ll tell you more about me and my practice. In this video I will …

Nadire Gokmen

Nadire Gokmen

Fascinated by both materials and surface, my process led practice is inspired by observations of our man made, material environment. The urban landscape is simultaneously dotted with traces of our …

Jack Tibbits

Jack Tibbits

My name is Jack, I am a Designer/Maker and I have made a video to tell you more about me and my practice, and I discuss the work I am …

Melissa Daniel

Melissa Daniel

My name is Melissa Daniel. I am a Designer/Maker whose practice is driven by sustainability. I am graduating from Three Dimensional Design and starting my own business: MAD Sustainable Design. I …

Ben Heyes

Ben Heyes

Hi, I am Ben and I am graduating from Photography. Watch my video to get a visual representation of what the sculpture will look like. The lighting will be replaced …

Josie Hunt

Josie Hunt

My name is Josie Hunt. I am graduating from the BA (Hons) Photography course at Manchester School of Art. My practice focuses on human interaction and communication. Take a look …

Hannah Gell

Hannah Gell

Hi I’m Hannah Gell I am a mixed media designer-maker and creator of Hanmade.Creations. I have made a film to showcase not only my practice and my ongoing portfolio, but …

Emma Bradburn

Emma Bradburn

Specialising in hot glass, I experiment with how layers and textures interact with each other and how these changes can happen within the making process. Using the idea of inlaying …

Jody Woodhouse

Jody Woodhouse

I’m a final year student of Illustration with Animation. In this video which I have illustrated and animated,  I explain in depth about my project which I proposed for the …

Emily Lovett

Emily Lovett

I’m a mixed-media craft maker with a focus on metal; particularly pewter in my past few projects. I hoped to broaden peoples’ understandings and expectations of the over-looked material, by …

Duggie Dundas

Duggie Dundas

With the aid of electronic components and digital manufacturing techniques, Duggie Dundas is a designer and new media artist who creates machines and devices. As well as using design to …

Ellie Wain

Ellie Wain

In this video I tell you more about me, my practice and my work which I proposed for the Vertical Gallery commission.

Annie Crowe

Annie Crowe

I am a craft maker specialising in ceramics with a focus on wheel thrown sculptural objects and glaze development. My practice is fuelled by my interest in the natural landscape and the textural qualities within it. …

Ameerah Dawood

Ameerah Dawood

There is a reason we feel so at peace around nature, it is because we are a part of it. This is a belief that has always influenced my art.  Over …