NUA Awards

The second project within the St James Mill Collection is the NUA Awards. Since 2010 three awards have been made. Each involved students from across two different courses at Norwich University of the Arts working together to create proposals against a given brief for an area on the St James Place site. The proposals were judged by a selection panel including the Principal of NUA, Professor John Last, a representative from Arts & Business, a lead artist, Caroline Jarrold from Jarrold and other representatives from the local art community and Jarrold. The winning project was then made with support from NUA staff and the lead artist. The three projects were as follows:

Font 2012

NUCA 2012

The third Jarrold NUA award was unveiled on 30th May 2012. It was produced by Beka Wakefield, Katy Carson and Louise Ward, year 2 textile and surface design students. The theme reflects the heritage of the company through the use of ‘found’ materials which relate to its development from an early printing company to the use of computers today. These are put together in the form of ‘cogs’ set within a resin base. Jarrolds have been delighted to work with NUA to give these students (and the other teams which made submissions) the opportunity to work on a real commission. There is also a very striking video which was part of their presentation, watch it on youtube.

Font 2011

NUCA 2011

For the 2011 award, the brief was to respond to the theme Baskerville. The Baskerville typeface takes its name from John Baskerville (1706 – 1775) the pioneering printer who revolutionised the printing process. It was designed in Birmingham in 1757. The winning team were BA(Hons) Visual Studies students Tessa Phillips and Rachel Hadjiphilippou.

Their design was inspired by the riverside setting and draws the passers-by in through a sculpture that invites speculation about the boundaries between appearance and reality. The sculpture is a glass pool with an extract from Paradise Lost etched below the surface of the glass. Paradise Lost was the first book to be printed using the Baskerville font.

Font 2010

NUCA 2010

The artwork was to explore the specific theme ‘Bembo’ – this is the font used in the Jarrold logo. The winning entry was ‘Yes’ by Jessica Miles, George Payne and Kate Murphy.

About the work

Taking the elegant characteristics and delicate aesthetic of Bembo as a starting point for the sculpture, this work reveals and celebrates the formal qualities of the typeface itself.

A selection of letterforms, carefully selected to show off Bembo’s distinguishing characteristics and cut from steel are arranged to spell out ‘yes’ – a work of playful positivity that knowingly considers the role of the corporate and public artwork.

The work is a genuine celebration of the craftsmanship of the compositor and a homage to the intrinsic beauty of the typeface.

Inspired by the wealth of information found within the John Jarrold Print Museum, the work relocates the spirit of the museum to the exterior site, connecting the public space to the rich history of St James Place.