Flash Factory
Students and academics from The Cass led a series of workshops as part of London Metropolitan University's flockOmania Flash Factory event.
On 18 January 40 guests took part in a series of workshops led by students from The Cass, offering participants an exciting and playful look at jewellery. The activities showcased the range of disciplines offered by The Cass, including design, textiles and jewellery.
Participants collaborated to make a ‘necklace for a skyscraper’, which is now on show as a window display at Central House.
The workshops included giant link making, hot metal casting, using polymorphic plastic, making charms for giant jewellery and hat making.
The day culminated with a visit to flockOmania, an exhibition by Cass Alumna Zoe Robertson currently on display at The Cass Bank Gallery. Using theatrically-sized jewellery flockOmania explores the relationship between jewellery and performance and blurs the lines between these two apparently unrelated worlds through the use of sound, film, dance and photography.
As well as developing a range of artistic skills and experience to add to their repertoire, Flash Factory visitors were also able to meet current undergraduates to find out more about studying at university. One participant said: "I enjoyed the freedom to work with different materials and to work as part of a team to create a bigger project."
Marianne Forrest, who leads 3D Design at The Cass, said: “Our visitors had a great time playing with different processes to create a really wonderful necklace for a skyscraper. The students from The Cass who were running the workshops were really pleased to take part and it adds to their skills and preparation for the world of work.
“We are always pleased to welcome visitors and often run events like this to introduce new audiences to the fabulous courses we have on offer!”
The Flash Factory was organised in collaboration with the Community, Outreach and Events team, who provide support to schools, colleges and adult learners through outreach activities and programmes, and London Met's Student Ambassadors.
A short film on the workshops is available to view on YouTube.