Yesterday we scooted our little Kennington legs over to City and Guilds to catch the preview of their mighty MA show. We highly recommend it but please be forewarned that it is huge. And we’re talking ‘take a pack lunch as you might get lost and hungry’ huge and is set over four floors of their atmospheric Georgian buildings.

The MA degree show showcases the work of 31 artists and is staged across the school. The artists embrace mediums from oils and acrylics to applied art, sculpture, textiles, and even, err….pickled things. Most of the artists are present to explain their work and, failing that, there are useful viewing notes that describe their sometimes curious approach to their craft. And     most of the work on display is also for sale.

It’s difficult to ascertain an overall theme to this year’s show, but recurrent themes seem to be about isolation, technology and alienation. Having said that, there is a pervasive theme of playfulness and frivolity in many of the works. If you want to encounter real, hands on work in progress there is an artist creating textiles and is happy to discuss her work with you. Also, in the ‘historic carving’ area you can have a chat with Taku Obata and watch him hard at work creating sculptures in wood. And this might be your only chance in life to meet a Japanese sculptor/break dancer/hip hop artist.

Top tip – If your other half is looking puzzled at any point and says ‘what the hell am I looking at’, look them square in the face and say ‘It’s about IDENTITY’. If they reply ‘no it isn’t’, then say ‘it’s about MEMORY’. It works every time.

City and Guilds is on Kennington Park Road and the entrance is on the side next to Cleaver Square. The hours are

Tuesday, 10 Sept  to Sunday, 15 September    12 – 5.