Making a start in art

On the Town: The work of this year's 110 arts graduates from the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) was put on display this…

On the Town: The work of this year's 110 arts graduates from the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) was put on display this week at the Civic Offices in Dublin.

"This marks the beginning of a new stage of life for our students," John O'Connor, head of DIT's School of Arts, Design and Printing, told students, parents and friends at the opening ceremony.

"The end-of-year show is essentially the first public statement of your professional lives . . . This gives us in the school an opportunity to celebrate the success of our students. This is the third year we've held this special event."

Among the students who attended the opening were interior design graduates Leona Brolan, Linda McManus and Tara Daly.

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Also present were graduates receiving prizes in recognition of their work, including Karl Toomey (best visual communication student), David McCormack (best use of multimedia in visual communication and best thesis in visual communication), and Jennifer Chan (best thesis in interior and furniture design).

The DIT Arts Graduate Exhibition, which is on view at a number of venues around the city, includes work from graduates of interior design, furniture design, photography, fine art, sculpture, music, music performance, film and display design, media production and media arts.

Two former DIT students, Father Ted co-writer Arthur Mathews and writer Michael Nugent, were invited to address the students.

"Since I left college I can honestly say I've learned nothing about life. I haven't a clue about anything, I have no wisdom about life, and I really shouldn't be here," Mathews told the graduates with a distinct glint in his eye. Nugent's advice, meanwhile, was: "If you want to be known for your best work, then always produce much more than you will use." He added that "getting paid" was always most difficult part when he started.