| Description | Interview with Andrew Younger, alumnus of London College of Communications.
The interview can be accessed in QuickTime Movie and Waveform Audio formats.
Interview description:
Audio 1 [00:00] Andrew Younger; alumnus of London College of Printing (LCP); began studies in around 1969; studied foundation course at High Wickham College; process of application to LCP; studying on a grant, sorting out finances to study; offered place on diploma in Typographic Design. [05:30] Attraction to and interest in graphic design; attitudes to art and further education from family and college; designers as communicators and commercial artists. [10:04] Father’s background in military and getting into litho printing trade; development of printing industry, commercial companies and publications. [13:21] Reputation of LCP; working as a commercial artist; attraction to graphic design; education giving sense of history and background to graphic design; teaching staff at LCP. [18:07] First impressions of the college, brand new buildings; impressions of the Elephant and Castle area; sense of the building as a working environment; Gibraltar pub as a meeting place for students and tutors; joining students’ union. [22:31] Teaching; liberal studies tutor; practical and theoretical teaching; encouragement of interdisciplinary learning; challenges of studying, non-completion of courses. [28:17] St Bride Printing Library; working in the community, people and places; social deprivation in the area and reacting to that in work; social contract, designing to help/ improve society; social projects at the college involving local community; diverse group of students. [37:46] Diploma in Typographic Design; practical strengths of the course; collaborations with companies, freelance work; day-to-day study, structure and learning; college football team; pressure to produce work, time-management. [46:41] Friendships at LCP and with South Bank College; attending theatre workshop; raising money for gigs, including King Crimson and Velvet Underground; staff supporting students; social life within the college environment; living arrangements. [52:46] Description of LCP buildings at time of studying; ‘Onion Factory’ annexe building at LCP, workshop spaces; tower block and workshop block, using those spaces as a student; printing students and printing industry educations initiatives; relations between students on different courses; gender politics. [01:03:52] Memories of Tom Eckersley; descriptions of other tutors varying styles of teaching and skillsets, including - George Adams, Richard Eckersley, Alan Bartram, Fred Lambert, David Lock. [01:15:06] Impressions of other Arts colleges in London at time of studying; competition between Art schools; strengths and specialisms of other Art schools; companies employing graduates; LCP reputation, helped to find employment. [01:22:40] Graduating from LCP; connections from college to gain employment; starting own business and using connections from LCP to find staff. [01:26:15] Teaching at LCP in 1980s; personal situation that lead to teaching; learning to use Apple computers; experience of teaching, not being suited; opinions on the demise of the graphic design industry; student training less focused on the practical; development of new LCC site, importance of having a south London communication hub. [01:40:20] Opinions that LCC is no longer a stand-out college; opinions on what LCC offered students, weaknesses; ethos of LCC, reasoning and meaning for work; collaborative working. [01:53:20] LCC’s need to analyse graduates and impact on the industry; education as of key importance, and way that education is used; graphic design purpose of improving people’s lives. [01:57:30] |