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Hedley Roberts

Head of Art & Design University of East London

hedley roberts' home page

Dr. Hedley Roberts   HEAD OF ART & DESIGN UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON

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skype: Hedley Roberts

Dr Hedley Roberts has been an academic in Art & Design at the University of East London since 2005. Prior to this he was Senior Lecturer in Digital Arts at the University of West London for six years. He has lectured in Fine Art and Graphics in many UK institutions since 1996, including the Royal College of Art, Central Saint Martins College of Art, Camberwell College of Arts, Middlesex University, Hertfordshire University, Lincoln University, Kingston University, Coventry University, North Oxfordshire College and School of Art and Lewisham College. 

Dr. Hedley Roberts lives and works in London.  He is a graduate of Central Saint Martins BA Fine Art and the Royal College of Art MA Fine Art Printmaking, and also has a Doctorate in Fine Art from the Univesity of East London. He has been a Royal College of Art Fine Art Fellow and a Stanley Picker Fellow at Kingston University. He has worked for 20 years in Higher Education and is currently Head of Art & Design at the University of East London. He runs a number of artists Residency projects, including 'Directional Forces' which has has taken place in Germany, Serbia, Italy and Greece and involved over 60 artists since 2011. Solo exhibitions include 'Hedley Roberts', Wolo Gallery, Kuala Lumpur (2014), and 'The Lovers', Herrick Gallery, London (2014). Recent group exhibitions include Pravac Sila, Ozone Belgrade, Serbia (2014); Factual Nonsense, Red Gallery, London (2014) and Sunday in the Park With Ed, Display Gallery, London (2014).

Dr.  Roberts says he mostly thinks about "love, love lost and love lamented" when he's making art and that he's looking for "satiation... but only finds adolescent anxiety, emotional crisis and a broken heart in romantic ideals". . The pathos in his expressive figurative paintings and video installations often seem to consider our search for completeness, our desire for connectedness; our longing to fit, blend, merge or wed another. He says his practice is influenced by Roland Barthes’ 'A Lover’s Discourse', some of the work of Merleau-Ponty, hollywood love films, narratives of popular music, garments and fashion, and visual trends in social media blogging cultures. More recently, he's been thinking about Simon Blackburn's notion of 'Hobbesian Unity', 'mutual give and take' and reciprocal actions in 'lust/love'. His work has been presented nationally and internationally including at the International Symposium of Electronic Arts Japan, Superdeluxe Gallery Tokyo Japan, Artoll Germany, Annexe Gallery Malaysia, Nanyang Academy of Fine Art Singapore, Susak Biennual Croatia, Ozone Belgrade, APT London and Vyner Street Gallery London. His work is in several private collections in the UK, Europe and South East Asia.

Dr. Roberts born in Germany in 1972 in a British Forces Services Hospital. He grew up with his Cornish family in East Cornwall and was the first of his family to attend further and higher education. He first went to Plymouth College of Art saturday art school at the age of fifteen. From there, he attended Falmouth School of Art Foundation, then Central Saint Martins BA Fine Art Printmaking & Photomedia studying under David Gluck, Mike Peel, Norman Ackroyd and Helen Chadwick. At Central Saint Martins he won a travel scholarship to study at the School of Visual Art, New York. After graduating from Central Saint Martins in 1996, Hedley studied MA Printmaking at the Royal College of Art under Tim Mara, Alf Dunn and Nigel Rolfe. At Royal College of Art he won a scholarship residency at the Cultural Palace of Asilah, Morroco. Following his MA, he was awarded a Stanley Picker Fellowship Artist in Residence at Kingston University in 1997 and then two successive Artist in Residence fellowships at the Royal College of Art in 1998 and 1999.

Between 1996 and 2000 Hedley Roberts lectured in art and design practice at a variety of further and higher education instituions including Central Saint Martins, Camberwell College of Arts, The Royal College of Art, Hertfordshire University, North Oxfordshire College, Lewisham College, Kent Institute of Art and Design and Middlesex University. In 2000 he undertook a full time role as Senior Lecturer at the University of West London on an innovative Digital Arts programme, where he was co-investigator on a AHRC research project to propose a 'conscious artwork' with the international artist, James Coupe.

In 2005 Hedley Roberts moved to the University of East London, where he is Head of Art and Design. Between 2002 and 2007,  concentrated on developing learning and teaching practice and policy in higher education, leading to a Teaching Fellowship at the University of East London and Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. In 2014, he joined the Executive Committe for Higher Education in Art and Design in the UK. 

In 2008, after a break in his art practice, Hedley Roberts returned to the studio and began painting, and through this, registered for a Professional Doctorate in Fine Art. In 2012 he completed his Doctorate "Love and Other Stories; Kissing, Inbetweenness and Mutual Give and Take" at the University of East London, supervised by Geoff Brunell and Lee Maelzer, and examined by Peter Suchin, Terry Shave and Tim Allen. 

During the period of his Doctorate Hedley Roberts established Directional Forces, a residency programme that runs annually in Artoll, Bedburgh-Hau Germany, a celebrated arts centre located in a psychiatric clinic town near to the birth place of the artist Joseph Beuys . This annual programme places practicing artists and UEL Professional Doctorate in Fine Art students into an intense two week residency in an open studio complex. The artists work, eat and live in the accomodation and are tasked with producing a new body of work during their time there. The programme is designed to enable the studio environment to provide a mentorship experience at the highest level of Fine Art study. Artists have included Cedric Christie, Ivan Lam, John Stephens, Tracey Moberly, John Stephens and Slobodan Trajkovic. Directional Forces also undertake occasional residency and exhibition projects. These have included Pravac Sila at O3one in Belgrade 2014 in partnership with Belgrade Academy of Fine Art, co-curated with Slobodan Trajkovic and the Colony 55 residency at the 2013 Venice Biennale at the Sale Docks. Colony 55 featured twenty-five artists and was curated by Vanya Balogh, Sian-Kate Mooney and Garry Docherty. 

Hedley Roberts has recently had a solo show at the Herrick Gallery London, and took part in the 20th Anniversary show of Factual Nonsense at the Red Gallery London and the Fete Worse than Death. He was recently been commissioned to undertake the first WOLO international artists residency in Kuala Lumpur with the Wei-Ling Gallery, and is planning to curate a British art show at the new Wei-Ling Gallery in 2015/16
Text copy right: Dr. Hedley Roberts: http://www.hedleyroberts.co.uk/


Activities 

Dr. Roberts has been Subject Director for the Field of Digital Arts and Visual Communication since 2008. This area includes Extended Degree, Foundation Degree, Bachelors Degree and Masters degree programmes in Graphic Design, Moving Image, Animation, Illustration, Photography and Printmaking delivered at UEL, Barking and Dagenham College, and Linton College, Legenda Education Group Malaysia, as well as articulation partnerships with TAR College Malaysia, Dasin College Malaysia and Cosmopoint Malaysia. 

  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy since 2008
  • UEL Teaching Fellow 2010-12
  • School Leader for Learning and Teaching 2009-2011
  • Member of School Quality Committee 2008 - current
  • Member of School Management Team 2008- current
  • Member of School Curriculum Development Committee 2012-current
  • Member of School Board

In his role as a course and curriculum designer, Dr. Hedley Roberts has led over twenty-five programmes through validation and revalidation at UEL, including undergraduate Bachelors degree programmes in Digital Arts, Moving Image, Animation, Illustration Graphic Arts, Graphic Design, Photography and postgraduate Masters programmes in Graphic Design and Photography. He has also undertaken several key roles in the memorandum of understanding, curriculum development and quality assurance of collaborative partnership franchises. In previous institutions he partnered with Demontfort University, University of West London and Kingston College on undergraduate degree programmes in Fine Art and Digital Arts. Since being at UEL, Dr Roberts has led the validation of collaborative undergraduate degree programmes in Graphic Design and Moving Image with Havering College, collaborative  FDA programmes and degree top-ups in Animation and Photography at Barking & Dagenham College, collaborative undergraduate degree programmes in Graphic Design, Photography, Animation and Illustration at Linton University College, Legenda Education Group Malaysia, and developed articulation programmes with TAR College Malaysia , Dasin College Malaysia and Cosmopoint Malaysia. Between 2006-8 Hedley was Adjunct Professor at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology Malaysia leading the UEL MA in International Contemporary Art & Design Practice, designed as a staff development programme for Limkowing Academic Faculty.

In his learning and teaching role, Hedley has made significant contribution to the development of digital media technologies in the enhancement of art and design pedagogic practice at UEL, particularly in the use of social media for the development of learning communities. This work has led to papers and presentations, has been identified as good practice in Institutional and Subject Reviews, and Quality Auditing in UEL and Collaborative Partnerships. 


Research Interests

Fine Art practice; Painting, Sculpture, Installation, Digital Arts, Graphics, Printmaking, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary practices. Contemporary Arts Practice, with specific interest in Contemporary Arts in Malaysia and South East Asia. 

Curatorial Projects

2014, Directional Forces 2014, Artoll, Germany (curator) Residency of UEL Doctorate in Fine Art students and international artists. Residency and Exhibition Project conceived, managed and curated by Hedley Roberts.

2014, Detour Ahead: Roadmaps for the Art and Design Industry. A week of guest speakers and symposiums featuring curators, artists, designers, agencies, networks, organisations. Including Martin Parr, Jonathan Barnbrook, Zelda Cheatle, House of Fairy Tales, Geraldine Swayne, Bow Arts, Artsthread. University of East London. 

2013, Directional Forces Colony, Sale Docks, Venice. Director: Residency and Exhibition international artists. Residency and Exhibition Project curated by guest curators Vanya Balogh, Sian-Kate Mooney and Gallery Docherty.

2013, Artoll, Germany (curator) Residency of UEL Doctorate in Fine Art students and international artists. Residency and Exhibition Project conceived, managed and curated by Hedley Roberts

2012, East is East, Annexe Gallery, Kuala Lumpur (curator) Showcase of UEL staff and students art and design work. Work exhibited: digital textile print on silk. Exhibition Project conceived, managed and curated by Hedley Roberts

2012, East is East, CDS Gallery, NAFA, Singapore (curator) Showcase of UEL staff and students art and design work. Work exhibited: digital textile print on silk. Exhibition Project conceived, managed and curated by Hedley Roberts

2012, Directional Forces 2012, Artoll, Germany (curator) Residency of UEL Doctorate in Fine Art students and international artists. Residency and Exhibition Project conceived, managed and curated by Hedley Roberts http://directionalforces2012.tumblr.com/

2008, UEL Digital Art and Moving Image Showcase, Trinity Buoy Wharf, London, UK


Selected Group Exhibitions (last 5 years)

2012, UEL at the Financial Services Authority Work exhibited: The Country Alliance, painting.

2011, Loop Extra, Edinburgh Festival, Scotland, Film Festival. Work exhibited: Sometimes I think You’ll Never Leave. Film Loop

2011, Loop, Barcelona, Spain, Film Festival.Work exhibited: Sometimes I think You’ll Never Leave.Film Loop

2010, If You’ve Got Nothing to Say, Don’t Say it Here, Centre D’Art Contemporain, Madagascar Film Festival. Work exhibited: 2 paintings.

2011, Wunderkammer, Artoll, Germany Invited Residency of international artists.9 paintings produced during residency. 6 exhibited.

2010, Unreliable Narrator, Vyner Street Gallery, London, UK Group Show, Hedley Roberts, Martin Barrett, Garry Doherty, Pete

Nevin. Work Exhibited: Various Paintings, Video Loop

2010, Family, Susak Biennual, Croatia Invited Residency of international artists.Site Specific video installation. Curated by Cedric Christie

2010, Thinking Hand, APT Gallery, London, UK Group Show, UEL Fine Art Doctorate Artists. Work Exhibited: La Belle Bete

2009, Mythical Lyrical, Sueli Turner Gallery, London UK Group Show, Invited Artists. Curated by Pete Cobb. Work Exhibited: A Country Alliance

Joint Exhibitions

2008, Conjoin:me, Super Deluxe Gallery, Tokyo, Japan Collaborative project with Sian-Kate Mooney. Installation of Art-Fashion Sculptures, digital projections and soundscapes.

Professional Doctorate in Fine Art Exhibitions

2012, Love & Other Stories, AVA Galleries, London UK

2012, Work In Progress, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2011, Showcase, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2011, Work In Progress, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2010, Showcase, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2010, Work In Progress, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2009, Showcase, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2009, Work In Progress, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2008, Showcase, AVA Gallery, London, UK

2008, Work In Progress, AVA Gallery, London, UK

Residencies

2011, Directional Forces 2012, Artoll, Artist in Residence, Germany (Curator and residency organizer)

2010, Summerlabor, Artoll, Artist in Residence, Germany

2010, Susak Biennial, Croatia

2004, Southern Collaboative Arts Network (with James Coupe)

1998, Royal College of Art Computer Art Fellowship

1997, Royal College of Art Printmaking Fellowship

1996, Stanley Picker Fellowship, Kingston University

1994, Cultural Palace of Asilah, Morocco

1993, School of Visual Arts, New York



Other scholarly activities

Roberts, H (2012 - forthcoming) "Directional Forces 2012", UEL Practice as Research Symposium Series, University of East London, UK

Roberts, H (2012), "This is not a book: Social media and learning in art and design" presentation ARLIS, London, UK

Roberts, H (2011), "Dr Who: Sharing Learning Experiences Across Space and Time" UEL Collaborative Partners Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Roberts, H (2011), "UELTalent: Showcasing creative excellence and providing entrepreneurship opportunities for art and designgraduates",UEL Research and Knowledge Exchange Conference, University of East London, UK

Roberts, H (2011), "Social Learning in the Digital Age of Art and Design Higher Education", National Society of Art and Design Education Conference 2011, London, UK

Roberts, H (2010), "Netbooks for All: digital technologies for the enhancement of learning environments", Learning and Teaching Conference, UEL

Roberts, H (2010), "Web2.0 Learning Technologies in The School of Architecture and the Visual Arts". UELConnect Conference, UEL

David Durkee, Stephen Brant, Pete Nevin, Annette Odell, Godfried Williams, Divina Melomey, Hedley Roberts, Chris Imafidon, Roy Perryman, Anna Lopes. (2009) Implementing e-learning and Web 2.0 innovation: Didactical scenarios and practical implication. Industry and Higher Education (2009) Volume: 23, Issue: 4, Publisher: IP Publishing Ltd. Pages: 293-300

Odell, A; Nevin, P and Roberts, H (2008) Education in your Face(book)!,  7th European Conference on e-Learning, Cyprus

Roberts, H (2008), VLE’s and Webtools, Learning and Teaching Conference, UEL

Roberts, H (2008), Studio without walls: expanding the learning environment with social media, Learning and Teaching Conference, UEL

Roberts, H (2008), Webtools ARLIS, Chelsea School of Art, London 

Roberts, H (2006), Blended and E-Learning, an evaluation of UELPlus (Blackboard Vista) for teaching and Learning within and Art and Design Environment, Architecture and the Visual Arts”, paper, University of East London, UK


Further websites and references 

https://m.artsy.net/artist/hedley-roberts

http://newartprojects.com/events/hedley-roberts-solo-exhibition/

http://www.hedleyroberts.co.uk/


























































































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