The Last Diplomas

This summer graduates of the university's four-year degree course in art and design will for the last time present their degree project work. From next year there will only be B.A. and M.A courses. Whether this kind of modularisation and in effect shortening of the period of study makes sense within the context of a university of art – not all those who complete the B.A. course will be able to continue to the M.A. programme – may well be a matter of debate, but the decision itself is irreversible. The wreath on the poster for the exhibition speaks volumes.

In spite of this the ZHdK has once more splashed out this year and created an elaborate presentation of its students' degree work. After the last two exhibitions were held in the Toni Areal, this year's show is taking place in the stylish industrial atmosphere of the former SBB goods station. The harmonised presentation of the 15 different degree courses turns the exhibition into an inspiring cornucopia of interrelated disciplines and media, and the result is an unequalled event created by art and design students.

The work of Andrin Häfeli arose out of a playful preoccupation with objects and locations which can be found inside any flat and are so much a part of our everyday world that in spite of their necessary functions, they are only perceived at a subconscious level. With his small 'Parasites' Häfeli focusses attention on just these functions and their unsuspected potential for providing new experience. He combines the normal motions of such objects as curtains, doors and door handles with those of musical boxes and other clockwork toys. The key hole becomes a more exciting peep hole, the curtain closes by itself to the sound of music, and music also plays when the door is opened.

'Polar star' by Renato Minacci is a technical masterpiece. The mast of the LED lamp consists of conductive magnets which power and hold in place magnetic lighting elements without cables. The low-voltage supply means that these lighting elements can be touch and positioned without risk.

The designer duo Kueng-Caputo took as the theme of their degree project the question of the meaning which the copy of a design object has for the original, the user and the design market. When is a copy a copy and when is it inspiration? To what extent can a copy exploit the original, and when does it harm such an original? In addition to the theoretical treatment of the theme they have created ironic plagiarisms of famous design objects and in part highly abstract copies of the degree work of their fellow students.