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MFI graduate award is presented by Flat Time House, the former home and studio of theartist John Latham. It is awarded to selected recent graduates with the aim of supportingtheir professional development as artists. The awardees form a discussion and studysalon, MFI Group, which is based at Flat Time House in Peckham, south east London.

Flat Time House awards MFI Group membership every year to selected fine art studentsgraduating from BA and post-graduate courses at Camberwell, Chelsea and WimbledonColleges of Art (CCW) following an open call of applications. The group is structured aroundinformal monthly meetings where ideas can be developed and artistic methods questioned in asupportive peer led environment. MFI Group promotes the continuing professionaldevelopment of its members, giving them opportunities to meet with established curators andartists as well as providing an intimate environment to interact with guest speakers. The name,MFI Group comes from John Latham's description of education as the Mental FurnitureIndustry.

Flat Time House operates not just an exhibition space but also as an artist's house and livingarchive, bringing contemporary work together with the John Latham permanent collection. The

house provides a unique venue for thought that stimulates broad ranging debateencompassing not only art, but also science, economics and philosophy. This reflects JohnLathams varied interests and his own practice, which spanned painting, sculpture, film andperformance.

MFI Group brings together diverse individuals at different stages of their artistic careers. Theblend of BA and MA graduates from different colleges and courses allows for a unique mixingof different attitudes and experiences. Central is a shared interest in how and why to continuemaking art in the contemporary context. Rather than being a crit group MFI aims to exploresuch concerns in a supportive and experimental way, and provides a rare forum for theseconversations to continue outside of art school. Members usually take it in turn to leadseminars and jointly determine the direction of the group, inviting guest speakers to respond to

developing concerns. Each year a different group of individuals sets their own dynamic and aresupported by the education team at Flat Time House to realise their ideas. A small amount offunding is allocated for the groups disposal.

In addition to the discussion group, MFI Group have the opportunity to interact with the publicprogramme at Flat Time House and to propose and stage events. This can range frompresenting work from the archive to commissioning contemporary responses to hosting a paneldebate. The group are also encouraged to engage with other alternative art schools andorganisations, and to stage events off-site. Amongst other projects, this year's group have

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staged a creative installation of John Latham's film work for South London Art Map LastFridays, and are commissioning new work as part of Peckham Artist Moving Image Festival inSeptember.

We are inviting students completing BA and post-graduate courses at Camberwell, Chelseaand Wimbledon this year to apply to join a group of 4 to 6 BA graduates and 4 to 6

postgraduatesthat would begin in October and last one year. Selection is based primarily on qualityof work, however we do take into account a supporting statement of interest. We will also aimto visit each applicants graduating show.

Interested students should complete the following form and return it by email to

chelseaprize @ googlemail.com.

Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mary Vettise,

Education Officer, at the following email address:mary @ flattimeho .org .uk. More informationabout Flat Time House can befound on our website www.flattimeho.org.uk

FTHo MFI Graduate AwardBA APPLICATION FORM Please complete and return by Tuesday 22nd May 2012.

Name Courseand level CollegeDateof course completion -Email -

Website or web address of online work

(If you do not have work online, please send us a PDF portfolio / video showreel)

Artist statement

Supporting statement of interest (300 words)

What would you hope to gain from MFI group?Do you have any particular interests / ideas you would like to pursue within the group?

Successful applicants will be notified by email by the 15th June.

mailto:chelseaprize@googlemail.commailto:chelseaprize@googlemail.commailto:mary@flattimeho.org.ukmailto:mary@flattimeho.org.ukmailto:chelseaprize@googlemail.commailto:chelseaprize@googlemail.commailto:chelseaprize@googlemail.commailto:chelseaprize@googlemail.commailto:mary@flattimeho.org.ukmailto:mary@flattimeho.org.ukmailto:mary@flattimeho.org.ukmailto:mary@flattimeho.org.ukmailto:mary@flattimeho.org.ukmailto:mary@flattimeho.org.ukmailto:mary@flattimeho.org.ukmailto:chelseaprize@googlemail.com