Apps bring next wave of contemporary artists to wider audience, making their work digital, shareable and accessible to all

Artfinder and Chelsea College of Art and Design today launched four new apps that bring the next wave of contemporary artists to the iPad.

Chelsea College of Art and Design – whose alumni include globally celebrated artists and Turner prize winners such as Mark Wallinger, Gavin Turk, Anish Kapoor, Chris Ofili and Peter Doig – have partnered with Artfinder to showcase works from each of the College’s four BA courses (Textiles, Graphic Design Communication, Interior & Spatial Design and Fine Art) on the iPad for the first time.

The apps represent a new way to discover and share works from young artists and designers on the cusp of launching their careers. Offering a unique, curated journey through works that are only available to view at the College for a limited time, the apps have the potential to bring brand new graduate art to a global audience. The works can be shared via email or Facebook from within the apps, giving students a powerful platform to promote their art to potential fans, buyers, collectors and sponsors.

Spencer Hyman, Artfinder co-founder and CEO, said: "The iPad art experience is self contained and finishable – a uniquely satisfying 'third way' to consume art, alongside visiting shows or buying the traditional coffee table art book. We’re thrilled to be giving Chelsea’s exciting new wave of young artists the opportunity to bring their works to this incredible device. Art lovers everywhere have the chance to discover the next Ofili or Kapoor, share their favourite works with friends, and engage with fresh new art in a way that wasn’t possible before the iPad existed."

Dean of College David Garcia said: "Chelsea prides itself on being an early adopter of new technologies, and we are very excited to be pioneering the degree show iPad apps as a means of showcasing the fresh and exciting new work of this year’s graduates. Working with Artfinder has given us another way to support our students, and to give them a ‘launchpad’ into their post-graduate life."

The iPad apps can be downloaded for free from the App Store now:

Textile

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/textile-chelsea-ba-2011/id442942101?mt=8&ls=1

Graphic Design Communication

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/gdc-chelsea-ba-2011/id443419127?mt=8&ls=1

Fine Art

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/fine-art-chelsea-ba-2011/id443928728?mt=8&ls=1

(Interior & Spatial Design coming soon).

The works will also feature on the Artfinder website, where they can be ‘liked’ and shared via email and Facebook: 

http://www.artfinder.com/gallery/chelsea-college-of-art-and-design

About Artfinder

Artfinder is the place for consumers who want to access art via the web. A marketplace for art, Artfinder works with museums, galleries and artists to bring their works to a global consumer audience via the web, smartphones and tablet devices such as the iPad. Artfinder members can find and share art from the most comprehensive database of art online, discover new art through the platform’s innovative personalised recommendation system, as well as purchase on-demand prints of favourite works. Artfinder comprises a team of entrepreneurs and engineers from Last.fm, Amazon, IAC, Yahoo, Tangozebra, Moshi Monsters and The Guardian. For more information, visit www.artfinder.com

About Chelsea College of Art and Design

Chelsea College of Art and Design is one of the world’s leading art and design institutions and is one of University of the Arts London’s six Colleges. Located at Millbank, next door to Tate Britain, Chelsea specialises in Fine Art, Graphic Design and Interior and Textiles Design. Since its origins in the 19th century, the College has produced many of the greatest names in the arts, including: Quentin Blake (illustrator and author) Ralph Fiennes (film and stage actor), Anish Kapoor (sculptor), Steve McQueen, (artist), Chris Ofili (artist), Alan Rickman (film and stage actor), Alexei Sayle (comedian) and Gavin Turk (sculptor). Chelsea is one of the six Colleges of University of the Arts London, Europe’s largest University for arts, design, fashion, communication and performing arts. Find out more about the College and University at www.chelsea.arts.ac.uk