Ever since graduating from the Art Academy, London in 2013 I’ve contemplated undertaking a Masters qualification and since then I’ve looked at a number of the better known art schools and visited shows and open days and so on – trying to get a feel for the establishments, what kind of artists go there and (the big question) would I fit?
Practising artists who I respect and who are progressing well with their careers have consistently mentioned how important an MA can be – I think that it comes down to a number of factors that a top art school can offer including increased visibility and connections. From my perspective I am keen to investigate more fully the art context of which I am part but also to more fully define my own languages and intent – to dig deeper, make better work with a peer network that will elevate me to new heights.
The break through in my research came when I went to the Central Saint Martins (part of University of Arts London) Graduate Show. I was totally blown away by it – the scale and ambition of much of the work, the fact that there was lots of sculpture and that it all felt very ‘now’, really exciting… (btw – I already had an affection for the place having done a short course on fabricating steel sculpture there – see earlier post).
At the show I noticed that CSM offered something I had not heard of before – an MA in Art and Science. It was impossible to tell the work of these artists from the regular MA Fine Art ones but what really interested me were their lines of enquiry. The ‘Science’ related artists had artists’ statements which resonated with me and areas of interest which being science related are more tangible.
My first degree was in Psychology and my art is often an exploration of the conflicts between the conscious and unconscious mind – it seems odd but I had never made the connection before, in anything other than a superfluous way. Discovering this course was pretty much a ‘Eureka’ moment for me and as I began to join the dots, it became more and more compelling. It represents a real opportunity to explore my art practice with scientific reference.
Reading the website descriptions, case studies and details just served to heighten my resolve. The only issue was that I had totally missed the deadline for applications(!) I decided to contact the course leader, Nathan Cohen, directly and to arrange a meeting with him – to investigate my suitability and to discuss the possibility of joining next year…
http://www.arts.ac.uk/csm/courses/postgraduate/ma-art-and-science/
Much to my surprise Nathan was able to see me within a few days and at that meeting he offered to consider me for this year’s intake if I got my application in quickly!! Suffice to say, that’s what I did and then following a formal interview, much to my relief and excitement I was offered a place.
The course is full time over two years (2016 to 2018) and I will keep you posted on my progress via my blog. I certainly can’t wait to see where my journey will take me – it feels as if my life has come full circle, being able to dip back into the fascinating world of cognitive psychology.
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