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Why do we make?
“History has remembered the kings and warriors, because they destroyed; art has remembered the people because they created.”William Morris Chair from Perch, Sarah Myerscough Gallery. Two recent visits to exhibitions prompted me to think about human creativity. In particular, about art and craft, and how they bleed into each other. At their essence, both visits… →
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Two remarkable women, two very different exhibitions
Reflections on exhibitions celebrating Elsa Schiaparelli and Leonora Carrington, and what they reveal about creativity, reinvention and artistic legacy. Last week I visited two very different but equally enlightening exhibitions, both centred on remarkable women: Elsa Schiaparelli and Leonora Carrington. Elsa Schiaparelli (left) was not only an innovative designer but also a visionary entrepreneur who… →
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“Longevity of vision is what we need.”
Visiting Paris Fashion Week for the first time for a couple of years gave me a chance to reflect on where I think the industry is. It’s made me consider fashion from two perspectives and this is my first set of thoughts…. It’s not just the complex geo‑political context that we are living in that… →
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International Women’s Day – Madame Gres
In the run up to International Women’s Day I’ve been thinking about those women who have achieved much not just in their chosen field, but who have also influenced and inspired others. One such woman was Madame Gres. Alix Gres was an artist in the real sense of the world who dreamed of being a… →
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Genuinely novel: 10 years of the Goldsmiths Prize
The Goldsmiths Prize is now in its tenth year, and on the occasion of the awards ceremony last week, I was prompted to reflect on the Prize itself, and what it represents. The Goldsmiths Prize champions true creativity and genuinely novel work. The challenge it lays down is to change the rules, and to be… →
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Goldsmiths degree shows 2021
The creativity of our student community has shone through in another year of outstanding Degree Shows at Goldsmiths. With the reduced restrictions this summer, many of our students have been able to share their final year work in-person, in a series of striking shows across campus and in other South East London venues. I was… →
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The business world needs the arts and humanities
Amid government talk of ‘low value’ university courses, you could be forgiven for thinking our economy doesn’t need the arts and humanities. Degrees including performing arts and media studies face a potential 50% reduction in their government subsidy from next year, as they fail to make the cut on a government list of strategic priorities.… →
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Rita Keegan: The Hands Series
I wanted to share this thought-provoking piece of work by Black American artist Rita Keegan – the third piece from the Women’s Art Library to be installed on our campus at Goldsmiths. Born in the Bronx, Rita Keegan has been based in London since 1980. She has played a vital role in raising the profile… →
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Context amid crisis: Why human perspectives matter more than ever
This post was first published on the HEPI Blog on Monday 7 December 2020. I have always firmly believed that responding to society’s most complex challenges requires a rounded, multidisciplinary approach. Science and technology will play their vital role, but as we have seen throughout the COVID-19 crisis, context matters. To craft solutions that work,… →
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The true value of creative degrees
The gulf between what creative graduates contribute to our economy and what they are perceived to contribute is a damaging misconception that undermines not only the education industry, but also society at large. It has always been clear to me that both individuals and the economy benefit from creative education and a new report from… →