Undergraduate

Art at Goldsmiths

Goldsmiths
Department of Art
has a world-leading
reputation, and is an
inspiring and dynamic
place in which to study
and develop your
artistic practice

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Key features
We welcome students
with a diverse range of interests,
experiences and capabilities
We have 47 academic staff, many
of whom are practising artists,
and 19 technical staff working in
our range of laboratories
Our location is ideal at the heart
of a vibrant and creative area,
with great transport links
to central London

2 www.gold.ac.uk/art

Art at Goldsmiths
In the Department of Art we specialise in making,
curating and writing about contemporary art in a
dynamic, critical and interdisciplinary environment.
We have a world-leading reputation that brings
together students and researchers from all over
the globe. We work with a network of artists,
curators, galleries and museums both in London and
internationally to create an inspiring and dynamic
place in which to study and develop an artistic
practice. Many of our graduates are among the
most recognised names working in art today.
Goldsmiths art students form an important
part of the stimulating environment that is
the London art scene. The Departments
international reputation enables it to establish
and maintain links with many of the worlds
most prestigious institutions and university
art departments. This, together with the
cosmopolitan nature of the student body,
provides unique opportunities to develop
cross-cultural collaborative projects.
Following rapid expansion in the Department
over the past two decades, the spectacular
Ben Pimlott building (right) opened its
doors to students in January 2005. This
building provides purpose-built teaching
space on campus, including art studios,
lecture theatres and digital media labs.
Every student is allocated a tutor and a studio
space appropriate to their needs. This is a
place in which to work, to meet and spend
time with other students, and to have tutorials.
The studios are open, and are occupied by
students from all years. This arrangement
encourages the sharing of knowledge,
interests and experience between students.
Visit www.gold.ac.uk/ug/art for full details of our degrees 3

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Watch our campus

tour at
vimeo.com/
goldsmiths/tour

4 www.gold.ac.uk/art

Our degrees
BA (Hons) Fine Art
3 years full-time
www.gold.ac.uk/ug/ba-fine-art

BA (Hons) Fine Art and History of Art

3 years full-time
www.gold.ac.uk/ug/ba-fine-art-history-of-art

Youll make and study contemporary

art in a dynamic, critical and
interdisciplinary environment
Well equip you with the skills that will
help you develop independent thought
and confidence in your practice, as
well as transferable skills suitable for
employment in the creative industries
Youll have your own studio space
from day one, and will have access
to excellent facilities including
specialist research laboratories
All staff on the programme are practising
artists, curators and writers, here to
respond to the work that you make and
to help you understand how it contributes
to, and challenges, the critical debates
that exist in the study area and beyond
Were a top ten university for art and design
(2013 Guardian University league table)

We are renowned for our strengths in

fine art, as well as in the humanities.
With this degree, you will benefit
from this wide-ranging expertise.
You will learn how to make art and to
participate in historical and theoretical
debates around fine art and visual culture
You will have your own studio space
and you can take advantage of
the many galleries, museums and
specialist libraries across London
We will equip you with the skills to develop
independent thought and confidence in your
practice, as well as transferable skills suitable
for employment in the creative industries
In the most recent National Student Survey,
97% of our students were happy with
the quality of the course, and 100% said
that staff are good at explaining things

The main purpose of the degree is to teach

you how to make art and to evaluate different
critical approaches to your own practice,
through integrated Studio Practice and
Critical Studies courses. We aim to support
your development and creativity and help
you acquire independent learning skills. This
approach requires you to be committed, to
thrive on constructive criticism exchanged
between staff and students, and to participate
in discussing your own work and that of
others. The degree structure enables you
to develop your work through exploring
selected media and approaches, including:
drawing, painting, constructed textiles, film,
installation, performance, photography,
printed textiles, printmaking, sculpture,
stitch, fabric and video. You can specialise in
one or more media throughout the degree.
Studio teaching is enhanced by technical
support, which introduces you to techniques
relevant to the development of your work.

This unique programme allows you to

integrate both fine art practice and the study
of history of art with equal rigour. You will be
required throughout to participate actively
in seminars, discussing texts, your own work
and that of other students. Made up of fine
art studio practice, history of art courses,
and an interdisciplinary seminar the degree
allows you to explore and experience the
interaction between art history and practice.

BA (Hons) Fine Art (Extension degree)

1 year full-time, plus 3 years
full-time BA (Hons) programme
www.gold.ac.uk/ug/ba-fine-art-extension
This four-year integrated degree has been
designed for students from countries outside
the European Union. If your first language
is not English, the first year includes four
hours a week of English for Special Purposes
in classes tailor-made for art students.

Visit www.gold.ac.uk/ug/art for full details of our degrees 5

Your future: skills and careers

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Our degrees are aimed at equipping you with the
necessary skills to develop independent thought
and confidence in your own practice. As well as this,
these skills will be of use in other career paths you
may wish to follow. Students have been successful
in many fields including media, museums, galleries,
education, the music business and academia.
While at Goldsmiths, our students actively
seek opportunities to exhibit their work
through external networks. Many have
continued to be successful practising artists
long after graduating, winning major prizes
and exhibiting around the world. The Turner
Prize shortlist has consistently included
at least one of our graduates, including
Angela de la Cruz in 2010 and Elizabeth
Price in 2012. Six of the prize-winners have
studied here Grenville Davey, Antony
Gormley, Damien Hirst, Gillian Wearing,
Steve McQueen and Mark Wallinger.
Our BA programmes enable you to progress
to postgraduate level in art-related disciplines.
In addition, the interdisciplinary nature of
the programmes will enable you to progress
to a variety of careers: practising artist, art
historian, arts administrator, gallery curator,
arts journalist, teacher, lecturer, writer, film
maker, web designer, social media consultant,
conservationist, designer and more.
The Department of Art provides you with
a series of opportunities for specialist
advice and further information to
complement your studies and prepare you
for professional life after graduation.

Specific and transferable skills

While studying within the Department,
you can learn techniques and skills in
many areas, including: casting (wax and
plaster); textiles (tapestry, pattern-cutting,
embroidery, weaving and computerised
knitting); metalwork (welding, plasma
cutting, and shot blasting); photography,
including developing; print and dye,
(from screen printing to digital printing);
print-making; and woodwork. You
can also learn to use various DTP and
image-manipulation packages, as
well as web-authoring and specialeffects software for film and audio.
As part of your studies, seminars and
course work, youll develop skills in:

communication (including

public speaking, developing

and presenting an argument,
note taking, report writing)

analytical thinking

awareness of social, political
and cultural processes

awareness of social and
cultural differences
These skills provide a good foundation
for a number of career paths.

6 www.gold.ac.uk/art

Graduate insight
Phoebe, graduated in 2009
Fine Art at Goldsmiths is
completely open. You are not given
projects to do or segregated by the medium
you choose to work with. Instead you are
given a studio and begin to work as an artist.
The whole point of learning is to help you grow,
not necessarily change. It facilitates abilities
that already exist. I definitely got a lot out of
my time at Goldsmiths. I am now working
as an artist, and just got back from
a three-month residency in
New York where I had my
first solo show.

Contact us
To find out more about us,
go to www.gold.ac.uk/art
or email art@gold.ac.uk

Student insight
Grace, BA Fine Art & History of Art
This highly valued institution has
kept me on my toes. Together tutors and
students unveil and share diverse intelligent
perspectives, instruction, analysis and
knowledge that contributes to the building
of a students character and individual
method of practice allowing him
or her to present it with the
confidence of self-belief.

2013. Printed on 100% recycled paper

See www.gold.ac.uk/ug/art
for full details of our degrees.
If you need more
information, please email
course-info@gold.ac.uk