Curating Personal Statement

Personal Statement: MFA in Curating

A good curator has the potential to shape a person’s approach to art and culture. In 2011, Andrew Bolton’s stunning presentation of fashion as art, in ‘Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty’ opened my eyes to the work of a designer that would become the backbone to the majority of my undergraduate study. Aged 18, I traveled to New York where I visited the exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Four years later, when ‘Savage Beauty’ was showing once again - this time at the V&A, curated by Claire Wilcox - I wrote my dissertation on the complex relationship between art and fashion through a detailed analysis of the exhibition which gave me my biggest passion.

‘Savage Beauty’ was an exhibition that pushed the boundaries of museology, in its artistic, social and critical undertakings. The questions brought to bear by the exhibition of contemporary art and culture in various situations is something I am interested in researching further with a degree in curating.

Having graduated, with a 2:1 degree in History of Art, Design and Film with English

During my final year at Kingston, I took the initiative to contact the museum for work experience. Whilst I will admit it was my interest in Alexander McQueen that prompted me to contact the archives initially, after two years - continuing to volunteer whilst completing my degree and working full time - I am now strongly interested in pursuing a career in curating. I wish to develop my experience at CSM by continuing to learn with further academic study and the opportunities this course offers.

I began, initially at CSM, as a volunteer archives assistant, learning how best to organise, accession and catalogue items in the collection. I have proven myself to be a committed, capable and reliable intern, and am responsible for assisting the curator and senior members of staff with their activities and