Andres Cordoba

My Goldsmiths journey so far has been interesting and challenging at the same time. First of all, I think that is very important to highlight that the education system in my country, Colombia, is very different, so to adapt to this new challenge has been difficult at some points, but definitely satisfactory. I am referring particularly to the fact that an MA at Goldsmiths consists on individual work basically. I have felt so far that lectures are just a guide for you to discover what you like and which topics you like to research. I must say, nevertheless, that the professors are extremely helpful and they will definitely make a difference if you look for help. So, at the beginning I was worried, to be honest I felt a little lost, but now every day I feel more confident and I know what I want to study and research.

Regarding the IWW, I have to say that it is very helpful, when it comes to socialize, which is a very important part of the experience here as well. So, to meet people from all over the world that are in your same situation makes you feel accompanied, and in a huge city like London, that is priceless. I think that the activities are also helpful, except the library induction one, because I did not go to the library, which in my opinion, does not makes, a lot of sense. But, in general terms, I found it useful.

I chose Goldsmiths, first of all, because of the fact that is located and well known in London. I am into contemporary arts, and definitely London is the place to be for a person like me. So many activities, museums, galleries, exhibitions, conferences, etc., going on, that at some point is actually overwhelming. Another reason to choose Goldsmiths in particular is the fact that is well known for the arts and the university incentivises creativity, which is fundamental for me. I have met people that studied here, and they had an amazing time, both academically and personally, so for me that is a plus. The university also offers a lot of extracurricular activities, it has many clubs and societies that you can join, about many topics, so that makes you network with students with your same interests and at the and interesting things and projects can turn out.

My background is in the arts, I have worked in art galleries before, so as I said, London is a place to be if you are into arts, because all the city has to offer. I have worked also in the district art institute of Bogota, my city, and this also gave me an interesting point of view of cultural policy and arts administration. It is important to say that my BA is in anthropology, and even though I do not work in it specifically, it has given me the tools to look into contemporary art in a very different and human way.

My expectations are high, to be honest, I hope that Goldsmiths and this MA program in particular, can help me develop management tools for me to work more effectively and critically in the visual arts industry. I also expect that the University provides me with spaces that can lead me to network with people from different backgrounds, that have my same interests. When I graduate, I hope I can find a job in the visual arts industry in London, or, even better, I hope I can start and entrepreneurial project in London in the same field.