Montgomery Williams

Building confidence

I began my studies at Goldsmiths as part of the first year group in the new Audiovisual Cultures pathway. Reflecting on this, I'm grateful to have undertaken a course which has enabled me to explore an intersection of my interests. Looking back to years ago, after completing my BA, I wouldn't have imagined such a course would exist which adds to the satisfaction of having now completed it.

Throughout the programme, I've enjoyed being encouraged to push towards the edges of my practice and find interconnections between the worlds of music, moving image and the city which I inhabit. A key part of this has been meeting like-minded people through the university, either in specific modules or through chance encounters. Stepping back, it's been a real pleasure to engage in areas which I once thought of as niche with a wide group of people.

Preceding my time at Goldsmiths I completed my undergraduate degree in architecture, which was embraced by my open-minded tutors in the music department. It felt encouraging to see how the discourses from my past academic journey could intertwine with more recent projects at Goldsmiths. Being in an environment and community to nurture these developments has helped me to articulate my thoughts and build confidence in my practice.

Studying in South East London

The subject matter of my projects was heavily influenced by the urban environment around me, so being in such a fascinating part of London was a continual source of inspiration. South East London is full of contrasts, from the remnants of industry to unexpected green spaces. I'd encourage new students to explore and every so often, get lost!

On campus, I'd recommend some time enjoying the college green as a balance to the busy rhythms of London life. Treat yourself to lunch at the Goldsmiths Cafe every now and then too!

Life since graduating

Moving on from my MA at Goldsmiths I'm currently pursuing projects in three interconnected areas.

One focus is the development of personal artistic projects in audiovisual art, overlapping with research carried out at Goldsmiths.

A second area I'm keen to progress is my collaborative work, largely in live visuals and videography, with other artists. I'm particularly interested in helping to build visual worlds for their sonic material.

The third possibility I'm exploring is future study in the form of a practice-based PhD. It's been uplifting to have encouragement from tutors at Goldsmiths to pursue this option and it's something I'll continue to research as I go forward.

Advice for future students

Having taken four years between finishing my BA and beginning my MA, I found returning to university came with a renewed relish for learning. I felt my experiences outside the academic environment fed into it as much as my studies within, so if I could offer any advice it would be to take time when you can. I was also fortunate enough to be able to complete my studies part-time, which allowed me space to digest the content and meet two year groups of students along the way.

My Major Project is entitled 'Audiovisual Explorations of London' and emerged through journeys around the peripheries of the city. It taps into the discourse of psychogeography through a series of audiovisual compositions, using transient imagery and sound as a way of representing place.

You can explore the accompanying website at montywilliams.hotglue.me/mp