Thanks to everyone who came for the open day last Saturday, I met some really interesting people with loads of ideas and ambition. It was great to see some young persons interested in Art History at Essex.
The weekend was incredibly sunny and the squares were crowded with parents and prospective students who all came to visit our wonderful campus. With bands playing, barbecues and the student ambassadors guiding their groups, it felt like the atmosphere of the university life was still going on through the summer.
Myself, Dr Matt Lodder and Dr Lisa Wade, represented the Art History department. The taster presentation by Dr Lodder, titled The Human Body as art object? – plastic surgery in art and culture explored briefly the outlines of body modification and their representation through art, from renaissance up to today's perception of the body form.
My particular interest resides within contemporary photographic practices, but I found interesting that I could draw parallels with my personal research. Embedded by the media, the representation of the self has drastically changed and we are now involving in a hybrid world where we mainly live through the media as an extension of ourselves. It reminded me of Zed Nelson's book Love Me, an incredible photographic project underscoring the impact of media's utopian representation of the body on the society. Even though the taster was more based on contemporary ideas, the audience engaged on various level, drawing analogies with other historical period. I was amazed to hear some of the comments, already challenging with very mature questions the conversation after the talk.
Following Matt's presentation, I gave an insight of what the life at Essex University is like. From accommodation, student life style and art history at Essex, I tried to show what experience it would be to study here, in this incredible environment but also to make aware the audience of all of the amazing opportunities the University provides to its students. Personally, awesome is the right word to describe my experience. From studying a practical degree to do a theoretical master as well as working as a frontrunner, being the 1st team basketball captain and organising a graduate conference, my experience was fulfilled and I hope everyone who was there on Saturday will share a similar experience in their future study.
The day went on quickly insofar as the conversation with both future students and lecturers were really interesting and rewarding. We hope to see as many interested people in the future open events and that as well as being attracted by our Campus the students will want to further their Art History career at Essex.
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