All change at Goldsmiths: Sam Fisher is taking early retirement from the art department, having presided over the BA in fine art as programme leader since 1993. More recently he has been director of undergraduate studies. Janet Hand, head of the department and assistant director of research, left earlier this year. Kay Stables, professor of design education, is now acting head of art. The success of Goldsmiths as an art and creativity hothouse, although used to sell the institution as a happening place, has not necessarily helped the art department in its struggles for resources in recent years. The move to the new Will Alsop designed building (with its notorious squiggle sculpture) was part of these difficulties, and on the academic front the department has merged its BA in art practice with fine art textiles, which were previously separate degrees. There has, however, been some return to the use of visiting tutors this year, which had always been a strength of the department in the past. Some staff have compared the paranoid and competitive atmosphere at Goldsmiths to a Jacobean drama - complete with daggers, garrottings and poisoned paintings - 'And that's just the students wanting the best spaces for the degree show.' There would certainly seem to be some story behind the recent changes in personnel, though resources have been found for a number of teaching jobs that have been advertised. Hopefully a positive outcome for the department and more especially its students is on the way.
Liverpool John Moores University
Juan Cruz, a former contributor to AM, who has been lecturing in fine art at Goldsmiths, has been appointed head of art at Liverpool John Moores University.
From the artnotes section, Art Monthly, July/August 2008.Go back to the debate about art education
