Staff
Head of School
On becoming curious
‘Learn from yesterday, live for today. Hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.’ Albert Einstein
In a spirit of questioning one can unearth new ‘truths’ and new understandings. It is the core of learning. Our aim is to produce curious graduates – not just people that will go out and question things, but also people with a system of inquiry and an ability to make sense of what they see around them. Curiosity is a fantastic trait – it implies a desire and a passion for seeking things out. The opposite of curiosity is indifference, and the further we can move away from that the better.
The School of Art & Design has a strong tradition of creative practice, but this can sometimes be a double-edged sword. On the one hand it is inspiring to tread in the footsteps of those that have achieved fame and greatness, but on the other hand it can embed you into a convention, into a form of groupthink that can stifle new thoughts. Rethinking the conventions of art and design practice is for us an optimistic and essential aim. We provide not only excellent facilities and tools for practice but we also aim to provide better interactions for the exchange of ideas and ways of working. Our programmes of study include interactions with the real world to ensure a relevance to society. With challenges including employability, scarcity of resources, globalization, and environmental issues, we also have a social and ethical agenda to encourage debate and dialogue – just because you can do something, does not mean that you should. If we are to rethink the present, then we need to constantly re-evaluate the tensions between the old and the new, between what we know and what we imagine. The School and staff are both geared to drive this challenge and to provide a platform where students can think and do, where they can give form to their ideas and develop their futures.
Pradeep Sharma
Head of Bath School of Art and Design.