Well, that's it then... Reflections on the last week of my BA (Hons) Degree

It's been a funny week, this week. It opened up on the Monday with a lot of anxiety coming from many of the students who were clearly concerned that the timescales were short and deadlines were looming. What has actually happened throughout the week, has been nothing short of wonderful. The same regular crew of students, together with myself, have been busily finishing the last touches to their pieces ready to submit for final assessment.

The collaboration and esprit de corps have been second to none, and I'm really going to miss this sense of almost family, as we disperse and move into our professional practice.

My own piece of work is finished, as described in my blog from a couple of days ago. I'm delighted with the piece, as it truly reflects my own enquiry into both the contemporary arts, but also contemporary philosophy, with its first positioning into the 20th century by my old favourite Nietzsche.

Conclusions, and final lessons learned;

• The journey over the last three years has actually taught me a great deal about life. To take time out to observe properly what is going on around me; to reinterpret it and make meaning of it in new ways that I could not 'non-linguistically see' before.
• The importance of a plan; Despite getting lots of resistance to using a plan as working tool, when I initially started my degree almost 3 years ago, it is evident that it is necessary to operate in a structured way, albeit with flexible boundaries, in order to meet a deadline and target timescales.
• The underlying philosophy of the strive to make meaning, which is arguably different to "understanding".
• I started my degree with one focus and objective, and that was "to help me to think in a different way". I feel that I have completely achieved this! My own evidence to myself, of proof of a different way of thinking, is that the 'making meaning' of contemporary art is in itself akin to an art form.
• I have also realised that the necessity to learn, is really a necessity built-in to myself to just keep making things. By making, then one is learning. By making, one is almost 'playing'. By making, one is researching. The combined ideas of research through practice and practice through research make complete sense to me now.
• And finally, I realise now that this whole degree has been a lesson about thinking for myself. To make my own meaning towards things that I see and encounter, during the 'everyday' transition from dawn to dusk; from awakening to returning to sleep.
• I'm determined to do much more...  Watch this space!

In accordance with University requirements to properly assess student's blogs, I will go on temporary radio shut down for about one month from this evening.  I will, however, re-start blogging after the 21st June, when assessment and adjudication are complete.

Watch this space!... Back in a month!...