Tag: Tutorials 2024/2025
1-1 tutorials
A Tutorial Reflection
Yesterday, I had a 1-1 tutorial with Jonathan, and it was a great opportunity to think aloud about my practice and research. It helped me reflect on where I’m, what comes next, and how I want to present my work in the interim show. More importantly, it allowed me to articulate the intentions behind my work—what I’m truly trying to communicate through it.
At the moment, I’m working on collecting all the moon letters people have submitted into a book, which I see as a sculpture—not just because of the process involved, but also due to the layers I’ve applied throughout its creation. Here, I wanted to make a book—not just a representation of one, but a real, physical book as a sculptural form. I wasn’t trying to turn a book into a sculpture; rather, I wanted to sculpt a book itself. This distinction has been crucial for me, and I feel I’ve achieved a lot through this approach.
The process remains ongoing—collecting letters, designing the book, and considering communication in both content and form. The creative process has pushed me in new ways and opening many doors.
Jonathan shared some useful links to researchers and artists, including Donna Haraway, Claire Bishop and Lucy & Jorge Orta. He also gave valuable advice on selecting the right paper type for the book, its cover, and how different inks could react on specific papers.
We also discussed different ways the book could be displayed, which made me think more deeply about its presence in a space and how the audience will engage with it—what I could add or take away. This reaffirmed that my work is not just about making an object; it’s about layering meaning, process, and interaction.
Reflecting on the “Thinking Through Social Practice” Online Workshop
Today, I attended an engaging online workshop, Thinking Through Social Practice, facilitated by David McGoven. The session offered a reflective space to explore social practice. What made the workshop especially rewarding was its small, interactive format, allowing participants to share their practices, collaborate on tasks, and develop manifestos that resonate with their creative values.
What Is Social Practice? Social practice, as discussed in the session, is rooted in the idea that art’s value extends beyond objects—it lies in relationships, conversations, and the transformations they inspire. Pablo Helguera, in Education for Socially Engaged Art, defines it as work dependent on social interaction as a key factor of its existence. Unlike traditional conceptions of the artist as a visionary or critic, social practice views the artist as a collaborator working with society in a professional capacity.
One of the workshop’s highlights was crafting personal manifestos to articulate our roles and responsibilities as socially engaged artists. Here’s my manifesto:
1. My work remains private while in progress and becomes public once complete.
2. I am the creator of the idea and responsible for its execution.
3. You, as a participant, are a valued contributor to this social work.
4. Your submission remains your intellectual property.
5. By contributing, you agree to its use in this project’s context.
6. This project prioritises collective learning and dialogue.
7. It is non-profit and exists as a form of social sculpture.
This manifesto reflects my ongoing exploration of collaboration, ownership, and the boundaries between individual and collective creativity.
The workshop reaffirmed my belief that social practice is about relationships—not just between people, but also between ideas, disciplines, and systems. As an artist, I am constantly navigating these relationships, finding ways to balance personal vision with community needs.
The Thinking Through Social Practice workshop was a powerful reminder that art is not just about creating—it’s about connecting. It’s about asking questions, challenging systems, and imagining new possibilities alongside others.
Reflecting on My 1-1 Tutorial with Jonathan: Navigating My MA Journey
This week I had a meaningful 1-1 tutorial with Jonathan, my mentor and program leader, where we explored some key themes about my practice, my personal journey through the MA course, and what I aim to achieve. It felt like an opportunity to articulate where I stand, what’s driving me, and the challenges I face both as an artist and an individual in this phase of learning and growth.
Understanding My Strengths and Struggles
One of the core topics I touched upon was my relationship with my practice and how I feel about myself in the process. I’ve come to recognise that my strength lies in my sensitivity to my surroundings, which deeply influences my work. This sensitivity fuels a duty and responsibility to respond to the world, but I also know that it can sometimes slow me down. That sense of being attuned to everything around me means I can easily be overwhelmed, especially when I’m stressed.
However, I also realise that this sensitivity is an asset—it makes my work honest, grounded, and connected to the social and political contexts that inspire me. Even when my practice slows, it’s because I’m thinking deeply, processing, and making space for genuine ideas to emerge. I’ve learned to trust that.
Embracing Experimentation and the Joy of “Wrongness”
One of the things Jonathan and I discussed was my openness to experimentation. I’m tolerant when it comes to the technical side of my work—I love to play with any medium that comes my way. There’s something liberating about embracing “wrongness,” about leaning into mistakes and seeing where they take me. I like surprises in the process, and I’ve found that those surprises often lead to new insights or shifts in my work that I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.
But no matter the medium or method, there’s always a thread of honesty in my concepts. They consistently reflect the social and political themes that matter to me. The work might take different shapes or directions, but the core is always about addressing or engaging with the world in a real and meaningful way.
Mapping the Next Steps
I know I need to design a roadmap—one that helps me navigate where I want to go with my social sculpture practice and what will truly feed my hunger for growth in this area. I have so many ideas simmering, and I want to channel them in a structured way, giving myself the best chance to explore new depths in my work. I believe having a map, a vision for where I want to go, will help me find that balance between responding to the world around me and moving forward with intention.
In the end, this tutorial left me feeling more clear about my strengths and more prepared to tackle the next phase of my MA. There’s always room for growth, and I’m excited to see where this exploration takes me.
Karema 