Laura Bruni

Experience with the most renowned art institutions in London

I chose the program because I’ve heard about it from a former graduate whose curatorial work I deeply admired, but at the end I was drawn to Goldsmiths because I was eager to explore further the intellectual implications of exhibition making and how it informs everyday life more broadly. As I already had some curatorial experience when I enrolled, having previously worked at the Philadelphia Museum, I was particularly drawn to the practice-led approach of the programme and the opportunity offered to the students to be engaged with some of the most renowned art institutions in London.

Enriching experiences, graduate prospects, and an inspiring course.

My overall experience of the course was positive and, in the end, incredibly enriching, but challenging sometimes. The course made me rethink deeply the way I had previously approached art history. I found the content of the classes stimulating and on many occasions, I felt pushed to be out of my comfort zone as a curator, which at the end helped me to find my own voice in my curatorial practice.

During my time at Goldsmiths, I found particularly inspiring the interdisciplinary nature of the course. It made me re-evaluate what it means to be a curator, either when working independently or as part of a larger curatorial team. More importantly, it made me realise how crucial it is to conceive innovative, visually coherent projects which are both rigorous but also relevant to a contemporary audience.

Because of the less prescriptive nature of the course, I also had the chance to create my own opportunities and during my second year I started to work as Assistant Curator at Tate Modern. This role not only gave me some financial security but also truly spring-boarded my career in the UK.

Goldsmiths and the Tate Modern

As mentioned, during the second year of the programme, I was lucky enough to be able to start working as Assistant Curator at Tate Modern and even though it was quite of a challenge to balance my course commitments with my responsibilities at work, the experience was highly rewarding. Since 2018, I have been working at Tate Liverpool, where I devise collection displays, temporary exhibitions, and new commissions. It is a wonderful experience as I have had the chance to work with the Tate collection but also with tribalizing artists as Theaster Gates, Lamin Fofana and Candice Breitz.

MFA Curating teaches many different frameworks and outlooks on what curation is

The course played a huge role in shaping the kind of curator I have become. The course made me reconsider what curation is and how important is to frame the exhibition-making withing a larger theoretical framework, which may encompass historical, political, or economic issues.

Advice for MFA Curating students

Find your own voice and meet and reach out to as many curators, peers, professionals, researchers and artists as possible. Forge your own network opportunities and see as many exhibitions as you can. Goldsmiths and London are still an incomparable hub for new and ground-breaking ideas. Apply for the opportunities which resonate with your own curatorial profile and let things grow organically.