The Painting programme welcomes research applicants. We offer MPhil and PhD by project and thesis.
Research degrees are aimed at emerging artists who have worked for
several years since their previous studies and have begun to establish
an exhibiting profile. It offers such artists the opportunity to
develop, realise and present a defined project of contemporary art, within the context of contemporary critical discourses on art, and
is intended to support and enhance their emergence as thoughtful and accomplished professional
artists, alongside equipping them to work in academia at the highest level.
Most applicants are enrolled on to the MPhil programme, with the
possibility of transfer to PhD during the second year.
Artists submitting for an MPhil degree present a solo exhibition within the Fine Art Degree Show, and subsequently submit a body of written work of 5,000–20,000 in support of that. This normally occurs after two years of full-time study. Artists submitting for a PhD degree present a solo exhibition within the Fine Art Degree Show, and subsequently submit a body of written work of 25,000–40,000 words in support of that. This normally occurs after an additional two years of full time study (four years in total).
Current research activities include a significant proportion of work that extends the language of painting, placing this specialism within the 'expanded field', incorporating aspects of installation, object-making, performance and moving image. The Painting programme is therefore able to support artists whose work is predominantly in painting, as well as those who have a practice that is informed by the medium. As research degrees in art are relatively new, we also encourage innovative or speculative models for research in the discipline itself and for the role of writing in relation to art-making. We encourage candidates to draw upon a wide repertoire of writing to support and develop their artwork, including artists' writings, philosophy, cultural theory, fiction and dramatic scripts. We seek to support research projects that are genuinely directed by the concerns of making art, that employ art as its own theorisation, and for which writing is an element of enquiry, rather than legitimisation.
Staff and students in Painting currently work in painting, installation, event/performance, writing and moving image.
Daniel Baker, PhD by project, AHRC Doctoral Award
Cristina Cojanu, MPhil by project, RCA Bursary (HEFCE)
Nadine Feinson, MPhil by project
Sarah Jones, MPhil by project, RCA Bursary (HEFCE)
Eve Peasnall, MPhil by project, RCA Bursary (HEFCE)
Hephzibah Rendle-Short, PhD by project
Neal Rock, MPhil by project
Lee Triming, MPhil by project, AHRC Doctoral Award