Master of Fine Art - Student Profiles

Ashley Nieuwenhuizen

Course: Master of Fine Art
Date: 2010

The MFA course at Duncan of Jordanstone was an exciting period in my development as a professional artist. It pushed me to really challenge my practice in the space of a very short year. I forged links with other artists and groups, and explored beyond the territories of my research, ecologies of the species; animal and human. I found the emphasis on research: artists, environments and happenings in my case, extremely beneficial to my creative practice, fuelling methods with deliberate madness (proven during a performance on the university roof). The experience on the MFA gave me an understanding and insight into why I do what I do.

At present I am doing a lot of youth work alongside my practice. I was lucky to be given the time to participate at a recent month long residency at Hospitalfield House, Arbroath, working beside renowned international artists in residence. I was involved in a group exhibition at this years Edinburgh Fringe titled, (Dis)ambiguation, and have an upcoming film screening at Sierra Metro. Having recently moved house, I have only just acquired my very first studio and I plan to focus on several drawings and small sculptural works.

For more information see: www.morphbody.weebly.com

Frank To

Course: Master of Fine Art
Date: 2004 – 2005

Frank To is a graduate from the Master of Fine Art course at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design. Frank is a highly regarded young artist based in Glasgow. His work has prompted international recognition from the likes of Patrick Stewart (of Star Trek fame) and Michel Witmer (New York based Fine Art Consultant, Lecturer and Historian).

"I like Frank's work for its thoughtfulness, intensity, use of colour and quite mature technique" - Patrick Stewart

"There is drama in a Frank To painting. A brooding mental energy that sucks you in and leaves you wondering what, why, where? There is always something or someone or even part of someone emerging from the depths of one of his paintings. This is probably because this engaging, highly focused artist stirs himself into the work in a way that many of his peers – of all ages do not." – Jan Patience, Art Correspondent, The Herald 2008

Frank speaks about his time at Duncan of Jordanstone:

"I chose to do my Master of Fine Art at Duncan of Jordanstone due to its high reputation within arts education. I liked the variety of staff who were on hand to help us and particularly enjoyed debating ideas with the staff. I liked living in Dundee and enjoyed the social life. Currently I am working as a full time fine art practitioner. I have exhibited both nationally and internationally. Studying at DJCAD gave me an advantage over my competitors and has massively helped me to get into the position that I'm in today."

Alexandra Ross

Course: Master of Fine Art, 2006-2007, PhD, Curatorial Practice, 2009-Present
Date: 2006-2007, 2009-Present (2012)

Having been born and schooled in Dundee, I went to Edinburgh University to read my undergraduate degree in Law and subsequently my Masters in Museum and Gallery Studies at St Andrews University. All the while, I was aware of the reputation of DJCAD as a hub of creativity in Scotland. My choice to enter into the MFA programme was informed by an intimate knowledge of the Dundee art world, which I knew to be a fertile ground for collaboration and interdisciplinarity. As I had not come from what may have been considered as a conventional background for the MFA, it was the foresight of the Programme Director and progressive nature of the MFA programme that were integral in my decision to study at DJCAD.

Currently conducting my doctoral research based in the Visual Research Centre within the DCA, I am surrounded on a daily basis by University researchers at various stages of their careers all operating at the most rigorous level.

Personally speaking, DJCAD's close proximity to the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance and the Scottish Dance Theatre means that curating events incorporating dance and movement are made more realisable and have a wide audience.

Due to the invaluable experience that the Master of Fine Art afforded me, I had been equipped with the skills, knowledge and confidence to work internationally in world-renowned art spaces.

Due to the inherently international nature of the research conducted at DJCAD, I was already placed within a network of institutions and contacts with which to collaborate. In between my Masters and embarking upon my PhD, I worked as a visiting scholar at the University of the Arts, Berlin; on the Education Team of Manifesta, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art, Italy; and as a curatorial assistant at the South African National Gallery, Cape Town. I can honestly state that without having done the Masters of Fine Art at DJCAD, those opportunities would not have presented themselves, nor would I have had the skills to participate within such challenging dialogues.