Introduction

Hi & welcome to my blog!

My name is Amy and I am a postgrad research student studying Collections and Curating Practices at ECA. I will be using this blog to reflect critically on my group project, ‘Behind Glass? Digital Literature, Artefact and the Language of Display’, in partnership with National Library Scotland.

I’ve always wanted to work within the Arts in some shape or form. At college I took BTEC National Diploma in Art & Design, A-Level Photography and Art Foundation prior to studying Photography at University of Cumbria. During my degree I really engaged with the theoretical aspect of my course, in particular the materiality of a photograph. I wrote my dissertation on Barthes’ Camera Lucida, reflecting on how the book became a photographic object and memento mori for its author. 

A photograph from my final major project c. The Author (2014)

My degree work focussed on documenting interior and exterior spaces of heritage locations, exploring their associations of romance and intrigue, what it means to photograph them and additionally, examining the museum/gallery space as a context in itself. I enjoyed learning about display cultures on my course and in addition to taking part in my degree’s final major exhibition, I also collaborated on a student photography exhibition in an alternate space.

Since graduating further study was always in the back of my mind but it took a lot longer than I had originally planned to apply for a course. In this time I picked up other creative outlets, such as ice skating and aerial dance, whilst working in the hospitality industry full-time. I have transferable vocational experience from working at Starbucks Coffee during and after University. I started off as a Barista and advanced to running a store before moving to Edinburgh, where I currently work as a Supervisor.

In the GRP I hope to utilise my existing skills in a new setting and gain new skills relating to creative project management and exhibition making. I hope to also make new networks and explore potential job roles in this area.

A photograph of me practicing an aerial routine in April c. The Author (2019)