All Articles by sophia

Sophia Kosmaoglou is an artist, curator and researcher who works collaboratively and across media and to address the construction of identity through relationships, the subversion of convention and authority through performative representations and the limits of rationalism. Her current practice is entirely oriented toward group dynamics, collectivity, cooperation and self-organisation. Blurring the boundaries between art, education and activism, her work questions the ontology of art, its social functions and institutional contexts, and creates opportunities to experiment with collective economies and collaborative learning environments. In 2015 she founded ART&CRITIQUE, an alternative art education network and in 2019 she co-founded the Radical Pedagogy Research Group. She is currently working on a participatory action-research project to start a co-operative art school, in order to provide a self-organised and sustainable alternative to mainstream art education. She is a former member of Exploding Cinema, The Field, Deptford Cinema, Body Politic and other collectives. Sophia has a degree in sculpture and a practice-based PhD in Fine Art from Goldsmiths, where she was a Teaching Assistant in studio practice and critical studies. She is a visiting tutor at Chelsea College of Arts UAL and has decades of teaching experience. Her research interests include the relationship between art and politics, autonomy, socially-engaged art, avant-garde and underground art, institutions and institutional critique, pedagogy and art education, interdisciplinarity, art collectives, self-organization, alternative economies, identity, collectivity and group dynamics.

57 Articles

Practice🔧Theory⚡Critique

Practice🔧Theory⚡Critique

Welcome back! I hope you feel recharged after a fantastic summer 🦜

Feverish preparations are underway for the upcoming Art+Critique course, which begins in a couple of weeks. The cohort is once again shaping up to be a fantastic group of artists and I’m bursting with anticipation Continue reading Practice🔧Theory⚡Critique

🥧 ‘More pie, more sky pls’* 🚀

🥧 ‘More pie, more sky pls’* 🚀

This year whizzed by, it’s been a while since I posted an update and there’s a bunch of news to share, so here goes! Continue reading 🥧 ‘More pie, more sky pls’* 🚀

September Update 🏮🍂

September Update 🏮🍂

The days are getting shorter, the evenings are cooler, and we’ll be spending more time indoors. I usually dread this time of year, but I’m looking forward to getting a lot of work done. At least that’s the plan. Invariably, something always blows my plans out of the water; overcommitting, unexpected workloads or crises, and burn out. But I’m learning to pace myself and take time off. Working longer hours doesn’t necessarily mean getting more done, in fact if you’re tired or stuck it’s better to take a break or even a nap. Continue reading September Update 🏮🍂

Can You Hear Me?

Can You Hear Me?

Nalini Malani [2020] Can You Hear Me. Whitechapel Gallery, London. Screenshot of hybrid visit to the exhibition
Nalini Malani [2020] Can You Hear Me. Whitechapel Gallery, London. Screenshot of hybrid visit to the exhibition

In October 2020 we visited the exhibition Can You Hear Me by Nalini Malani at the Whitechapel Gallery with members of the Art+Critique Autumn 2020 cohort. This was our first hybrid off-site visit and everyone was asked to write a critical review of the exhibition. Any number of things could have gone wrong. Continue reading Can You Hear Me?

📌 Artquest One to One 🍒 Art+Critique Summer 2022

📌 Artquest One to One 🍒 Art+Critique Summer 2022

As we await the arrival of summer the pandemic appears to be at bay, but only by giving way to new fronts of crisis, disinformation, struggle and resistance. Artists have been particularly impacted in the last two years and still reeling as we emerge into the new dystopian normal, so you’re not alone. Book a free advice session with Artquest One to One to discuss your practice and plans for the future – new dates in late May and early June will be posted soon. Continue reading đź“Ś Artquest One to One 🍒 Art+Critique Summer 2022

📢 Outpost Online & Art+Critique 🍒🚀

📢 Outpost Online & Art+Critique 🍒🚀

It’s been a long hard slog but things are starting to look up with the easing of restrictions and a potential end in sight for Covid. In the meantime, if you’re feeling stuck or want to hatch some plans sign up for a free advice session with Artquest Outpost Online. Continue reading 📢 Outpost Online & Art+Critique 🍒🚀

New course: Art + Critique

New course: Art + Critique

Very excited to launch a new course! It combines almost a year’s worth of critical studies lectures and seminars, group tutorials and workshops into one term so it’s going to be pretty intense. Designed during the transition from lockdown to whatever it is we have now, it tries to make up for some of the community, context, interaction, challenge, motivation, freedom and future horizons that we lost in the last six months.

Continue reading New course: Art + Critique

(Slow) Marathon: riveting + inspirational!

(Slow) Marathon: riveting + inspirational!

Thanks to everyone who came along and contributed to the Alternative Art Education (Slow) Marathon! We launched URgh!#1, amplified the movement, opened up the discussion on some of the more esoteric aspects of self-organised art education, demonstrated the possibilities of online education and had a lot of fun!

Continue reading (Slow) Marathon: riveting + inspirational!

URgh!#1 at the (Slow) Marathon

URgh!#1 at the (Slow) Marathon

URgh!#1 July 2020 on Alt. Art Education. Front Cover by Emma Edmondson
URgh!#1 July 2020 on Alt. Art Education. Front Cover by Emma Edmondson

URgh! #1 has arrived and it looks great! Thanks to Footprint Workers Co-op and to all the contributors for their amazing work!

The zine launch is on Sat, 25 July at the (Slow) Marathon, get your printed or digital copy on the day from this page. Continue reading URgh!#1 at the (Slow) Marathon

Self-organisation for a co-operative art school: report

Self-organisation for a co-operative art school: report

Self-organisation for a co-operative art school, Antiuniversity Now! 2020.Many thanks to the participants who joined the workshop for their contributions and their patience! I can only hope that it was as useful for them as it for me. I was very excited to meet them and hear about their backgrounds, practices and reasons for joining the workshop. Many are members of collectives or cooperatives and it was especially good to have people drop in from Manchester, Newcastle, Bristol and Madrid! Continue reading Self-organisation for a co-operative art school: report

Interview with Feral Art School

Feral Art School: an interview with Jayne Jones and Jackie Goodman

Feral Art School is a Hull-based co-operative founded in 2018. The art school offers courses in drawing, painting, printmaking and textiles, as well as day schools in fashion and documentary photography. I caught up with Jayne Jones and Jackie Goodman to find out how they set up the co-operative and hear more about the programme, their working methods and expectations for the future. Read their fascinating insights on coops, the ambiguities of their structure and the challenges and debates around funding and accreditation.

Continue reading Interview with Feral Art School

Self-organisation for a co-operative art school – Antiuniversity Now! 2020

Self-organisation for a co-operative art school

A workshop on self-organisation and collectivity for a cooperative art school

Fri, 12 Jun 2020, 6-9pm
All welcome, please book your place
This event is part of Antinuniversity Now! Festival 2020, 6-13 June Continue reading Self-organisation for a co-operative art school – Antiuniversity Now! 2020

Artquest Research Residency at Conway Hall Library

Artquest Research Residency at Conway Hall Library

As higher education gears up for two more weeks of strikes about pensions, casualisation, workload and pay levels, and independent unions continue their campaigns on wages, outsourcing and zero hours contracts, the extent of the reforms that the 2010 student protests and occupations were fighting becomes all too clear.

Continue reading Artquest Research Residency at Conway Hall Library

Festival of Alternative Art Education 2020

Festival of Alternative Art Education 2020

The Festival of Alternative Art Education 2020 has been postponed! It will now take place on 25 July 2020 at Conway Hall, bringing together alternative art schools, peer-support groups with stalls, workshops, discussions, screenings, tours, installations, performances, the exhibition The Secret Is Out: on the theme of cooperation and the launch of URgh! Zine on self-organised, DIY, peer-led art schools and collectives. Continue reading Festival of Alternative Art Education 2020

OPEN CALL: URgh! zine #1 on Alternative Art Education

OPEN CALL: URgh! zine #1 on Alternative Art Education

Submissions are open for the first issue of URgh! on alternative art education. The zine will explore and document alternative art education in self-organised, DIY, peer-led art schools and collectives.

Continue reading OPEN CALL: URgh! zine #1 on Alternative Art Education

Conway Hall Residency: Interview 1

Conway Hall Residency 2019: Interview 1

Listen to the first interview with Nick Kaplony from Artquest on the Conway Hall Research Residency. We explore the objectives of my research at Conway Hall, the idea of a cooperative art school and some of the key concerns in my practice, such as the legitimising role of the institution and the need for alternative models of art education.

Continue reading Conway Hall Residency: Interview 1

A co-operative art school? Workshops at Conway Hall

Workshops for a co-operative art school

What would a co-operative art school look like? How would it work? Who is it for and what would the benefits be? Come along to a series of workshops at Conway Hall to discuss these questions and collectively explore potential models for a co-operative form of art education. Please click here for more information on the workshop series. To book please follow the links below.

Continue reading A co-operative art school? Workshops at Conway Hall

Something for Everybody

Something for Everybody

Many thanks to everyone who came along to our events in February. We’re thrilled to welcome Eva Ruschkowski as the new Symposium book club coordinator. A very special to thanks to her for facilitating the book club on Claire Bishop’s Artificial Hells last month.

This Friday, 8 March, 7-9pm we’re discussing the chapter on Easter Island in Jared Diamond’s book Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive. This book club will be facilitated by Tere Chad and Alter Us. Please follow the links for more info, to download the text and book your place. If you would like to facilitate the book club in future please visit the page for more info and come along to get involved.

Many thanks to everyone who came along to the launch of the Radical Pedagogy Reading Group. It was great to hear about everyone’s practice and particular interest in radical pedagogy and alternative art education. There was such a diversity of perspectives and questions, we’re very excited at the prospect of collaborating and learning together. The next session will take place on 24 March, 2-4pm at the Alternative Art School Weekender, a three-day festival and art school organised by TOMA (The Other MA) at Ugly Duck from Fri to Sun, 22-24 March. We’ve put an excellent programme together, check out the website for more details and come along.

On Saturday, 23 March, 12-4pm we’re running a collaborative DIY workshop at the festival to collect ideas on How To Start Your Own Art School in a handy and entertaining guide. Come along with your tips, ideas, stories, anecdotes, advice and full-blown manifestos! We will use all kinds of techniques, including collage, drawing, calligraphy and cut up poetry to produce A6 zine (105mm x 148mm). Materials and tools will be provided but you are welcome to bring your own. If you can’t come along to the workshop you can send your readymade page beforehand to info@artandcritique.uk.

The art crawl is back this month, join us on the last Saturday to view and discuss three artists’ films from Mayfair to Fitzrovia with Eva Ruschkowski. For more details and to book your place please follow the links.

Looking forward to see you there.

[SYMPOSIUM]#34 Jared Diamond Collapse. Flyer by Tere Chad.[SYMPOSIUM] BOOK CLUB
Jared Diamond: Collapse. How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive

Friday, 8 March 2019, 7pm – 9pm
LARC, 62 Fieldgate Street, London E1 1ES
Facilitated by Alter Us
Suggested donation ÂŁ2, booking via Eventbrite

Sophia Kosmaoglou [2017] Art Skool Co-op Poster_thumb[ART&CRITIQUE] WORKSHOP
How To Start Your Own Art School
Saturday, 23 March 2019, 12-4pm
Ugly Duck, 49 Tanner St, London SE1 3PL
Alternative Art School Weekender 22-24 March
All welcome

ART&CRITIQUE workshop, First Alternative Education Open-Day 2017. Photo School of the Damned(1)_thumb400_1[ART&CRITIQUE] RADICAL PEDAGOGY RESEARCH & READING GROUP
What is alternative art education?
Sunday, 24 March 2019, 2-4pm
Ugly Duck, 49 Tanner St, London SE1 3PL
Alternative Art School Weekender 22-24 March
All welcome

artcrawl#14_thumb[ART&CRITIQUE] ART CRAWL
Mayfair to Fitzrovia: Joy, Dance, Magic
Saturday, 30 March 2019, 13:45 – 17:00
Meet 13:45 at LĂ©vy Gorvy, 22 Old Bond St, Mayfair, London W1S 4PY
Curated by Eva Ruschkowski
Free, booking via Eventbrite

Philip Guston [1973] Painting, Smoking, Eating. Oil on canvas, 196.8 x 262.9 cm.[OPPORTUNITIES & ANNOUNCEMENTS]
March 2018
The list of opportunities,
open calls, deadlines,
announcements & vacancies
is updated regularly.

IMAGE CREDITS
Flyer for SYMPOSIUM#34 Jared Diamond: Collapse, by Tere Chad.
Sophia Kosmaoglou [2017] Art Skool Co-op Poster.
Workshop, First Alternative Education Open-Day 2017. Photo by School of the Damned.
Flyer for ARTCRAWL#16 Mayfair to Fitzrovia, by Eva Ruskowski.
Philip Guston [1973] Painting, Smoking, Eating. Oil on canvas, 196.8 x 262.9 cm.

Collaboration and Pedagogy

Collaboration and Pedagogy

On Friday, 8 February 2019 we’re discussing the first chapter of Claire Bishop’s book Artificial Hells with Eva Ruschkowski. This book club is fully booked, please check the Eventbrite page on the day of the event for returns.

Interested in alternative art education? Want to help start an alternative art school? Send us your contributions for the Radical Pedagogy Research & Reading Group draft syllabus by Friday, 15 February 2019, final version to be determined collectively at the launch on Friday, 22 February 2019. Please see the event page for more details.

Jeremy Deller and Mike Figgis [2001] The Battle of Orgreave.[SYMPOSIUM] BOOK CLUB
Claire Bishop: Artificial Hells
Friday, 8 February, 7pm – 9pm
LARC, 62 Fieldgate Street, London E1 1ES
Facilitated by Eva Ruschkowski
Suggested donation ÂŁ2, booking via Eventbrite

ART&CRITIQUE workshop, First Alternative Education Open-Day 2017. Photo School of the Damned.[ART&CRITIQUE] RADICAL PEDAGOGY RESEARCH & READING GROUP
Radical Pedagogy Reading Group Launch
Friday, 22 Feb 2019, 7pm – 9pm
LARC, 62 Fieldgate Street, London E1 1ES
Closest stations: Whitechapel / Aldgate East
Suggested donation ÂŁ2, booking via Eventbrite

Philip Guston [1973] Painting, Smoking, Eating. Oil on canvas, 196.8 x 262.9 cm.[OPPORTUNITIES & ANNOUNCEMENTS]
February 2018
The list of opportunities, open calls, deadlines, announcements & vacancies is updated regularly.
If you would like to post your listing for open calls, opportunities or vacancies on the list please send us the details.

IMAGE CREDITS
Jeremy Deller and Mike Figgis [2001] The Battle of Orgreave (detail).
ART&CRITIQUE workshop, First Alternative Education Open-Day 2017. Photo by School of the Damned (detail).
Philip Guston [1973] Painting, Smoking, Eating. Oil on canvas, 196.8 x 262.9 cm.

Xmas Xtra: Open Calls

Many thanks to Neil Lamont for facilitating the excellent discussion on The Idea of Communism and to everyone who came and along and contributed in December.

Join us on Friday, 11 January 2019 to help steer the course for the Book Club. We will discuss the reading agenda and how to shape decision making processes in the group. Come along to share your ideas about texts that help you think about your own practice, theory and research. You don’t need to be an expert: Everyone is welcome to propose a text and facilitate the reading group.

We’ve issued more tickets for the first meeting of the Radical Pedagogy Research & Reading Group! To book your place please fill in the submission and booking form and we will confirm your booking. This event sold out immediately and we can’t accommodate the level of interest it has generated. Start your local radical pedagogy reading group today!

critical theory in contemporary art practice_banner[ART&CRITIQUE] COURSE
Critical Theory in Contemporary Art Practice
10 January – 14 March 2019, 6pm–8:30pm
Chelsea College of Arts, 16 John Islip Street, London SW1P 4JU
Tutor Sophia Kosmaoglou
Booking via UAL

Photo by Eva Ruschkowski, 2015. [SYMPOSIUM] BOOK CLUB
Call for Book Club 2019
Friday, 11 January 2019, 6:30pm – 9pm
LARC, 62 Fieldgate Street, London E1 1ES
Facilitated by Facilitated by Dee Vora, John Fortnum and Eva Ruschkowski
Suggested donation ÂŁ2, booking via Eventbrite

ART&CRITIQUE workshop, First Alternative Education Open-Day 2017. Photo School of the Damned.[ART&CRITIQUE] RADICAL PEDAGOGY RESEARCH & READING GROUP
Radical Pedagogy Reading Group Launch
Friday, 22 Feb 2019, 7pm – 9pm
LARC, 62 Fieldgate Street, London E1 1ES
Closest stations: Whitechapel / Aldgate East
Suggested donation ÂŁ2, booking via Eventbrite

Philip Guston [1973] Painting, Smoking, Eating. Oil on canvas, 196.8 x 262.9 cm.[OPPORTUNITIES & ANNOUNCEMENTS]
January 2019
The list of opportunities, open calls, deadlines, announcements & vacancies is updated regularly.
If you would like to post your listing for open calls, opportunities or vacancies on the list please send us the details.

IMAGE CREDITS
Photo by Eva Ruschkowski, 2015.
ART&CRITIQUE workshop, First Alternative Education Open-Day 2017. Photo by School of the Damned.
Tom Worsfold [2016] Hangover Apparition. Acrylic on canvas.