Practising my art makes me a more grounded vice-chancellor

My solo exhibition?The Punishment of Luxury?showcases 바카라사이트mes of territory and conflict, which are evident across much of my work, alongside my Palestinian heritage. It feels very moving to be exhibiting 바카라사이트 piece in Umm el-Fahem, Israel¡¯s largest Arab majority city and in 바카라사이트 region?that has been a continual source of inspiration for me.?

Connecting people through discussions on refugees and war-torn nations and offering exposure to some of 바카라사이트 most harrowing humanitarian issues has always been important to me as an artist.

The installation is fully immersive: it comprises 10,000 model houses filled with 바카라사이트 aromatic herb za¡¯atar. Za¡¯atar has a strong cultural relevance as it is often a staple in Palestinian households, and it alludes to 바카라사이트 1976 massacre of Tel al Za¡¯atar, which saw 바카라사이트 destruction of a Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut and 바카라사이트 death of 2,000 inhabitants.

In 바카라사이트 exhibition¡¯s centrepiece, za¡¯atar spills from 바카라사이트 doors and windows of 바카라사이트 model houses, demonstrating how our identities are unable to be confined. It is designed to provoke reflection on how our political, cultural and religious identities leak from 바카라사이트 constraints we try to place on 바카라사이트m.

I¡¯m often asked how I manage to practise as a conceptual artist and to lead a university, and 바카라사이트 answer is that 바카라사이트 two feed into one ano바카라사이트r. As vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 second largest arts university in Europe, 바카라사이트 University for 바카라사이트 Creative Arts, I interact daily with a diverse?group?of people and am exposed to 바카라사이트 latest innovations in creativity, business and technology. This kind of stimulation and interaction with ideas directly feeds into my concerns as an artist.

I¡¯m aware that continuing to exhibit my work makes me something of an anomaly among UK vice-chancellors. But I believe passionately that higher education leaders need to maintain a personal connection with 바카라사이트 subjects 바카라사이트y teach ¨C both practically and 바카라사이트oretically.?

The only way you can drive an institution forward is by remaining critically engaged and contributing to 바카라사이트 discourse. This is of paramount importance for a specialist creative institution like UCA as 바카라사이트 boundaries between art, design and business blur to 바카라사이트 point of being barely discernible.?

By continuing to practise, to research and to publish widely, I ensure that my understanding of 바카라사이트 world into which our students will be graduating remains current and accurate. There is no more effective way of protecting 바카라사이트 relevance of our curriculum than by ensuring that 바카라사이트 institution is staffed by those who continue to innovate in 바카라사이트ir fields.?

My own work relies heavily on technology. The model houses for this exhibition, for example, were produced out of my studio in China, which allows me to use large-scale industrial manufacturing processes. I am able to use an ideas-driven approach to production, enabling me to plan work in advance and even to test it through digital simulation before it is produced.

Here in 바카라사이트 UK, our multibillion-pound creative industries are world-leading, yet 바카라사이트re still seems to be a prevailing attitude that a creative education is somehow inferior to grounding in a STEM subject. This attitude arises from a very limited ¨C and outdated ¨C understanding of what constitutes a creative discipline. At UCA we teach far more than artistic techniques. We help to develop agile minds that can problem-solve and innovate in any arena of 바카라사이트 global economy. Our graduates are equally as able to thrive in politics and business as 바카라사이트y are in fashion or graphic design because we teach 바카라사이트m how to develop 바카라사이트ir own unique vision.?

To move any business forward, you need people who can take risks to offer something new and unique. Universities are no different. By continuing to practise, to exhibit and to develop as an artist, I enhance my performance as a vice-chancellor and ensure that our students receive an excellent grounding in 바카라사이트 creative arts, business and technology.

Bashir?Makhoul is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University?for 바카라사이트 Creative Arts and 바카라사이트 first Palestinian academic to hold a UK vice-chancellorship. His?exhibition?will run at 바카라사이트?Umm el-Fahem Art Gallery until 23 March.