Johnny Chin. MA Fashion Footwear
The concept of the journey, both external and internal, is at the heart of all my work: artist, educator and researcher. Openness, flexibility, curiosity and the idea that for every choice or decision made, an equally interesting, difficult or adventurous option could have been taken motivates me. There are myriad ways to reach your destination, whatever you are trying to achieve. This flexibility helps me to test constantly my ultimate goals: giving me the chance to respond to the multiple opportunities offered without losing sight of the end of my journey and what it should achieve.
Exploring these multiple chances is at the heart of whatever career or life you wish to create for yourself: journeys both physical and intellectual. John Cage greatly influenced my thinking. He worked as an artist, composer, chess player, mushroom expert – whatever was relevant for that particular point in his thinking and creativity. That hunger for experimentation and knowledge is critical and pertinent to any area of the arts and education. Many of my female influences have taken similar approaches: Frieda Khalo, Julia Kristeva, and Simone de Beauvoir have all pushed the boundaries of their disciplines, challenging existing knowledge and conventions.
Education should give students the opportunity to test, experiment, investigate and build a set of experiences to transform their thinking, like some form of alchemy, about their world. It should equip them with the confidence and abilities to move through their lives, planning and responding in ways which were previously inconceivable. I believe everybody is entitled to this personal journey and transformation.
