Hello, my name is Seiji Suzuki, and I am a Level 4 BA (Hons) Fine Art student at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB). I would like to share my experiences over the past year as a first-year student and why my background led me to choose a British art university – and specifically AUB.
Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by phenomena that cannot be fully explained by words alone – such as the physical sensation and shifting atmosphere when a train accelerates, the nuances of sound and the perception of space. As I grew older, my interests expanded into politics, society, religion, and identity. Deepening my thoughts on these subjects made me realise that my core interest lies in "how humans perceive the world and assign meaning to it.”
At the same time, I felt a sense of discomfort with how complex experiences and sensations can be rigidly fixed into a single meaning by language, often getting reduced to adversarial binaries. Yet, I faced a personal dilemma, feeling deeply dependent on words myself. For me, art became a way to navigate this contradiction – not a tool to assert definitive answers, but a method of inquiry to translate wordless sensations and questions into physical practice.
I was looking for an environment where I could place my own interests and lived experiences at the very centre of my studies. In British art education, the emphasis is not just on the final outcomes of a piece, but on the process and the fundamental question: “Why make this?” Being able to connect thought, material, space, and the existential purpose of the artwork itself – all anchored around my own questions – was the primary reason I wanted to study art in the UK.
Among the institutions here, I chose AUB because of its powerful ethos of "thinking through making." I naturally have a tendency to keep processing thoughts inside my own head. However, AUB’s dynamic cycle of "just make it first, experiment, and reflect on the outcome to think again" was absolutely vital for my personal growth.
While I still find myself intrigued by the educational approaches of other universities that place philosophy or social issues at their core, I realised that what mattered most for my growth as an artist was not just pure contemplation, but how quickly I could bridge the gap between thought and the physical work. What my first year at AUB taught me is that the right university is not necessarily one that matches your existing style, but a space that fills the gaps in what you lack.
What I love most about this course is the close communication with tutors and the exceptional support from specialist technicians across various fields. Incorporating technical advice into my concrete ideas has significantly expanded both my technical skills and my creative scope. For instance, while I used to develop ideas on a tabletop scale, learning how to use tools like the powered mitre saw from the technicians allowed me to think on a larger scale. Overcoming the hesitation to work within a vast space at an early stage, and forming the habit of thinking spatially, has been a monumental shift in my practice.
In my free time, I enjoy going for walks or deepening connections with friends through food-sharing. Bournemouth offers a perfect balance between nature and urban life. With the sea and parks nearby, there are plenty of spaces to reflect and refresh, making it an ideal environment to stay grounded and focus on making.
When I first arrived, I could not clearly articulate my core interests. However, through continuous making and dialogue, what I wanted to research gradually became clear. A particularly memorable moment was reading the feedback on my tutor assessment. Rather than evaluating us using a rigid, one-size-fits-all standard, the tutors truly understood me as an individual through my tutorials, work, artist research and overall reflections. Knowing that they were measuring my growth by my own yardstick made me deeply grateful that I chose to study abroad at AUB.
I hope art can serve as a medium of self-expression – not only for aspiring artists, but for anyone who constantly carries questions about the world or themselves, yet feels that existing conventional media do not quite fit. UK art universities, and specifically the creative space at AUB, provide an environment where such individuals can feel secure while deepening their learning without compromise.
Moving forward, I am excited to continue my dedicated exploration of my research theme – the experience of spatial pressure itself – within this incredibly enriching environment.
