Katie Beeton

As the daughter of an Iraqi exile, I am extremely interested in the intersection of contemporary art and politics across diverse cultures. Coming from England has allowed me to experience a new culture and deepen my understanding of art's implications in a new cultural and political session. I am interested in the effectiveness of art as a political tool and art’s relationship to modes of activism and visual culture that are not traditionally regarded as artistic.

As someone who is politically aware, engaged and committed to establishing the transformative effects of art in society, I aim to advocate the role of art and activism in contemporary culture. My goal is to put what I learn at NYU to use during my professional life by contributing to the growing critical and curatorial debates on both a national and international level.

What drew you to the MA Arts Politics program?

I applied for this MA because I am interested in the intersection of arts and politics in modern day life and the different ways in which art can be used as a political tool and vehicle for activism. Having studied British modern art and politics, I was passionate about moving to America in order to develop a richer understanding of art’s implications in wider social, cultural and political transformations. That the stated goal of the program is to ‘train unique arts activists’ assured me that the course offered at NYU was the one best suited to encourage me to continue to think critically about the relation between art and the socio-political landscape of modern life.