Skip to main content
Solent Unviersity Southampton logo
Solent Unviersity Southampton logo

Dr Jessica Holtaway
PhD

Lecturer

Department of Art and Music

Jessica Holtaway

Biography

Jessica is a lecturer on the MA Visual Communication course where she leads the Digital Media unit. Her teaching explores the creative significance of theory and she runs sessions and workshops that help identify and contextualise key concepts within art and design practice. She also teaches across a number of BA courses within the Department of Art and Music.

With a background in fine art, history of art, and contemporary art theory, Jessica’s research centres on politically-engaged artworks and performances. She is interested in the relationship between creativity and crisis. She completed a PhD in the Department of Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths with a thesis that explored micropolitical art interventions.

Jessica’s book World-Forming and Contemporary Art was published in 2021 by Routledge and explores performances, curatorial practices and institutional practices through reflections on the philosophy of Jean-Luc Nancy. Jessica is also a co-editor of, and contributor to, the book artWORK: Art, Labour and Activism (published by Rowman and Littlefield International in 2017).

Further information

World-Forming and Contemporary Art, 2021. Routledge

These radical artworks force you to look in new ways, Independent. 2020

Ed. artWORK: Art, Labour and Activism,. 2017. Rowman and Littlefield International.

Taught courses

BA (Hons) Fine Art

Nurture your talent for painting, sculpture or applied art, guided by a passionate team of artists, curators and theorists, in a supportive, creative community.

BA (Hons) Make-Up and Hair Design

Superb connections, amazing facilities, and the opportunity to work alongside students of Photography, TV, Film, and SFX make Solent’s course a first choice: the gateway to careers across the world.

MA Visual Communication

Do you have an eye for design? Would you like to help influence the future of visual communications? Our MA Visual Communication degree is ideal for creatives keen to refine their practice, working as part of an interdisciplinary group of students.