Isabelle Bucklow (2018)

Your UCL Experience

Hi Isabelle, can you tell us a bit about your BA at UCL History of Art?

I was lucky enough to study History of Art at A-level as I was at one of the few state sixth form colleges that offers the subject – often it is only accessible for those with private-school education – so I already knew that it was a subject that fascinated me. I remember choosing UCL for my BA as I wanted to be right in the middle of where it all happens! The sheer number of world class art institutions and galleries just moments away from UCL’s Bloomsbury campus was incredibly exciting to me. I also liked that Slade (School of Fine Art) was part of UCL, and that the university was so well renowned across arts, humanities and sciences. At the time I certainly didn’t realise quite the calibre of teaching staff, but after one lecture by Professor Briony Fer, I understood what a privileged position I was in and never forgot it! 

Were there any particular modules, tutors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

So many. I thought it was great that you could take seminars across the social and historical sciences and so I took modules in Anthropology across all years (which led me to my MA in Anthropology). Catherine McCormack’s first year seminars of Early Modern Bodies took place in the National Gallery (the highlight of my week) and was my first introduction to Kristeva. I loved Allison Stielau’s modules on Ovid which always had a real material culture focus. Briony Fer’s Image/Object was a truly iconic seminar series. Briony was also my dissertation supervisor and I always loved our conversations. Lastly, Rye Dag Holmboe’s ‘The Body and its Vicissitudes’ was a wonderful survey of bodies, theatre and performance practice across the 20th century and I find myself often returning to many of the themes and ideas explored in those seminars in my own writing today. 

Did you take part in any societies, internships, or extracurricular activities during your time at UCL?

I was the arts editor of Era Journal, the UCL Arts and Culture Magazine.

Career Path

What do you do now?

I am a freelance writer and critic. I write about performance, art, and the intersections of technology, magic and culture for the likes of e-flux, Real Review, Art Review, Texte Zur Kunst, Flash Art, Art Monthly and more. I also contribute essays to publications, most recently a research essay on the 1980s collective Lolita Danse for À Dix On N’est Pas Fous: The Lolita Years (Mess/Mestiza Estudio, 2026).

This involves building relationships with editors, artists, galleries and PRs; seeing a lot of shows and pitching them to the right publications; spending lots of time talking to artists, researching, and of course, spending even more time at my laptop writing and rewriting!

I am also the co-founding editor of motor dance journal, a series of publications dedicated to critical writing on performance and distributed internationally. Select contributors to Motor include Yvonne Rainer, Collier Schorr, Gillian Wearing, Simone Forti, Moyra Davey, Jérôme Bel, CAConrad, (LA)HORDE, Anthea Hamilton, Laurie Anderson, Joan Jonas, David Velasco, McKenzie Wark, RoseLee Goldberg, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Lynne Tillman, Chris Kraus and more. I founded and edit motor with my wonderful friend Hannah Woods who I met on the History of Art course at UCL and where the germinative seeds for motor were sewn!

Alongside my freelance writing, I work at a communications agency delivering strategy and consultancy for clients in architecture, design and landscape. Prior to this I worked for a speculative design and futures studio contributing to their foresight research output and developing speculative futures for clients across commercial, educational and charitable sectors. Upon leaving university, I worked as studio manager for an artist whilst freelancing at a publishing house and I continue to work on independent publishing projects to this day.

It is important to add that, throughout my BA and MA, I worked in retail because London is incredibly expensive!

How and why did you decide to pursue this path?

I always knew I wanted to write. Throughout my degree I was writing and editing for the UCL magazine, and then during my MA (and lockdown) I started pitching to magazines and began to build up my bylines. 

Have you worked in any sectors or roles that might surprise people coming from a History of Art background?

My work for conceiving and scripting speculative futures for technology companies might come as a surprise?!

Skills and Reflections

How did the skills you developed during your History of Art degree help you get to where you are?

History of Art teaches so many fundamental, transferable skills – in terms of being a critic, visual analysis and critical thinking is paramount. I developed real rigour during my BA with respect to good research practice, how to take a decisive position and build a nuanced argument. I particularly enjoyed writing for those professors, like Briony, who encouraged me to refine a style. And of course, learning from day one to meet word count and deadlines continues to help me out. 

In what ways has studying History of Art shaped the way you think or work?

It has certainly shaped how I read visual culture in relation to its socio-political and ethical contexts; it asks us to interrogate the ways language is applied to ‘mute’ things, the implications of that, and the beauty! It has given me a great reference book of artists, theorists, philosophers and writers to call upon!

Advice

What advice would you give to someone thinking about studying History of Art at UCL?

To do it, without doubt. 

What would you say to current UCL History of Art students thinking about life after university?

I never had a career plan, nor do I have one now, and that is (I think) ok. I did however always know I wanted to write, so I was persistent and motivated and found ways to always do that alongside all kinds of work. It can feel like the first job you get after university is decisive and sets you on a path but it doesn’t need to be that way, you can always change. In fact, History of Art really sets you up for that because the skills you acquire are so transferable.