Livia Lake Woolfson

Rather than lecturing, I like to open up a dialogue — looking at artworks together, asking questions, and encouraging students to form and articulate their own critical responses. A particular focus of my teaching is visual analysis: I guide students through a structured framework that balances the descriptive and the critical, showing them how to move confidently from observing what is in front of them to weaving in historical context and informed personal opinion. This is a skill that transforms how students engage with art, and one that pays dividends across essays, exams, and coursework.

Trained equally in Art History and Classical Studies, I am fascinated by the influence of ancient art on the modern — understanding the long philosophical and visual traditions from which the contemporary has emerged and defined itself. This classical grounding informs the way I engage with critical theory: whether applying formalist, semiotic, postcolonial, psychoanalytic, or feminist frameworks to an artwork, I bring an awareness of how these critical lenses are themselves part of a much longer conversation about what images mean, who they are for, and how they influence society. For students, this means lessons that offer layered, theoretically confident readings of art.

Lessons are fully flexible and shaped around the student's goals: we might work through an upcoming essay, break down a specific artistic movement, practise timed written responses for exams, or simply spend time building a stronger visual vocabulary for discussing art confidently. I am equally comfortable working with students who are brand new to contemporary art and those preparing for high-stakes coursework or exams.