Antje Southern

  • Faculty

Biography

Antje Southern, born in Frankfurt, is an art historian and studied at University College London and the Warburg Institute. She is a generalist lecturer with interests ranging from fine art to design. Following internships at the Getty Department of Decorative Arts and the Coins and Medals Department at The British Museum, she was a lecturer at Christie’s Education. Antje currently teaches contextual art history on our Public Programme.

On drawing

I have no expectation for a drawing to be finished and it is this unresolved nature that I find energising. Whether I am looking at our students' drawings or those by established artists, beautiful and untainted thought processes emerge. The limited tools at play give the medium its unique directness and it allows me a glimpse into a momentary manifestation of a creative idea that was chosen from infinite possibilities. Drawing from artists’ work lets me temporarily forget my art historical conditioning and refresh my eyes. I learn something new every time I am absorbed by drawings; without fail it makes me revise my beliefs and always surprises and inspires me.

Antje Southern