Kieren Reed

Kieren Reed serves as Professor of Fine Art and Slade Professor at University College London's Slade School of Fine Art, where they hold multiple leadership roles including Director of Studies for Undergraduate Programmes and Head of Undergraduate Sculpture. Their academic career at UCL spans over a decade with continuous appointments since 2010.

Reed's research explores the conceptual space between form and functionality through sculpture, performance, and installation art. Their practice investigates the duality of artworks serving both utilitarian purposes and aesthetic functions, creating dynamic negotiations between the real and fabricated. Key themes include situated practice in art and architecture, social sculpture, and the relationship between public engagement and artistic production. Reed's work consistently connects to specific sites and situations, transforming functional structures into platforms for discourse.

Recent artistic output demonstrates significant engagement with public space and community interaction through projects like Gather, Raising the Sittingbourne Barn, and The Beautifullest Place On Earth. Their publications span performance documentation, exhibition catalogues, and theoretical explorations of nonhuman agency in art practice. Reed's work has been presented at major institutions including Tate Britain, Gasworks, Chisenhale Gallery, and Camden Arts Centre.

As an educator, Reed has developed significant expertise in art pedagogy, holding a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. Their academic leadership includes shaping undergraduate programmes and contributing to research on art education transitions and widening participation in the arts.