Kim Bagley

Dr. Kim Bagley is a Senior Lecturer in the Programme in Ceramics and Integrated Design (PCID) at Central Saint Martins, part of the University of the Arts London. She is also the Coordinator for Programme Enhancement, contributing to curriculum development and pedagogical innovation. With a background in both art and academia, she brings a practice-led research approach to her teaching and creative work.

Her educational background includes a PhD from the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham—the first practice-led PhD in ceramics at the institution—supervised by Prof Magdalene Odundo and Prof Simon Olding. She also holds an MAFA and a BA Hons in Visual Art from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

Kim Bagley's research and artistic practice focus on ceramics as a medium for exploring cultural identity, postcolonial narratives, and materiality. Her work often draws from her South African heritage, particularly through recurring motifs like Nguni cattle and architectural forms such as extermination tents in Durban. She investigates how objects and materials carry historical and cultural meanings, especially in contested dialogues between Africa and the West.

Her recent creative projects include Clay Stories at Leith Hill Place, a National Trust site, where she created a porcelain screen inspired by Henrietta Darwin and a rare beetle, symbolizing overlooked contributions in science and nature. She has exhibited widely, including at the James Hockey Gallery, Leach Pottery, and the British Ceramics Biennale. Her work is often collaborative, as seen in the Radioactive Shine exhibition by the Grey Area Collective, responding to nuclear submarines in Devonport.

• Making Futures Fellow, Plymouth College of Art (2019–2022)
• British Council Crafting Futures Scoping Visit Participant (2020)

Kim has taught at Plymouth College of Art, UCA Farnham, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and the University of Hertfordshire. She is a resident artist at 318 Ceramics in Farnham and continues to produce sculptural and installation work that bridges art, history, and social inquiry. Her research has been supported by AHRC and British Council initiatives, emphasizing international craft development, particularly in the South Caucasus region.