Alumnae spotlight: Caroline Ip

Caroline Ip, Class of 2017

Caroline was the worthy recipient of many prizes at Croydon High, including the 11+ Academic Scholarship, a Sixth Form Art Scholarship, the Margaret Adams Award for excellent GCSE results, the Senior Prefect Prize, the Isabel Wrightson Prize for Art, and the Friends of the Trust Prize for academic achievement and contribution.

The Spring Term of 2017 was a busy one for Caroline; as well as studying for her A-level exams, she took part in the Articulation London Regional Heat at the National Gallery, with only 30 of 5,000 applicants who did so. The adjudicator, Penny Huntsman, thanked Caroline for introducing a new artist whose work addressed identity.

Caroline also led the team that ran our International Women’s Day Conference in collaboration with the National Council of Young Women. The conference explored the topics of sexual and reproductive health rights worldwide with help from guest speakers from Brook, Amnesty International, Marie Stopes and UCL.

Caroline studied Art History and International Relations, Modern and Contemporary Art, and Postcolonial and Feminist Theory at the University of St Andrews, gaining a 1st Class degree. Following on, she took a Master of Arts – MA, Curating Art and Public Programmes at the Whitechapel Gallery and London South Bank University.

The Master of Arts degree in Curating Art and Public Programmes uniquely collaborates with London South Bank University (LSBU), training emerging curators over a one-year, full-time course. Focusing on curating art and public programmes and culminating in the students’ final exhibition at Whitechapel Gallery, it offers a unique curriculum that stands out from other curating courses.

Caroline works at The Whitechapel Art Gallery, founded in 1901, to bring great art to the people of east London. Internationally acclaimed for its exhibitions of modern and contemporary art and its pioneering education and public events programmes, the Gallery has premiered international artists such as Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Nan Goldin and provided a showcase for Britain’s most significant artists from Gilbert & George to Lucian Freud, Peter Doig to Mark Wallinger.

Caroline is part of a team that curated the All Starts with a Thread Exhibition at Whitechapel Gallery. ‘A thread is both a connecting force leading us from one thing to the next and a material from which something is yet to be made. It can help us re-imagine and reconfigure our relationships with one another and the time and space we inhabit.’ Entry is free and lasts until 31 December 2023.

We caught up with Caroline this week for a Q&A session:

What aspects of Croydon High School did you enjoy and find most rewarding?

My favourite thing about Croydon High was our sense of community, both as a year group and as a school overall. The nurturing environment made me feel that we were all valued for our unique personalities and skills and that mutual support is valuable!

What did you aspire to whilst at school?

I didn’t have a dream job or specific aspirations at school (which I think is important to know is ok!) I loved art and had enjoyed beginning to read theory and art history books at school, supported by the fabulous art department. I knew I wanted to explore that further at university. I am a big fan of the Scottish university system, where you can explore different subjects within your degree, which enabled me to explore my interests in politics and continue learning about myself.

How did Croydon High School empower you for your future?

Looking back, I think Croydon High really empowered me to believe in myself. Whilst I am still learning and growing, the confidence that school encouraged us to have has helped me reach for opportunities, ask for help when needed, and have faith in my abilities.

What has been your proudest moment?

It might be a boring answer, but I think my proudest moment was when I handed in my undergrad dissertation, Remote Phenomenologies: Reimagining the Relationship Between Race and Art in Britain in the Time of COVID-19. Writing it during the pandemic was a tough project, but I was so proud to see it grow and come together! I look back at it if I’m having a low moment to remind myself of what I can achieve, and it is something that really feels like a part of me.

What are your hopes for the future?

I’m not entirely sure what lies ahead for me, but I’m enjoying exploring different opportunities and figuring out what suits me best. I would ultimately love to work in an arts space that is collaborative and community-focused, focusing on accessibility and care.

What would you say to your 15-year-old self?

It may be a bit cheesy, but if I could talk to my 15-year-old self today, I would tell younger Caroline that it’s ok not to have everything figured out! Take opportunities that come because these are the best ways to learn and grow and ask for help when needed because everyone needs help sometimes.

Great advice indeed; thank you, Caroline!

Mrs Karen Roe
Alumnae Relations Manager