Aryana Arian Assl

Looking back, what did you most enjoy about your time at Bard College Berlin?
The rewarding experience of having discussions in political economy, literature, art history, and philosophy with students from different backgrounds and concentrations.

How would you describe, in a nutshell, the experience of studying at BCB?
Intellectually rewarding. It built the foundation for my critical thinking and discourse abilities.

Write briefly about one of your courses that left a lasting impression on you.
The “Renaissance Florence” Core course, taught by Dr. Geoff Lehman, taught me how to look at works of art critically and explore the interplay between artists, their creations, and their historical contexts. I wrote my final paper on the Persian Sibyl, a small painting by Michelangelo that is part of the Sistine Chapel.

How has BCB influenced the path you've taken since completing the program? 
BCB allowed me to pick a master's program that is interdisciplinary and exciting—something that can build on the foundation of knowledge that BCB built. Furthermore, many essays I wrote at BCB, including my final essay for “Renaissance Florence” and my thesis, have paved the way for the work I am doing today at perediza. Perediza is a humanities/philosophy-based magazine that tackles climate change, art, style, and, more broadly, life. BCB gave me the network, knowledge, critical thinking, and passion to create this magazine. Seven out of the roughly 15 creatives and writers who contributed to our first issue are BCB students! Either through writing magnificent critical and philosophical pieces, or contributing their beautiful art to the magazine, Bard College Berliners were a crucial part of putting perediza together.

Where are you now and what are you doing?
I am in London pursuing a master’s degree in Culture, Criticism, and Curation at the University of the Arts London. Furthermore, I serve as the Editor-in-Chief at perediza. We released our inaugural issue last year, and we are currently working on the second issue.

Any advice you would give to students considering BCB?
If you are looking for an education where you will gain a strong foundation of knowledge in philosophy, culture, history, and more broadly, the humanities, BCB is the place to go. Not only will it reward you with engaging opportunities for discourse and critical thinking, but it will also allow you to find friends and a community of people that are passionate and immersed in theory, practice, or both. Furthermore, BCB is located in Berlin, renowned for its amazing exhibitions, historic landmarks, sights, culture, and diverse communities. BCB's small size also allows for you to engage in the classrooms and with the professors, offering a more communal learning experience that is very rare and hard to find!

Why did you choose to study at Bard College Berlin? 
I liked how the core classes at BCB create a fascinating intersection between all the different disciplines that students study here. Core courses such as Origins of Political Economy and Plato’s Republic and Its Interlocutors are some of my favorite courses this year. Bringing together economists, philosophers, writers, and artists in a classroom discussing The Republic by Plato creates both interesting discussions and perspectives. It also expands everyone's views and allows for the contextualization of topics like art and economy.
 
What surprised you the most about BCB? 
The intersectionality between the different subjects studied by the students. The core courses bring up questions and issues from different fields that are normally not discussed together, making the topics and discussions in class more interesting than I thought it would. It also surprised me how easy it is to start diving into your interests as the city has so much to offer. No matter what you study, the city always inspires you. As an art student, I was surprised by the overwhelming amount of museums and galleries, displaying numerous amounts of work from all around the globe, and this inspired me and my work in such a great way. 

What does a liberal arts education mean to you?
A liberal arts education, in my view, is the ideal way to educate someone who has interests that coexist within different forms and spaces. Our minds are not designed to think in a one-directional sense but rather we require to think and communicate via different shapes, paths and forms. Liberal arts education allows this. It asks you to educate yourself through the understanding of various things beside your specialization and this allows for your specialization to blossom in a proper context. Whether that be a politician who understands art, thus understanding people’s struggles better, or an artist who understands politics to create art that speaks louder. Knowing about one thing and one thing only won’t lead to complete knowledge, as for example, without philosophy you wouldn’t be able to understand what knowing truly is before you begin to know in the first place.