Brazilian street artist Andre Gola studies at our London Central Platinum Centre

At our Platinum Centres, we get a fantastically diverse range of students, from business professionals, politicians and, this summer, a Brazilian street artist at our London Central Platinum Centre. Andre Gola studied with us for four weeks in July and our Platinum Director Sarah Ford spoke to him about his time with us. 

Sarah Ford: You are a creative director, an artist, a husband, a dad and you’ve been studying English in the Platinum centre. You are a busy man. Has being a student been a nice break?

Andre Gola: Perfect! Living in a nice city and studying was a perfect experience for improving my English. I have worked in the same company 11 years and now is first 30 days I have had not working since I was there. Usually I get only 15 days vacation. I’m always putting work or other things as a priority.

SF: How did you get involved in street art?

AG: I was giving a lecture about advertising and a famous Brazilian street artist called Cobra saw my art and said it would look good as a mural. Him and his agent called Pagu helped me to find a wall in Rio.

SF: Tell me about the project in Shoreditch?

AG: I did a mural in Kilburn first. I contacted a company Global street art.

SF: Why did you choose to study at St.Giles?

AG: Location most of all. I was looking for a place to live and learn English. I really wanted to ‘live English’. Also, meeting students from all over the world is interesting. I have learned so much more than English here. It’s been better than I’d hoped.

SF: Has there been one highlight on this trip?

AG: I will go back to Brazil with some amazing memories! 1) I learned so much with Naomi and my other teachers. 2) The other students I met are amazing, interesting people. My teacher Naomi uses the exchange of culture as a way to learn English. She’s a great teacher. Finally, 3) Having free time here I have done so much. I spent 2 days at the Tate Modern, visited lots of galleries and met friends who live here in British pubs. London is the best meeting point in the world.

SF: Do you think art in London is different to art in Brazil?

AG: Here you can see more mixed cultures in art. In Brazil we have a lot of different cultures too but in Brazil it’s more concentrated. Here there are many galleries and museums. I think you can grow up with art easily. In Sao Paolo you might not get to see art like that but there’s more street art.

Check out his work: http://andregola.com/