Thursday, 8 March 2018
Introducing Ed Hadfield
135 artists are taking part in "Inside Job" which takes place on the 7th and 8th of April on Level 6 of Tate Modern. Over the next few weeks The Rebel Magazine will be chatting to some of the Tate staff who are showing their artwork. Say "Hello" to Ed Hadfield...
Q) Where did you grow up and what kind of education did you receive?
I grew up in the deepest parts of suburban Surrey as a teenager in the 80’s –and London has been my home now for the last 20 years, mostly in the Brixton and Peckham areas. My art education was the most informative period of my life. I met some amazing tutors who weren’t interested in results but were interested in the development of an individual’s identity; other tutors who were always positive and other tutors that challenged you all the way; but mostly my time on an HNC in Fine Art at Kensington & Chelsea College, followed by a BA at Camberwell College of Art, was a period where I committed my self to a positive constructive philosophy of engagement using my art practice as a way to mediate my position in the world. Camberwell’s experimental painting department’s commitment to use a single honour discipline as a starting point to break new boundaries was perfect for me and I soon launched into a three year self directed course of study exploring conceptual word art, verbo-visual poetry and free verse. Alongside this I grounded my new position in the world through a group of poets called The Objectivists who focused on engagement in the present; and the capturing of somaesthetic experiences in the present guided by American philosopher John Dewey . So you could sort of say that my art education has led me to explore the world with a ‘positive field of vision’ capturing new values and experiences as they appear before me in the present moment.
Q) How long have you been working at the Tate and what's the best show you've seen there?
I’ve been working as a waiter since 2011 supporting my art studies; and now as a Coffee Barista at Tate Modern since 2015….the best show I’ve seen at Tate Modern…well…I’m going to go for one of the permanent exhibits rather than a show and that would be Lawrence Weiner’s word art installation “the whole world and the work = the whole world.” The thing I like about Weiner is his understanding of how the meaning of words change in a public environment according to their context; and his articulation that artists are people who are not satisfied with the world and want to change it – I couldn’t agree more with him.
Q) What can you tell me about the work you're exhibiting in the Tate Modern show?
I’m exhibiting a work at Tate Modern called ‘Affirmative 1.’ It’s a bit of an unusual one for me because it’s not based on somaesthetic experiences of the present; instead it appropriates the life affirming ‘yes saying’ philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche through an exploration of James Joyce’s novel ULYSSES. The piece explores ‘virtue ethics’ as an underlying character style or mentality that informs the way you act in the world; as well as looking at how ethics and aesthetics can be combined to affect the way people feel, think and act in the world. ‘Affirmative 1’ was originally designed for a 10 metre wide unauthorised public art installation in Peckham Square in 2016 as my art practice is primarily concerned with bringing ideas to a wider public audience on the street.
Q) How can people find out more about your work - do you have a website or do Instagram?
Most of my work’s on my website http://www.edhadfield.com/
or on my instagram account ed.hadfield
Q) Is there anything you have to declare / do you have a favourite quote, thought or joke you'd care to share?
A favourite quote…just thinking about that one…. well yes… I am a big fan of the Black Mountain poet Charles Olson. His poetry is quite pedagogic, quite instrumental in the manner in which it functions –a bit like mine- and he has an emphasis on place, on belonging, on bedding in to the local community and making a stand, on a microcosm projected into the universal – which is also sort of what I’m trying to do- and he also goes in for things like process philosophy, on the notion of change and becoming which I like as well, so here it is: “At Root what is, is no longer THINGS, but what happens BETWEEN things…”
"Inside Job": An exhibition of art by Tate Staff will take place on Level 6 of the Blavatnik Building of Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG http://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern
Tuesday, 6 March 2018
Introducing Pierre Julien
135 artists are taking part in "Inside Job" which takes place on the 7th and 8th of April on Level 6 of Tate Modern. Over the next few weeks The Rebel Magazine will be chatting to some of the Tate staff who are showing their artwork. First up is Pierre Julien...
Q: Where did you grow up and what kind of education did you receive?
"I was born in Dartford Kent 1971 and part of my childhood was spent in Edinburgh from the age between 4-13 (fabulous place and people) We moved to London in the early 80s I enrolled at William Ellis School from this age have resided in London since. In 1988 I was attending a summer school at Central St Martins and then spent 2 years on foundation studies one full-time one part-time, After this period I applied to West Surrey College of Fine Art and Studied Fine Art there from 1991-1994.It whilst studying Fine Art that I was encouraged to learn printmaking at this time they had etching and some lithography practise.
I felt that I needed apply for what was then an HDFA at UCL Slade School of Fine Art and began studying and specialising in printmaking after meeting Professor Bartholemew Dos Santos from 1995-1997. From this period I travelled to my fathers country Mauritius to learn about my cultural heritage. I returned to London and worked for English Heritage from 1999-2012. "
Q: How long have you been working at the Tate and what's the best show you've seen there?
"I started working at Tate in 2013 with Wilson James and since 2016 have been employed by Tate directly as A Visitor Assistant.
As far as shows are concerned its very difficult to say whether I have had a favourite show. Part of the privelidge that i feel working there is that there is a constant influx of artists ideas and legacies. My perception of this concept has changed because of the question I would say definitely the Paul Klee and the Mattisse around the time when I started I would veer between those two . And As I continue working my opinions might very well change."
Q:What can you tell me about the work you're exhibiting in the Tate Modern show?
"The work that I will be exhibiting in the staff show at Tate Modern is a Collograph Print, Which is an ecological alternative to etching and can be made at and home very and easy to produce. Printed using the Brand Press at the London Print Studio In Westbourne Park London. The image is taken from a drawing which I made of the Sea view in Brighton from the Pier which I then transfer on the printing plate. After various processes and when the plate is ready I coat the printing plate with Shellac which makes the printing plate spirit proof and so one can produce editions (in Theory) Sometimes I use more than one plate to create an image and this allows freedom to experiment randomly when printing."
Q: How can people find out more about your work - do you have a website or do Instagram?
"I have a page on facebook called ' PierreJulien Artworks' and also am on instagram as Pierreshaped1. For information on printmaking I am featured in a book called Printmaking on a Budget By Steve Mumberson and Mandy Bonnel. I have ideas for a website for future purposes but havent decided on the format as of yet."
Q: Is there anything you have to declare / do you have a favourite quote, thought or joke you'd care to share?
"As there is Picasso exhibition currently on show I will use this quote my favourite Picasso quote, 'It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child...'"
"Inside Job": An exhibition of art by Tate Staff will take place on Level 6 of the Blavatnik Building of Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG http://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern
Monday, 26 February 2018
Backstage at The 100 Club with David Devant & His Spirit Wife
Thursday, 1 February 2018
Q & A with Paul Simonon
Before becoming a member of The Clash Paul Simonon was a student at The Byam School of Art. I first became aware of his art 30 years ago when I bought the Big Audio Dynamite L.P "Tighten Up 88" which has one of his paintings on the cover. In recent years Simonon has had 3 successful solo shows at Thomas Williams fine art, the ICA and Hazlitt, Gooden & Fox.
Harry Pye: Do you paint pretty much every day? Do you tend to work better early in the day or on an empty stomach? Do you work in silence or have the radio on?
Paul Simonon: "I do paint almost every day..... recently I’ve been working on Lino prints ... alternating between the print and canvas.
I don’t know if I work better in the morning or afternoon....I’m always trying to make sense of what I’m doing 24 hours a day.
If I do have the radio on...it’s probably Radio 4 extra....I like the comedy programs buzzing in the back ground.....
If I work plein air...then I won’t eat till I get home...depends where I am."
Some people are better at playing pool after drinking a pint of two. What do you like to drink? And do you ever paint whilst slightly tipsy?
"Occasionally....I like drinking wine in the day and whiskey at night ..... I never paint sloshed or tipsy... I need to be totally focused."
What do you admire most about John Bratby's work? What do you consider to be his best painting (and why)?
"I admire most painters because I understand the process and challenges involved in creating a piece of work.
I particularly like John Bratby for painting ‘everyday objects... cereal packets, pots & pans.....even his toilet."
Recently there was a compilation of Clash cover versions (Specialized: Combat Cancer) sold in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust. Are you flattered when band's perform Clash songs? Did you like either Nouvelle Vague or Jimmy Cliff's cover of Guns of Brixton?
"If anything we ever did as The Clash contributes in anyway to individuals or charities ...that’s a positive.
I did like the Nouvelle Vague version...they did something very imaginative and moody with it."
Do you prefer West London to South London? What are your favourite London Parks and bridges? (Above painting by Paul is of Millbank bridge)
"I like all of London and all the parks & bridges....
At the moment I like Paddington best because I live there......it has a canal and a proper street market that hasn’t been messed up with Starbucks etc ."
If Bernard Rhodes got in contact and asked you to paint his portrait would you consider it an honour to be asked? Do you think you'd be able to capture his delicate features? When was the last time your paths crossed?
"I can paint Bernard from memory ...I just need a bucket of paint and brush.
We keep in touch...we are pen friends."
The Clash were photographed by some great photographers - is there any one photo from your Clash days that has a place in your heart? Or any photographers you particularly enjoyed the company of?
"I like Pennie Smith, she smokes Gitanes and takes great black & white photos."
Are you interested in politics? Do you support a party or have faith in any politicians?
"I am very interested in politics and I’m glad Corbyn has brought the Labour Party back to its grass roots..."
What are you working on at the moment? When is the next solo show going to be, will it have a theme?
"I’m always working on paintings...I’ll only have a exhibition when someone says ‘ Paul...it’s about time you had a show....let me organise it for you."
What aspect of your work are you most confident about? What are your strengths?
"Persistence!"
Of all the paintings that you can go and see in London for free what would you recommend people to go and have a closer look at? Are there any paintings at The National or Tate you go back to marvel at?
"I would recommend going to all of them...The Dulwich Picture Gallery has quite a few gems. Hogarth’s ‘The Shrimp Girl’ at the National Gallery is a painting that I marvel at.... like it was painted yesterday....it’s so fresh and full of life!"
For more info on Paul's art visit: here
(Above: Just For Kicks linocuts are personally hand-made by Paul, and hand coloured for each individual print, making each one truly unique. They are printed on hand cut Kraft art paper in a limited edition of 20 signed and numbered by Paul.
Dimensions are 28.5 cm x 40 cm but might vary slightly.)
Sunday, 14 January 2018
Horsebridge Open 2018 (13th Jan - 28th Jan)
Thursday, 11 January 2018
The First Extricate Print Fair
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