Introducing Thomas Douglas

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. Today we talk to Thomas Douglas

Q) Where did you grow up and what kind of education did you receive? "I was born in rural Northern Ireland where nothing has happened since the 1993 shooting of two young men by the UVF. A place where the worst thing a kid would do is kicking a football into the neighbour’s front garden too many times (once should do it). I moved near London for my education – just to get somewhere that wasn’t quite as quiet as home. I studied Fine Art at the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield – a post-war “New Town” famed for Hatfield House (where Elizabeth found out she could become Elizabeth the First at 25) and a large 24 hour ASDA (where I discovered a substantial frozen pizza section at 20)."

Q) How long have you been working at the Tate and what's the best show you've seen there? "I have been working at Tate since the Blavatnik Building opened in June 2016 when it was still called the Switch House, my favourite show there has been Mona Hatoum, –in particular her early performance work and documentation."

Q) What can you tell me about the work you're exhibiting in the Tate Modern show? "The work I am showing will be a new and untried performance which may go to plan or not – it involves a flag and an electric fan. Uncertainty is my main concern along with nationalism, and masculinity and precariousness."

Q) How can people find out more about your work - do you have a website or do Instagram? "My Instagram is: Tcjd92, not much in the field of artwork there though – just a splash of stuff I find interesting that has not been used for a while. https://thomasdouglasart.wordpress.com/ for my other limp, dribbling half attempts." Q) Is there anything you have to declare / do you have a favourite quote, thought or joke you'd care to share? “The future is dark, which is the best thing the future can be, I think” - Virginia Woolf

"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