Bob interviews Alice
BM: Does ‘art’ matter?
AB: Yes. And it shouldn’t be a luxury for the privileged, it should be for everyone.
BM: People like labels and especially in the ‘art world’, for example, nonsense such as ‘emerging artist’. I was once called a ‘DIY’ artist and I winced. I can’t seem to find the right label for you, can you suggest what it would be and what wider context you see your work in?
AB:The labeling and classification thing is really problematic. “Artist” is often not specific enough and artist/curator is another set of problems. “Artist” can cover such a wide range of disciplines, so I tend towards describing what I do in processes, and that I work with everyday objects and materials. I sometimes say I have an object-based practice, although it’s probably more encompassing to say my work deals with the everyday or the commonplace. In describing my practice to other people, they’ve sometimes said I’m a cross-disciplinary artist, which is probably true enough, but I tend to think most artists are, and that label is no more helpful than “artist.”
BM: All embracing terms like ‘DIY’ can be useful, so what does it mean to you?
AB: Wikipedia’s definition of DIY (generic) is interesting; “people creating things for themselves without the aid of paid professionals.” There’s a whole essay in that definition applied to art, or perhaps two! I think it’s an attitude towards making things happen with an immediacy and autonomy whether that’s individual or collective autonomy.
BM: Collaboration with other artists and curators on projects appears to be a crucial part of your practice. How did this develop and does it raise any issues that are particular to collaboration?
AB: I’ve found that I always curate collaboratively and it’s a conversational process. I’m co-founding member of Contents May Vary which was formed by Manchester Metropolitan University Fine Art Sculpture students who had some common ideas about art. Working collaboratively on exhibitions started there and further on I’ve met other artists with similar ideas to me and we’ve collaborated on shows. Collaborating with different people becomes different processes and results and I’m interested in exploring ideas through these processes. There’s also problems inherent in collaboration such as ownership and ego. At best it’s when people’s ideas converge and the whole becomes something greater than the sum of it’s parts.
BM: I know one artist who will only ever show a piece of work three times. Do you have any self-imposed tricks or rules that keep the creative cogs whirring?
AB: For me, it’s about making time for thinking and making, so not keeping too busy with the rest of the stuff surrounding practice like emails and applications and meetings and websites, and even research which is an important part of practice but is not making things. Going to exhibitions, conferences and lectures and reading is important to me and keeps cogs whirring, so it’s not all about productivity. The studio is often the best place for productivity but I also really like train journeys for that fixed time and space for doing nothing but thinking, reading, writing or drawing.
BM: If you had to select one image or one piece of work to feature on the cover of a book of your work, a DIY production or otherwise, what would it be?
AB: Some Blah Blah Blah work filling the cover.
