What kind of a year has 2016 been for you?
A highly unusual one and I almost cheered up. I’ve been in Italy for six months of it, and having never really spent more than three weeks away from London, this has come as a warm, enjoyable shock to my system.
What has changed for the better and what, if anything, has changed for the worse?
The mayor of London, and Toblerone.
What do you wish hadn’t happened this year?
Obvious but only possible answer: Brexit. As I went on my European adventure, clearly many other people didn’t fancy it.
What do you wish had happened this year, but didn’t?
That the government (this shit one or any previous one) stopped pissing about and brought in properly funded free pre-school childcare. The current system, with supposedly 15 hours free a week, is a total mess. All my wages from teaching go on paying for childcare so I can go out and do some teaching. It’s doing my head in, whilst also being a fundamental barrier to social and gender equality.
What would you characterise as your major achievement this year and why?
Not doing any cooking and hardly any cleaning. I’ve never had very high standards, but the one good thing about having a kid is you can really let yourself go… and I’ve gone in deep.
Is there anything you’d like to have done this year but haven’t?
Dancing.
What would make 2017 a better year than 2016?
Proper actual dancing (I’ve just booked my tickets for Boomtown). BOOM!
‘Love Life: Act 1’ by Emma Hart and Johnathan Baldock continues until 27 January 2017 (closed for Christmas until 3 January) at Peer, 97-99 Hoxton Street, London N1.
Act 2 is at Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool, June 2017, and Act 3 goes to the De La Warr Pavillion, October 2017
Images:
1. Emma Hart at Museum Carlo Zauli, Faenza Italy. Photo: Andrea Piffari
2. Emma Hart, Here We Go Again, 2016, part of ‘Love Life’ with Jonathan Baldock, installed at Peer Gallery. Photo: Peter White. Image courtesy the artist
3. Emma Hart, Boo Hoo Boob Tube, 2016, part of Love Life with Jonathan Baldock, installed at Peer Gallery. Photo: Ollie Himmick. Image courtesy the artist
Watch out for more in our ‘2016 – How was it for you?’ series & catch up with what we’ve published so far by using the #hwify2016 tag
More on a-n.co.uk:
Best exhibitions of 2016: a-n writers pick their top five shows
2016 in view: Director Jeanie Scott reflects on a busy and challenging year
a-n bursaries 2017: open for applications from artists
