Ministry of Arts Podcast

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Alexandra Steinacker-Clark (@alexandrasteinacker)Alexandra Steinacker Clark (AUT/USA), is an American-Austrian art historian, curator and writer. She lives and works in London, UK. She obtained her BA in History of Art at University College London and continued her education at Goldsmiths University with an MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy, graduating with first class honors and distinction respectively. Her research interests include feminism and artificial intelligence in contemporary art, western museum and cultural policies, as well as accessibility and engagement in the arts. She currently holds a position at Skarstedt Gallery after being Studio Manager for Shezad Dawood and working at Sotheby’s auction house. She has also co-founded C/20 Association for International Curatorial Practice and is the founder and host of the ‘All About Art’ podcast.All About Art: An Art Sector PodcastFounded in April, 2021 by art historian, writer, and curator Alexandra Steinacker-Clark, 'All About Art' is a podcast that is all about the arts and cultural sector. With art news and cultural policy analyses, book reviews, and interviews with cultural practitioners, gallerists, museum directors, curators, art entrepreneurs, and artists alike, 'All About Art' covers a wide range of professions in the sector, providing an exchange of experiences between people who have developed their professional contributions to the arts into successful careers.To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsFor full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Tony Grounds (@tony.grounds) Tony Grounds (born in East London) is a British playwright and screenwriter, who has worked extensively in television.  Described by The Independent as "the best TV writer of his generation", Grounds has written for all four of Britain's main channels. He started writing for the theatre, winning the Verity Bargate Award for Made in Spain. There then followed stints on EastEnders and The Bill before he penned episodes of 'Chancer', which starred Clive Owen. Grounds created and wrote Gone to the Dogs starring Jim Broadbent, Alison Steadman, Warren Clarke and Harry Enfield. It was nominated for a Writers Guild Award. He wrote Gone to Seed, in which Peter Cook made his final dramatic appearance.  The single film Our Boy with Ray Winstone and Pauline Quirke won Tony International Acclaim winning the Munich International Drama Award. He wrote Sex and Chocolate for Dawn French before writing the award-winning and BAFTA nominated Births Marriages & Deaths, once again starring Ray Winstone. Grounds wrote a one-off episode for BBC Drama, Our Girl, starring Michelle Keegan.  Following its success, the BBC commissioned 5 further episodes.  Apart from writing the series, Grounds was also executive producer of the series together with Caroline Skinner.  Grounds is special advisor for Save the Children and ran the London Marathon with Lee Evans in 2010. He is also a supporter of West Ham United F.C. and often refers to the East London club in his plays and works.  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Alice Nicholls a.k.a Alice the Autist (@alicetheautist)Alice Nicholls is an abstract/realism pencil artist from England’s oldest recorded town, Colchester. She has been a tattoo artist for fifteen years and a professional fine artist for three, sharing her experiences through art to collectors all over the country. Since her late diagnosis of autism a few years ago, she has been exploring how it influences her life and the journey of others.her art is inspired by human experience, symbolism, body language, neuroscience, and hand art history, exploring the deeper meaning of hand positioning and conveying a message. She adores learning about people and their life journeys before undertaking a commission, which she believes enriches each piece of artwork to the highest level.Imbedded in art history, hands have had many hidden meanings with their specific gestures, showing many emotions and conveying life stories within their subtle lines. When she was a child, her parents owned a beautiful Alphons Mucha print called “Catherine”. She had the most delicate hands, and Alice was always fascinated with the simple depiction. Since then, she has developed a love for hands’ shape and movement and the stories behind them, wanting to share their beauty and substance with the world, a new spin on a personal portrait.As the audience, she hopes to allow you to see yourself within the subjects she draws and connect personally with the strength and reality portrayed.For more information on the work of Alice the Autist go tohttp://[email protected]/To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsIf you would like to promote your work, exhibition or any other creative project, please contact us at:Social Media: @ministryofartsorgEmail: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Fandangoe Kid (@fandangoekid)The fandangoe kid is a London based print artist who makes large-scale narrative driven pieces for the public realm. Her work seeks to smash taboos around complex subject matters such as loss, trauma release, mental health and gender constructs.The artist has created work for a wide range of purposes, for example with her ‘Staircase of Dreams’ for London Design Festival 2020, working with young people to develop a collective narrative on daily activism.During the first lockdown, The Fandangoe Kid redesigned nurse’s scrubs for Marie Curie x NHS London, working with a palliative care nurse via Zoom to develop the uniform, celebrating International Year of the Nurse.The Fandangoe Kid also works in film and screened her first short Into Your Light, directed with Tara Darby, at Tate Modern and on the Manhattan Bridge, looking at dancing as a tool for survival following great personal loss.For summer 2021, Annie launched The Fandangoe Whip, an ice cream van for mental health. The project has been commissioned by Tate, South London Gallery, Design Museum and many other institutions to deliver ice cream and workshops on creativity as catharsis.This summer, Annie will take her project The Fandangoe SKIP-- a touring and sustainable therapy kiosk for mental health-- across London and to New York City, following a commission by BBC World Service to document her work.Much of the artist’s work is driven by navigating her own story, following the loss of many individuals in her family back in 2011, her practice being largely underpinned by the will to create a platform for open dialogue around the still taboo subject of grief.For more information on the work of Fandangoe Kid go tohttps://www.fandangoekid.com/To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsFor full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Tom Waugh (@tomwaughsculptor) With a background in classical stone sculpture, Tom Waugh uses traditional materials and techniques to create contemporary works of art. Stone and marble sculptures, carved in minute detail, depict waste objects, discarded in the wake of human consumption. The objects document the casual imprints of human use. Plastic bags, cardboard boxes and tin cans are squashed, crushed and wrinkled whilst still displaying the traces of mass production. Some of the sculptures are life size, others are larger than life, and some appear, like fossils, emerging from the pristine rock. Materials are carefully chosen to achieve realism: white marble takes on the appearance of plastic or polystyrene, ironstone becomes rusty metal and Portland Stone is transformed into crumpled cardboard. In Toms Sculptures there are echoes of classical and baroque statuary. He studied closely the techniques whereby marble could be carved to look like flesh, hair or fabric, and in his own work, evokes the same qualities of form and surface texture. Despite his use of traditional materials and techniques, there are tensions and contradictions in Toms work: between classical and contemporary art; between temporality and permanence; and between humour and serious environmental and social issues. These contradictions can present a cognitive dissonance, challenging ideas of material value, and prompting second look at the things we take for granted. For more information on the work of Tom Waugh go tohttps://www.tomwaugh.com/  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Kate Enters (@kateenters)Kate Enters is a contemporary renaissance woman. As a painter, she responds to her contemporary life in London creating paintings that depict moments in time through stylised compositions borrowing from vintage scenes, quotations, book titles as well as taking a wry look at social media, all conveyed through her own mix of wit and pathos.Responding to the need for more opportunities for artists to show work on their own terms, Kate set up ArtCan, innovatively positioning the organisation as a peer network with the opportunities to take part in exhibitions. As the director of ArtCan she builds on her ability to produce and manage art events, honed through her background in events management for high end art museums and celebrity charity events and arts PR.ArtCan has enabled Kate to develop both her curatorial vision and her writing voice. She has also written about art, championing organisations and individuals she is keen to shout about, most recently for Wall Street International and STATE magazine.For more information on the work of Kate Enters go tohttp://www.kateenters.co.uk/To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsIf you would like to promote your work, exhibition or any other creative project, please contact us at:Social Media: @ministryofartsorgEmail: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Beth Cullen Kerridge (@bethcullenkerridge)Beth Cullen Kerridge studied at John Moores in Liverpool, and on to postgrad at the Royal College of Art, which was a springboard on to the London art scene, with two of the London Parks Showing her work consecutively.She then showed in many exhibitions in the capital and around England, Commercial site-specific sculpture for her home town of Stoke on Trent.She honed her craft working in foundries and producing works for Edwardo Paolozzi, Elisabeth Frink and Alberto Giacometti.For eight years she was lucky enough to work closely as a Studio Assistant with the legendary Mike Bolus, for another champion Sir Anthony Caro. With Tony she worked on large scale projects working with Sir Norman Foster on the Millennium Bridge, Richard Rodgers, The Tate Gallery, and working on shows at the Venice Biennale and Marlborough Gallery New York, and the Baptistery Chapel of Light Bourborg France.For more information on the work of Beth Cullen Kerridge go to https://bethcullensculpture.co.ukTo Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsFor full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Rankin (@rankinarchive) Rankin is a British photographer, publisher, and film director. Alongside being head of the eponymous agency RANKIN, which hosts an 80+ strong team that puts strategy, creative and production all under one roof.  Through RANKIN, he is best known for work that is on the cultural cusp and leading future trends: producing rule-breaking campaigns for brands such as Rolls Royce, Unilever, L’Oreal and Samsonite; creating wide reaching projects for charities including Women’s Aid and Macmillan; and shooting music videos for the likes of Miley Cyrus, Rita Ora and Kelis. As a photographer Rankin’s portfolio ranges from portraiture to documentary. He has shot The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Kate Moss, Kendall Jenner and The Queen to name only a few.  As a publisher, Rankin co-founded the seminal magazine Dazed & Confused with Jefferson Hack in 1991, and has since published the likes of AnOther and AnOther Man, alongside over 40 books and the biannual fashion and culture print and digital platform, Hunger.  His photography has been published everywhere from his own publications to Elle, Vogue, Esquire, GQ, Rolling Stone, and Wonderland, and exhibited in galleries globally, including MoMA, New York, and the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. For more information on the work of Rankin go tohttps://www.rankinphoto.co.uk/  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Cathy Verney of the Worthing PAOTY (@thevenuewpaoty)The Worthing Portrait Artist of the Year will be an exciting evening of live portraiture.This year will see a limited number of 9 local portrait artists being offered the chance to create in public. Selected artists will each produce a portrait of one of 3 sitters over the course of an evening. The event will be open to the public. Sitters will be announced in due course.This not-to-be-missed event will be open to all. Members of the public will be able to observe the artists at work, and watch as portraits take shape before their eyes. The portraits will be judged by a panel, and a favourite selected along with two runners up. The sitters will also choose their favourite, a copy of which will be made for them to take home.The finalists’ portraits will be used for marketing and will be exhibited on the website and social media prior to the event. The originals will be on display at the event after which they can be taken home.The competition will be open to anyone over the age of 18 living within a 20 mile radius of BN11, who must submit via email a portrait they have created in the last 3 years. The originals must be available for display on the night, Friday 21st October 2022.  For more information on the work of Worthing PAotY go to: https://the-venue.uk/portrait-artist-of-the-yearTo Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsIf you would like to promote your work, exhibition or any other creative project, please contact us at:Social Media: @ministryofartsorgEmail: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Trish Wylie (@trishwylieartist) Trish Wylie has been painting for more than 30 years and is currently based in London. Her latest work is inspired by themes of gender and nature. She also explores the use of multiple mediums from collage to re-visiting watercolour on large scale canvas. Alongside this is her interest in Jungian theory (animus/anima) which she explores in her latest James Bond and Lipstick series. Her most recent watercolours have been a result of continual re-working with a medium that could be argued has been ignored and dismissed and we she has used to huge effect on works based on her travels to the Mojave Desert. Trish was born in South London and attended Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. Soon after graduating she moved with her family of two to the South West of England. Whilst there she held several part time teaching posts, and exhibited in London and the South West. In 2010 she returned to London where she continues to work and exhibit. Her work is in collections in the USA, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Norway and the UK. For more information on the work of Trish Wylie go tohttps:// trishwylieartist.com/  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Rich Simmons (@richsimmonsart)  Rich Simmons is a Contemporary Urban Pop Artist who has exhibited all over the world. Simmons work explores the intersections of visual culture, spanning pop art, comic books, the Renaissance, contemporary fashion, sexuality and beyond. London-based Rich Simmons has a global reach and celebrity following, having exhibited in some of the world’s most prestigious galleries, in London, New York, LA, Tampa, Miami, Toronto and Geneva. Simmons work has now made it into Museum collections with the Men Of Steel, Women Of Wonder exhibition debuting at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in 2019.  Simmons bold use of colour, intricately detailed hand-cut stencils, sense of humour and thought-provoking narratives running through his work are proving Rich is both an innovator and highly collectible artist. Simmons work transcends galleries and his street art murals can be seen around the world with the latest 3,400 sq ft mural being completed in Rogers Arkansas.  Simmons is also the creator and founder of Art Is The Cure, a Vinspired award-winning organisation promoting art therapy and has run workshops and talks around the world. For more information on the work of Rich Simmons go tohttps://richsimmonsart.com  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Joe Munro (@joe_mun) British illustrator Joe Munro has drawn on locations all around the world. His practice stems from reportage principles of illustration, capturing his subjects with a layered aesthetic to add depth to the stories he tells.For more information on the work of Joe Munro go tohttps://joemunro.com/  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Kate Knight (@knightpainter)Kent based artist Kate Knight works primarily with figurative imagery.Within the drawn explorations of nature, Knight's concerns are upon the aesthetics of desire, sex and death. The works are provocative, playful, harsh and tongue in cheek. The compositions establish a series of graphic signs, aiming to evoke a narrative whether epic or fleeting.The current developments juxtapose a darker underbelly, presenting unease; as well as the guardianship of something sacred. This response is loaded with a sense of otherness, something beyond the ordinary; a dystopian landscape. Knight currently works in biro as well as painting and sculpture. The use of biro on such a large scale is labour intensive; enabling very fine detail and presenting an etched like quality. Knight approaches drawing in much the same way as she paints, for this reason she considers herself to be primarily a painter.Knight studied her BA Fine Art Painting at Chelsea College of Art and design 2005. She was selected as the runner up for the Marmite Prize for Painting 2010 as well as being selected for ‘Artist of the Day’ Flowers Central on Cork Street 2010 by professor Mo Throp. She is a regular participant at London's prestigious Art Car Boot FairFor more information on the work of Kate Knight go tohttps://kateknight.orgTo Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsFor full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode Gary Mansfield speaks to John Ball (@beware_the_void)Based in Romford (London, U.K) and working primarily in the South East of the United Kingdom, contemporary artist John Ball creates unsettling images of a dystopian suburban landscape.John is probably best known for his appearance on the Sky Arts ‘Landscape Artist Of The Year’ television show where he was fortunate enough to place as finalist.‘Incredibly cinematic, foreboding vacant landscapes’ comparable to the work of Edward hopper and David lynch. (Kate Bryan, Head of Collections for Soho House)'John Ball's work was a like a breath of fresh air on Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year in 2017 with its unique sense of mood and use of colour. The melancholic scenes that he constructs are poetic in themselves and full of story, to the point that they demand your attention and hold it very firmly indeed.' (Kathleen Soriano, curator)Commissioned by Teeth of the Sea (Rocket Recordings) to produce their debut album cover in 2009 and subsequently 'your mercury' (2010) and 'Master' (2013).John has previously exhibited in The National Portrait Gallery with the BP Portrait Awards in 2007 with his painting 'Commuter' This was also published in the '500 Portraits' hardback in 2011.In 2018 His first solo show ‘beware the void’ debuted in Escondido, California.From 23-35 September, John will be showing his work at The New Artist Fair at in The Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London, E1 – For more details go to https://www.newartistfair.com/For more information on the work of John Ball go to: https://www.beware-the-void.com/To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsIf you would like to promote your work, exhibition or any other creative project, please contact us at:Social Media: @ministryofartsorgEmail: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Edgar Arts (@edgar._.arts) Edgar Arts is a collaborative group of three (Luke Edgar, Matthew Huggett and Jay Goodwin), who are all both tattoo artists and fine artists, all of which is created under the same roof in north Essex. LUKE EDGARTATTOO AND FINE ARTIST Luke works freehand to create undeniably creative tattoos. This is only bolstered by his impressive work on metal. Never content to plateau, you can expect fresh perspectives when working with him on your tattoo or fine art project.                                        MATTHEW HUGGETTTATTOO AND FINE ARTIST Heavily inspired by his print methods of working, Matt freely juggles tattooing and art in one hand whilst savouring his morning coffee in the other. His work explores rugged, worn textures contrasting with smooth or negative space.  JAY GOODWINTATTOO APPRENTICE AND FINE ARTIST Jay, despite being the least experienced tattoo artist in the studio, is an immense talent with oil and canvas. His photo realism painting technique renders his surreal concepts with great expertise. This confidence with the brush allows him to easily hone his tattoo art. For more information on the work of Edgar Arts go tohttps://edgararts.co.uk/ From 23-35 September, Edgar Arts will be showing their work at The New Artist Fair at in The Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London, E1 – For more details go to https://www.newartistfair.com/ To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Outsider Gallery (@outsidergallerylondonBarnet, Enfield and Haringey NHS Trust proudly present a creative arts exhibition that has been created by participants engaging in music therapy, expressive art and drama therapy programmes, in response to the pressures of Covid, isolation and the impact of complex mental health.Funded by NHS Charities Together and brought to you by Outsider Music and Outsider Gallery, London, with Maria StydenkoWhen: Friday 23rd September 6 - 10pm Nearest train stations are Turnpike Lane and HornseyWhere: Outsider Gallery at the Clarendon Recovery College N8 0DJ Who: Everybody is welcome  For more info @outsidergallerylondon [email protected] Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsIf you would like to promote your work, exhibition or any other creative project, please contact us at:Social Media: @ministryofartsorgEmail: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Sara Pope (@sarapopeartist) Contemporary artist Sara Pope is best known for her bold, seductive paintings of voluptuous lips. Taking inspiration from a successful career in the fashion industry as a shoe designer for brands such as Paul Smith, and also her work in magazines as a designer and art director, Sara aims to capture the sensuality and seductive power conveyed by the lips and mouth. Interested in questions of beauty, communication, and the notion of perfection, Sara uses the perspective of her commercial experience to explore these themes. The starting point is a makeup brush and a lipstick. She paints the models’ lips, then, using tricks and techniques of makeup and lighting, she begins the process of creating the perfect lips. She asks the model, to express different emotions which she captures photographically. Using these shots as inspiration she begins the artwork. The painting process involves several layers of thin oil-diluted paint being overlaid, blending and smoothing the colours extensively at every stage, sometimes also mixing lipstick into the paint. Emulating the stylistic slickness of advertising, the result is glossy, perfect and irresistible.  For more information on the work of Sara Pope go tohttps://sarapopeart.com/  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to The Misfortune teller (@themisfortuneteller) After failing at everything else in life, The Misfortune Teller gave up entirely and decided to become an artist.  Since then, his bleakly humorous, confessional style has garnered him a modest yet enthusiastic following, and nigh-on zero industry recognition. Encouragingly, some people have paid actual money to acquire his stuff, which is a surprise both to him and his friends and family, who cheer from the sidelines with a bemused, and slightly annoyed look on their faces.  As creator of the ‘Dark Therapy’ style, The Misfortune Teller delivers painfully honest truths across a variety of mediums, from ink on paper to balloon sculptures on rooftops, from brutally honest memorial plaques screwed onto park benches in the dead of night, to teabags inscribed with demotivational messages. On occasion, he also gives live ‘Misfortunetellings’ at fairs to anyone brave enough to hear their dark prophecy.  His most recent piece, a metal road sign bearing the message ‘Everything is a sign when you are lost,’ is available now.*  *All words written by The Misfortune Teller, pretending to be someone else writing about himself.  For more information on the work of The Misfortune teller go to https://themisfortuneteller.org  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Miss Bugs (@miss_bugs)Miss Bugs was founded in the early part of 2007, originally coming from a background in photography and graphics. Working in partnership, they developed fast, spontaneous working methods, cutting and pasting existing images; ‘remixing and sampling classics’ in art to make new pieces with their own mark.Miss Bugs began in the early days making small scale works on paper, using screen printing with hand painted elements. They then scaled the work up, making life size cut outs of characters to place in situ on the streets of London. These were left in place to become part of the cityscape and recorded through photography.Their most recent work includes larger scale pieces, incorporating laser cut planes of wood, hundreds of small component objects and poured resin. These pieces are time consuming and labour intensive, and a long way from the quickly constructed art pieces of the early days. Miss Bugs has always taken a broad and varied approach to creating work. The combining of materials and objects, alongside the way contemporary imagery can be collaged together, either by hand, through photography, or using a digital process is important.The focus of the work has always been the human form; as Miss Bugs’ interest lies in developing ‘characters’ to tell a story. Archetypal imagery from magazines, art history and films are used as a starting point, which are then cut, overlaid and distorted to produce character portraits with an arresting graphic look. The influence of collage artists like Hannah Höch can clearly be seen in the work. The layering and placing of colour and pattern is also intrinsic to the work, and is very much a hands on element for Miss Bugs in the construction of the final pieces.For your own Miss Bugs capsule/tablet go to: https://jealousgallery.comP.S - Thank you to @jobrookspr for the introductionTo Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsIf you would like to promote your work, exhibition or any other creative project, please contact us at:Social Media: @ministryofartsorgEmail: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Jonathan Parsons (@artistjaypee) Jonathan Parsons’ work is an enquiry into the systems and structures of art and the everyday world. His paintings are a mindful reversal of their own convention, relating traditional modes of representation to issues of contemporary relevance. He is a graduate of Goldsmiths College and has exhibited internationally. He featured in Sensation, the seminal 1997 Royal Academy of Arts exhibition. In 2007 he was shortlisted for the Jerwood Sculpture Prize.  His current exhibition ‘The Black Drawings’ is on at The Bunker Gallery, Isle of  Wight 26-29 August 2022 11.oo-16.00 daily.  For more information on the work of Jonathan Parsons go to http://www.jonathanparsons.com/  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Adam Brigland (@adam_bridgland) Since graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2006, Bridgland has used a diverse range of materials and working methods to pursue an incisive and often witty exploration of distinctively British sentiments, externalising the underlying sense of loss and nostalgia that permeates our memories. Vignettes of British back-packer’s holidays, old-fashioned bus-tours, and childhood seaside breaks that figure strongly in his visual repertoire are often tinged with this feeling of time having passed too quickly, our memories gradually fading. Twinned with this however, is an upbeat celebration of themes distilled from children’s colouring books, paint-by-numbers kits, old public transport posters and kitsch postcards, which he imbues with the kaleidoscopic richness of carefully chosen and thickly applied primary colours. These everyday, almost mundane subjects are treated with the importance and status of emblems; centred in each work and often encapsulated within related text or target-like circular borders that focus our gaze. Whether descriptive of change or constancy, Bridgland’s work keys into our desire to remember and relive, and plays upon our tendency to elevate our shared memories with the rose-tinted, wistful spectacles we don when thinking of the past, as well as the future. His depictions of identity and belonging, nostalgia and emotion give to his work a hugely personal aspect, and are influenced by a graphic and visual tradition that is quite specific to Britain. Yet his subtle combinations of image and related text play on everyone’s perceptions of shared occasions. Perhaps then it is the delicately précised power of the experiences he attempts to capture that make Bridgland’s work so accessible to all. Text by Matthew Reeves, Independent Curator and Curator of East Wing Nine at the Courtauld Institute of the Arts.  For more information on the work of Adam Brigland go tohttps://adambridgland.co.uk Kensington + Chelsea Art Week (KCAW) is delighted to present its fifth annual Public Art Trail. West London will be brought to life with vibrant and immersive public art, free for all to enjoy for the duration of the summer.Opening on 18 June, the Public Art Trail will feature world-class sculpture, installations and exhibits throughout the borough. Presented across nine zones, the Art Trail will take up residence at some of West London’s most beautiful and iconic sites. For more information on the Kensington + Chelsea Art Week go tohttps:// www.kcaw.co.uk | @kcawlondon  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to David Böhm (@davidbohm1) David Böhm & Jiří Franta The leading Czech artists David Böhm and Jiří Franta, an artistic duo since 2006, explore in their work the relation between drawing, performance and conceptual art. Known for drawing and painting on walls in galleries as well as in public spaces, Böhm and Franta present their distinctive perception of the world – their views on society, politics, the art scene, and mass media as well as their own feelings. In their “illustrations,” they often play with multiple meaning and irony, commenting on the life of the human community. They were finalists for the Jindřich Chalupecký Award, the top Czech award for visual artists up to the age of 35, in 2009, 2010 and 2012 and have received multiple awards for their books, the most recent one being the Illustrator of the Year Award at the Czech Grand Designs 2022 for their book City for Everyone; A Manual of Urbanism for Beginners. Organized by the Czech Centre London and LUSTR Festival of Illustration, Prague, the largest illustration exhibition in the Czech Republic. In collaboration with the Kensington + Chelsea Art Week and the London Festival of Architecture. Supported by the Czech Embassy in London.  Kensington + Chelsea Art Week (KCAW) is delighted to present its fifth annual Public Art Trail. West London will be brought to life with vibrant and immersive public art, free for all to enjoy for the duration of the summer.Opening on 18 June, the Public Art Trail will feature world-class sculpture, installations and exhibits throughout the borough. Presented across nine zones, the Art Trail will take up residence at some of West London’s most beautiful and iconic sites. For more information on the Kensington + Chelsea Art Week go tohttps:// www.kcaw.co.uk | @kcawlondon  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Konstantin Benkovich (@benkovich) Artworks of Benkovich are in the permanent museum collections and in many private collections around the globe. Together with Pussy Riot and a number of other well-known Russian artists, he participated in the group exhibition “Russian Post-Soviet Actionism” at the Saatchi Art Gallery in London in 2017, various public projects worldwide, exhibitions in the Multimedia Art Museum in Moscow (2021) and the exhibition “Millennials in Contemporary Russian Art” running today in the Russian State Museum in Saint-Petersburg.His works deal with freedom and unfreedom through the symbols and materiality of his sculptures.The reconsidered, reinvented symbols turn into new – critical, political, desacralized ones.The most dominant material in his works are steel bars which he cuts and welds into grids. The rebar and steel in Russia is the synonym of unfreedom. The rebar is an absolute symbol of aggression. (Text via https://corridorcontemporary.com)   Kensington + Chelsea Art Week (KCAW) is delighted to present its fifth annual Public Art Trail. West London will be brought to life with vibrant and immersive public art, free for all to enjoy for the duration of the summer.Opening on 18 June, the Public Art Trail will feature world-class sculpture, installations and exhibits throughout the borough. Presented across nine zones, the Art Trail will take up residence at some of West London’s most beautiful and iconic sites, including Napoleon Garden in Holland Park, Sloane Street, Duke of York Square, Royal Avenue, Pavilion Road, Earl’s Court, Notting Hill Gate, Kensington Memorial Park, Brompton Cemetery Chapel, and High Street Kensington. For more information on the Kensington + Chelsea Art Week go tohttps:// www.kcaw.co.uk | @kcawlondon  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Tabish Khan (@londonartcritic)Tabish Khan is an art critic specialising in London's art scene and he believes passionately in making art accessible to everyone. He visits and writes about hundreds of exhibitions a year covering everything from the major blockbusters to the emerging art scene.Tabish has been visual arts editor for Londonist since 2013. Contributions include reviews, previews, news, experiences and opinion pieces.He is also a regular contributor for FAD with a weekly top exhibitions to see in London and a column called 'What's wrong with art'.Tabish is a trustee of ArtCan, a non-profit arts organisation that supports artists through profile raising activities and exhibitionsHe is available for interviews, radio and television appearances, to comment on exhibitions and the latest art news.While art is Tabish's primary focus, he has written about film, theatre, food and many other experiences in London.For more information on Tabish Khan go tohttp://www.tabish-khan.com/To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsFor full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Azarra Amoy (@azarraamoy) Of Jamaican and Trinidadian descent, Azarra Amoy, is a graduate from University of the Arts London and holds a foundation degree in Graphic Design and a Bachelor’s Degree in Magazine Publishing.  She is a visual thinker and her practice can be defined in three strands; Artist, Designer and Creative Strategist which overlaps allowing Amoy to bring her design led ideas,concepts and solutions to a variety of creative scenarios; from bringing art to local communities in public spaces - to -helping brands enhance and cultivate stories and messages for their audiences, Azarra Amoy is a true creative pioneer contributing and delivering great ideas in every step of the design process. Amoy is passionate about bringing art to different audiences; and produces public art installations in the form of murals working for the architect firm Squires and Partners, Kensington and Chelsea Artweek, Notting Hill Carnival and Hammersmith to realise these ideas. She has received commissions from Adidas x Size and Big Creative Education, in all instances, Amoy has used personal stories, local histories and the built environmental landscape to inform the artwork design. Her striking visual narrative draws references from culture, community, hope and power.   Kensington + Chelsea Art Week (KCAW) is delighted to present its fifth annual Public Art Trail. West London will be brought to life with vibrant and immersive public art, free for all to enjoy for the duration of the summer.Opening on 18 June, the Public Art Trail will feature world-class sculpture, installations and exhibits throughout the borough. Presented across nine zones, the Art Trail will take up residence at some of West London’s most beautiful and iconic sites, including Napoleon Garden in Holland Park, Sloane Street, Duke of York Square, Royal Avenue, Pavilion Road, Earl’s Court, Notting Hill Gate, Kensington Memorial Park, Brompton Cemetery Chapel, and High Street Kensington. For more information on the Kensington + Chelsea Art Week go tohttps:// www.kcaw.co.uk | @kcawlondon  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Hypha Studios (@hyphastudios) Hypha Studios is a charity matching creatives with empty spaces & regenerating the high street with cultural hubs & events for local communities. By providing free studios & project space we act as an incubator for creatives to test new ideas without financial obstacles. We provide opportunities to those who might not be able to access space, support or visibility. In return for the free space, creatives organise public events, supporting the locality & benefiting the high street. For more information on the work of Hypha Studios go tohttps://hyphastudios.com  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Sokari Douglas Camp CBE (@sokaridouglascamp) Sokari Douglas Camp was born in Buguma, Rivers State, Nigeria. She studied fine art at Central School of Art and Design and the Royal College of Art. Sokari has represented Britain and Nigeria in National exhibitions and has had more than 40 solo shows worldwide. In venues such as National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institute 1988-89, the Museum of Mankind, London 1994/5.  Sokari works intuitively and on her own, she draws ideas and works on the scale suggested by her drawings. Works vary in size from 30cm to 5 meters and more depending on the project. She is interested in movement, clothing, Kalabari culture, theatre and the environment.  Kensington + Chelsea Art Week (KCAW) is delighted to present its fifth annual Public Art Trail. West London will be brought to life with vibrant and immersive public art, free for all to enjoy for the duration of the summer.Opening on 18 June, the Public Art Trail will feature world-class sculpture, installations and exhibits throughout the borough. Presented across nine zones, the Art Trail will take up residence at some of West London’s most beautiful and iconic sites, including Napoleon Garden in Holland Park, Sloane Street, Duke of York Square, Royal Avenue, Pavilion Road, Earl’s Court, Notting Hill Gate, Kensington Memorial Park, Brompton Cemetery Chapel, and High Street Kensington. For more information on the Kensington + Chelsea Art Week go tohttps:// www.kcaw.co.uk | @kcawlondon  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Richard Mackness (@richardmackness) Richard Mackness is a contemporary artist, working primarily in sculpture. His work often deals with dualities such as Synthetic / Evolved, Earthly / Divine, Priceless / Worthless and is characterised by expressive form and precise handling of materials.Exhibitions include group shows at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (‘Clay Sculpture’), the Ikon gallery (Imagination’) and at galleries in London, New York and Germany.  Kensington + Chelsea Art Week (KCAW) is delighted to present its fifth annual Public Art Trail. West London will be brought to life with vibrant and immersive public art, free for all to enjoy for the duration of the summer.Opening on 18 June, the Public Art Trail will feature world-class sculpture, installations and exhibits throughout the borough. Presented across nine zones, the Art Trail will take up residence at some of West London’s most beautiful and iconic sites, including Napoleon Garden in Holland Park, Sloane Street, Duke of York Square, Royal Avenue, Pavilion Road, Earl’s Court, Notting Hill Gate, Kensington Memorial Park, Brompton Cemetery Chapel, and High Street Kensington. For more information on the Kensington + Chelsea Art Week go tohttps:// www.kcaw.co.uk | @kcawlondon  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Charlotte Colbert (@colbertcharlotte) Language, psychoanalysis, socio-political constructions of gender and identity are at the heart of Colbert’s practice. Spanning film, photography, ceramics, and sculpture, she questions narrative structures and storytelling, weaving surreal and fantastical mise en scene in a documentarian approach to characters, figures, and people. Fiction becomes a way to approach the truth and the most intimate emotions. Straddling the fine line between fine art and film, Colbert’s films have strong philosophical undertones and often play on questions of time, space and identity, often dark and surreal with a hint of comedy.​Selected Shows: Mademoiselle, CRAC Centre Regional d Art Contemporain Occitanie, Sete, France (2018); From Selfie to Self Expression, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK (2017), Daydreaming with Stanely Kubrick; Guests V&A Museum of Childhood, London, UK; Istanbul International Art fair; Art Basel; Small is Beautiful, Flowers Gallery; Dancing at the edge of the World, Sara Zanin, Rome; Birth, TJ Boulting.   Kensington + Chelsea Art Week (KCAW) is delighted to present its fifth annual Public Art Trail. West London will be brought to life with vibrant and immersive public art, free for all to enjoy for the duration of the summer.Opening on 18 June, the Public Art Trail will feature world-class sculpture, installations and exhibits throughout the borough. Presented across nine zones, the Art Trail will take up residence at some of West London’s most beautiful and iconic sites, including Napoleon Garden in Holland Park, Sloane Street, Duke of York Square, Royal Avenue, Pavilion Road, Earl’s Court, Notting Hill Gate, Kensington Memorial Park, Brompton Cemetery Chapel, and High Street Kensington. For more information on the Kensington + Chelsea Art Week go tohttps:// www.kcaw.co.uk | @kcawlondon  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Gavin Turk (@thisisnotgavinturk) Gavin Turk (b 1967) is a British born, international artist. He has pioneered many forms of contemporary British sculpture now taken for granted, including the painted bronze, the waxwork, the recycled art-historical icon and the use of rubbish in art. Turk’s installations and sculptures deal with issues of authorship, authenticity and identity. Concerned with the ‘myth’ of the artist and the ‘authorship’ of a work, Turk’s engagement with this modernist, avant-garde debate stretches back to the ready-mades of Marcel Duchamp. In 1991, the Royal College of Art refused Turk a degree on the basis that his final show, ‘Cave’, consisted of a whitewashed studio space containing only a blue heritage plaque commemorating his presence ‘Gavin Turk worked here 1989-91'. Instantly gaining notoriety through this installation, Turk was spotted by Charles Saatchi and was included in several YBA exhibitions. Turk’s work has since been collected and exhibited by many major museums and galleries throughout the world.    Kensington + Chelsea Art Week (KCAW) is delighted to present its fifth annual Public Art Trail. West London will be brought to life with vibrant and immersive public art, free for all to enjoy for the duration of the summer.Opening on 18 June, the Public Art Trail will feature world-class sculpture, installations and exhibits throughout the borough.  For more information on the Kensington + Chelsea Art Week go tohttps:// www.kcaw.co.uk | @kcawlondon  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Melody Travers (@melodytraversart)Melody is a French artist with a Masters in Art & Art History at the Université Paris VIII. She lived in London twelve years, developing her art whilst working in book publishing and art galleries. She spent two years working full time on her art at Wimbledon Art Studios; she has since moved her practice back to France and now splits her time between France and London.She has showcased her work in London and the UK and was shortlisted for the Creates Gallery Emerging Artist Award in 2018, shortlisted for the ArtCan open call 2020 and long-listed for the Secret Art Prize in 2019.Talented Art 1-3 July 2022Brighton Racecourse, Freshfield Road, Brighton BN2 9XZTalented Art Fair was founded by Oliver Norris and Leah Michelle, the team behind the New Artist Fair, with the aim of offering the public a friendly and affordable place to purchase art directly from established and emerging artists. In doing so, the fair provides a physical platform for successful artists to interact personally with their collectors and also allows them to grow their client list. Having successfully curated and run exhibitions and art fairs for the past six years, the organisers recognised a gap in the art fair market for artists who have a successful track record for selling their work, and who may also have gallery representation, but want to introduce their art directly to the general buying public in London.Talented aims to bridge this gap by becoming a great place to discover amazing talent and buy art directly from artists, in a relaxed and inspiring environment.For more information on the work of The Talented Art Fair go to: https://www.talentedartfair.com/To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsIf you would like to promote your work, exhibition or any other creative project, please contact us at:Social Media: @ministryofartsorgEmail: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Paul Yule (@paul_yule) Paul Yule is a South African born sculptor, photographer and film-maker, living in the UK.Having had an extensive career in photography and film-making, Paul turned to sculpture as a form of connecting with his Son, who studied sculpture at Central Saint Martins and had recently passed away. He slowly manipulated a small ball of clay, that he had been handed, he subconsciously formed one bust of an imaginary figure after another.Each small figure has a definite personality, a personality made more powerful once photographed and blown up to around a metre. You can find Paul and his work on stall 47, at The Talented Art Fair, Brighton Racecourse 1-3 July.   Talented Art 1-3 July 2022Brighton Racecourse, Freshfield Road, Brighton BN2 9XZ Talented Art Fair was founded by Oliver Norris and Leah Michelle, the team behind the New Artist Fair, with the aim of offering the public a friendly and affordable place to purchase art directly from established and emerging artists. In doing so, the fair provides a physical platform for successful artists to interact personally with their collectors and also allows them to grow their client list.  Having successfully curated and run exhibitions and art fairs for the past six years, the organisers recognised a gap in the art fair market for artists who have a successful track record for selling their work, and who may also have gallery representation, but want to introduce their art directly to the general buying public in London. Talented aims to bridge this gap by becoming a great place to discover amazing talent and buy art directly from artists, in a relaxed and inspiring environment. For more information on the work of The Talented Art Fair go to: https://www.talentedartfair.com  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Maya Sanbar (@mayasanbar) Maya is an Artist and Filmmaker. Her work in both moving image and installation is centred on the art of storytelling. Footsteps on the Wind is her directorial debut in the narrative and animation world. Her experience is varied, her artworks being often collaborative and enabling of others adding their voices to a central theme. In relation to this film, aside from her own family refugee history, she sought out the depth of emotional truth within refugee stories via therapy workshops, ensuring that this is a film about refugees, told by refugees, for refugees and the general public young and old. As a multimedia artist, her work has been exhibited internationally, notably installations at Shoreditch Town Hall in London “Waiting” 2015, the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City “Alex in Wonderland” scented experience (2016), and at the Berlin Wall on the 30th anniversary of its fall “Chasing the Light” (2019), “Words on the Hill” at the Coronet Theatre in London (2020). Her film production credits include 360 immersion visits to artist studios and documentaries. Sanbar is fluent in 6 languages and passionate about crossing cultural boundaries using words with images to bring about a fresh point of view.  Kensington + Chelsea Art Week (KCAW) is delighted to present its fifth annual Public Art Trail. West London will be brought to life with vibrant and immersive public art, free for all to enjoy for the duration of the summer.Opening on 18 June, the Public Art Trail will feature world-class sculpture, installations and exhibits throughout the borough. Presented across nine zones, the Art Trail will take up residence at some of West London’s most beautiful and iconic sites, including Napoleon Garden in Holland Park, Sloane Street, Duke of York Square, Royal Avenue, Pavilion Road, Earl’s Court, Notting Hill Gate, Kensington Memorial Park, Brompton Cemetery Chapel, and High Street Kensington. For more information on the Kensington + Chelsea Art Week go tohttps:// www.kcaw.co.uk | @kcawlondon  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Lise Bouissière (@lisebouissiere) Lise Bouissière is a Franco-British artist. She graduated from Central Saint Martins School (London) and Villa Arson (Nice, France). Bouissière is a Royal Society of Sculptors member. Over the past ten years, she has shown in solo and group shows across the United Kingdom and Italy, including at The Royal Society of Sculptors (2021), Aora Space (2021), Koppel Exchange Project (2020 and 2021), The Crypt Gallery (2021), Gerald Moore Gallery (2020), The Smallest Gallery in Soho (2019), Villa Arson (2014), Palais de Tokyo (2016). Bouissière also took part in Venice land Biennale (2019) and Monaco’s music festival (2011). Bouissiere’s practice focuses on the optimisation of space and the use of materials. Through a distinct construction of ideas, found materials are played with to create minimalist and honest compositions. Bouissière’s structures reveal a memory, a current state or a hidden side of a place with the elements that surround it. In many cases, the place Bouissière constructs her art is transformed like a mental space, offering the viewer a large panel of interpretations. Lise Bouissière lives and works in London.   Kensington + Chelsea Art Week (KCAW) is delighted to present its fifth annual Public Art Trail. West London will be brought to life with vibrant and immersive public art, free for all to enjoy for the duration of the summer.Opening on 18 June, the Public Art Trail will feature world-class sculpture, installations and exhibits throughout the borough. Presented across nine zones, the Art Trail will take up residence at some of West London’s most beautiful and iconic sites, including Napoleon Garden in Holland Park, Sloane Street, Duke of York Square, Royal Avenue, Pavilion Road, Earl’s Court, Notting Hill Gate, Kensington Memorial Park, Brompton Cemetery Chapel, and High Street Kensington. For more information on the Kensington + Chelsea Art Week go tohttps:// www.kcaw.co.uk | @kcawlondon  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Kipling Hunt (@kipling_hunt) Born in London, Hunt has also lived in Barcelona, Birmingham and in semi-rural isolation on the borders of Wales. Kipling makes fine art pieces in ceramic, in paint, in print, in film, or in fact any medium most able to deliver each concept in question with assurance and panache. Kipling has also worked for over a decade in the Secondary Art Market, as a General Specialist in Fine Art Paintings, Prints and Sculpture. This gave Hunt great insight and a comprehensive knowledge of artists both practicing and those now deceased; and a working blueprint of what goes on behind the scenes to oil the wheels of the global art market.  Kensington + Chelsea Art Week (KCAW) is delighted to present its fifth annual Public Art Trail. West London will be brought to life with vibrant and immersive public art, free for all to enjoy for the duration of the summer.Opening on 18 June, the Public Art Trail will feature world-class sculpture, installations and exhibits throughout the borough. Presented across nine zones, the Art Trail will take up residence at some of West London’s most beautiful and iconic sites, including Napoleon Garden in Holland Park, Sloane Street, Duke of York Square, Royal Avenue, Pavilion Road, Earl’s Court, Notting Hill Gate, Kensington Memorial Park, Brompton Cemetery Chapel, and High Street Kensington. For more information on the Kensington + Chelsea Art Week go tohttps:// www.kcaw.co.uk | @kcawlondon  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Duncan McAfee (@duncanmcafee) McAfee essentially approaches painting as a game. He arranges figurative and abstract elements from art and visual culture to make hybrid paintings, brightly coloured, comic-book exquisite-corpses. His recent Exploding Heads series could be portraits of the mad prophets of some post apocalyptic cult. Constructed from broken fragments of other images, misremembered or misquoted, like Russell Hoban’s Punch puppet in the novel Ridley Walker. McAfee draws on Hoban, “the way Punch is misappropriated and all wrong is funny and grotesque but the weight and meaning it takes on is also deeply affecting. I want to try and get close to that conflict of feelings in my paintings”. This collage style evokes a surrealist “chance encounter” but also perhaps like Burroughs’ cut-ups, a form of time travel. McAfee’s influences range from Nigel Cooke’s recurring characters, George Condo’s Psychological Cubism, revisiting Francis Bacon, the fanaticism of classical religious painting, and also outsider Ralph Bakshi’s animation and recent paintings of clowns and mobsters. McAfee’s painting technique plays back and forth between very loose chance actions and tight, illustrative drawing/painting. This creates a tension that makes us unsure if the image is in the process of forming or breaking apart. It’s in a state of transition and meaning is uncertain, much like the world around us. For more information on the work of Duncan McAfee go tohttps://duncanmcafee.com  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Keira Rathbone (@typewriterart)Keira Rathbone is an established fine artist living and working in London. She grew up in Dorset, gained a BA (hons) in Fine Art at the University of the West of England, Bristol. Since 2003 she has developed a unique drawing technique, employing a manual typewriter as a drawing tool.Rathbone draws images from life using her typewriter, instinctively translating what she sees into an array of letters, number and symbols chosen for their shape and textural values resulting in beautiful enigmatic images that encourage the viewer to keep looking from different distances, reading more into it each time. She develops and exhibits images based around compelling themes and often incorporates live audio/visual performances by typing before an audience with video projection, sound effects and collaborations with other artists.Her art is used to reflect the world and people around her, capturing moments through this artistic and accessible medium. Typewriter Art does not overcomplicate but allows a moment to be depicted and celebrated in a true snapshot of beauty and poignancy.She has appeared numerous times on television, including BBC News, BBC World News, The One Show and SKY Landscape Artist of the Year as well as BBC Radio 2, 4 and 6Music. She currently has an original hanging with short film and typewriter exhibited alongside in the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh. Her work takes has taken across the UK and abroad, each place influences and inspires her creative process.For more information on the work of Keira Rathbone go to: http://keirarathbone.comTo Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsFor full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Dion Kitson (@dionkitsonstudio)Dion Kitson is an emerging artist born in Dudley and his portfolio spans sculpture, film, collage, text-art, and sound. Dion is using the space as a gallery to show artists from the West Midlands and to show his own work and archive. Having graduated in 2020 with BA Fine Art from Birmingham School of Art, he has since been awarded numerous prizes, including the Tate prize and the ACS studio prize. Judges Gavin Turk and Celia Paul said:‘Dion’s work is dealing with the reality of being an artist in his environment. He takes the outside world and puts it into work, asking the question “what does it mean to him to be an artist?” I think he has a fascinating approach to his environment.’ – Gavin Turk‘His work reminded me of poetry, there is a dark humour in it which reminds me of Philip Larkin. Dion’s practice is very appropriate to this particular time and the focus that it gives on how to turn things into playfulness. I’m moved by them.’ – Celia Paul(Text via @hyphastudios)For more information on the work of Dion Kitson go to: https://www.dionkitson.comTo Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsFor full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Akshita Gandhi (@iamakshitagandhi)A Love Letter to My HomeA solo exhibition of new work by Akshita GandhiIs India truly free seventy-five years after its independence? The Indian Independence Act, which established India's independence from British imperialism, went into effect in August 1947. However, the act partitioned India, causing significant social divisions. What is India's post-colonial identity now, amidst social and political upheaval and increasing censorship? And how does the surrounding architecture reflect the residents' vitality and spirit?Photographer and multimedia artist Akshita Gandhi strives to answer these questions in her solo exhibition "A Love Letter To My Home." Presented at The Nehru Centre by Gabriel Fine Arts to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India’s independence, Gandhi’s work casts new light on Mumbai and Udaipur, revealing cityscapes in flux and essentially coming undone.  A Love Letter to My Home 23 – 27 May 2022The Nehru Centre, 8 S Audley St, Mayfair, London W1K 1HFFor more information on the work of Akshita Gandhi go to: https://akshitagandhi.orgWith Thanks to Tani of TBurnsArts, for making this conversation happenTo Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsIf you would like to promote your work, exhibition or any other creative project, please contact us at:Social Media: @ministryofartsorgEmail: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode Gary Mansfield speaks to KAI LAB (@kai.lab_) We are a London-based arts and design practice that creates electronic, mechanical and sonic artworks. All with backgrounds in the physical sciences, we place a heavy emphasis on research and development. Our projects are driven by the desire to understand the core components of intriguing, complex and beautiful natural phenomena. Each artwork aims to make tangible the intangible, and invites the audience to use all their senses to experience a new perception of the environment. The observation of nature shows that the beauty of physical events is often the result of the strict rules of physics combined with the randomness of our chaotic environment. Our work aims to find the delicate balance between what technology can control and what randomness can disrupt, to build objects and spaces that are relatable yet surprising. Our research into micro and macro natural phenomena and our desire to work with these in new ways often leads to the development of novel electrical and mechanical technologies. We use these systems to power our own pieces as well as those of collaborators across a number of fields and industries. For more information on the work of Kai Lab go to: https://kailaboratory.com To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts If you would like to promote your work, exhibition or any other creative project, please contact us at:Social Media: @ministryofartsorgEmail: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Pure Evil (@pureevilgallery)Pure Evil was born Charles Uzzell Edwards in South Wales in 1968. He grew up in a world of art thanks to his father, Welsh painter John Uzzell Edwards . The father’s artwork undoubtedly impacted his son, demonstrated in a range of influences from Cubism to Minimalism, from Picasso to Chagall.The physical and cultural landscape of the 1990’s U.S. intrigued and beckoned the young Pure Evil, and upon completing his studies in graphics and fashion in London he picked up his skateboard and set off for California’s West Coast. He established himself in San Francisco, working for the Anarchic Adjustment clothing label as a clothing designer / pattern cutter / graphic designer. He produced countless t-shirt graphics for screen printing, dropped in on the West Coast rave scene, and travelled to Japan where West Coast Streetwear was a hot item. Pure Evil also became involved in the musical fabric of San Francisco and DJ'ed and was an electronic recording artist for Pete Namlook’s ambient electronic music label, FAX (based in Frankfurt, Germany).For more information on the work of Pure Evil go tohttps://pureevilgallery.com/To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsFor full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to kennardphillipps (@kennardphillipps)kennardphillipps is a collaboration between Peter Kennard and Cat Phillipps working since 2002 to produce art in response to the invasion of Iraq. It has evolved to confront power and war across the globe.The work is made for the street, the gallery, the web, newspapers & magazines, and to lead workshops that develop peoples’ skills and help them express their thoughts on what’s happening in the world through visual means. The work is made as a critical tool that connects to international movements for social and political change.kennardphillipps don’t see the work as separate to social and political movements that are confronting established political and economic systems, they see it as part of those movements, the visual arm of protest.They want it to be used by people as a part of their own activism, not just as pictures on the wall to contemplate.To facilitate this, as well as selling their limited edition prints on the site enabling them to fund the making of the work, there is a free download page of images with a voluntary contribution to the International Solidarity Movement.For more information on the work of kennardphillipps go tohttps://www.kennardphillipps.comTo Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsFor full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.orgEmail: [email protected] Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Paul Kneen (@paulkneenart) Art allows me to be free. It takes me on unexpected journeys not just within my creative process but through the opportunities art has presented along the way. Street art was one of those journeys. It opened my eyes to a whole new world of splats, drips and spray paint. It gave me the confidence to be more creative, more experimental and to have more fun. Through the likes of Banksy and co I also realised that art could make a statement. This sparked something inside me so, much of my work is based around social/political issues such as animal poaching, rich/poor divide, political incompetency etc, but refusing to be pigeon-holed, I experiment with style, technique and medium allowing the process to evolve. For me that’s when the exciting, unplanned things happen. For more information on the work of Paul Kneen go to https://creativefolk.co.uk/artists/paul-kneen To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.org Email: [email protected] Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Arturo García de las Heras (@agheras73) “I love sharing my artwork and love the feeling of reward when somebody is interested on it. I look for impacting lovely warm images, to make the spectator feel good and somehow linked to the artwork he/she is observing. I must admit I don't have a profound philosophy behind my artwork (paintings, photography or sculpture), transmitting peace, happiness, that´s my philosophy.” “I am in a permanent search for beautiful, nice, images suitable for almost everyone. In those images I seek for relaxation, admiration, surprise, or even a smile. Images that never generate discord, conflict, discrimination, rejection, criticism... I'm driven by aesthetics; I'm afraid I'm not the kind of artist who dresses his artwork surrounded by a profound philosophy or a deep interpretation of life…” ROY’S ART FAIR is London's only artist-led affordable art fair. Their next London Art Exhibition event will be held at Truman Brewery 7-10 April 2022. For your FREE tickets go to: https://www.roysartfair.com To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts If you would like to promote your work, exhibition or any other creative project, please contact us at: Email: [email protected] Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Hippo Screenprinters (@hippo_screenprinters) Hippo Screenprinters offer a hand-pulled, fine art screenprint editioning service for artists, galleries, band merchandisers, interior designers and print publishers. We work closely with every client, throughout the process, to ensure that the final print edition fulfills your expectations. We print onto most substrates including paper, vinyl, acrylic, wood, glass, textiles and many more. We use both water-based and oil-based inks enabling us to screen print onto almost any material. Hippo Screenprinters will be at Roy’s Art Fair, Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London E1, from 7-10 April. On the opening night, Lynne from Hippo will be doing a live screenprint collaboration with @perspicereartist For more information on the work of Hippo Screenprinters go to https://www.hipposcreenprinters.co.uk ROY’S ART FAIR is London's only artist-led affordable art fair. Their next London Art Exhibition event will be held at Truman Brewery 7-10 April 2022. For your FREE tickets go to: https://www.roysartfair.com For booking information for Roy’s Art Fair go to https://www.roysartfair.com To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.org Email: [email protected] Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Elizabeth Prentis (@elizabethprentis) Elizabeth is currently exploring painting and is developing a body of 2D work with performative ties. Bold and direct, Prentis' paintings are often confronting- challenging the audience on their own boundaries and expectations. Prentis' practice is not tied to one medium in particular; paintings act as blueprints for sculptures, performances, video-art, props and art installations. The process is open ended and experimental. Prentis explores sexual pleasure and encourages discussion surrounding sex. Her practice digests ideas of dominance, power play, gender expectation and patriarchy in heterosexual encounters. Drawing on her own experiences, Prentis encourages a wider discourse surrounding sex, sexual exploration, respect and the importance of female pleasure. For more information on the work of Elizabeth Prentis go to https://www.elizabethprentis.com To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.org Email: [email protected] Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Laxmi Hussain (@thislakshmi) Elegant and ethereal but also precise and geometric, Laxmi Hussain’s drawings and paintings exist somewhere between the abstract and the realistic, often presenting what appear to be the free-flowing organic forms of the body through intricately ordered patterns. Her finely detailed line forms are rooted in a fascination with architecture, a subject she studied for several years before becoming disillusioned with the constraints and rigidity of the discipline and shifting her focus to the unconstrained creative possibilities offered by art. Her inspiration comes from the forms encountered in everyday life, from the body, the tenderness of motherhood, the natural shapes of the body as a vessel and its evolution throughout life. Working in several different media, usually at night, Laxmi is driven by experimentation, constantly exploring new techniques and searching for the shapes and subjects they express best. Often, her work includes elements that appear incomplete, obliging the viewer to pause and engage with the artwork, filling in the absences themselves rather than just dismissing it and moving on. For more information on the work of Laxmi Hussain go to https://www.thislakshmi.com/ To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts If you would like to promote your work, exhibition or any other creative project, please contact us at: Email: [email protected] Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Dean Kelland (@deankellandofficial) Dean Kelland is a UK Based Artist who works across performance, photography and filmmaking. His practice touches on cultures of taste and histories of class in order to produce engaging observations on collective and mediated identities. Kelland has exhibited nationally and internationally and undertaken residencies at New Art Gallery Walsall and the Birmingham & Midland Institute. In 2019 he was awarded a three year artist residency at HMP Grendon for Ikon Gallery and the Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust. For more information on the work of Dean Kelland go to https://www.deankelland.com To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.org Email: [email protected] Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to James Vaulkhard (@jamesvaulkhard) James Vaulkhard holds a BA degree in History of Art from Leeds University, and has both trained and taught at Charles Cecil Studios and Studio Della Statua in Florence, Italy. Here, he gained a formidable reputation for his ability to embrace and manifest traditional techniques in both portraiture and sculpture. Notably, upon his graduation in 2013, Vaulkhard was commissioned to participate in a bridge project between Italy and Kenya, developing the preliminary studies for The Sacred Heart Cathedral Kericho in collaboration with local Kenyan sculptors. In his most recent work, Vaulkhard has combined techniques developed in both these series of works and married them to the aesthetic arena of Japanese art, specifically addressing the mysterious concept of Ma or negative space. The result is a series of abstract landscapes intended to draw the viewer deeper into nature via an overwhelming visual cacophony that seeks to communicate the vast potentialities that exist between the elements. ‘World Waxed Green’ opens at Asia House on 23-28 March and is curated by MC Llamas For more information on the work of James Vaulkhard go to https://www.jamesvaulkhard.com/ To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.org Email: [email protected] Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Kare Turner (@karen_turner_artist) A figure and portrait artist, her paintings mostly feature women and are a commentary on the weight of expectations placed on the female sex. With a particular focus on the physical body and the scrutiny to which it is commonly subjected, she works in oils and seeks to highlight pigments in the skin that can often go unnoticed, emphasising and exaggerating them to accentuate their extraordinariness. In 2020 Karen’s work was selected for the Portraits for NHS Heroes exhibition and the accompanying Bloomsbury book, and in May 2021 she was awarded the President’s Prize at the Institute of East Anglian Artists Open Exhibition. She was a finalist in the Holly Bush Emerging Woman Painter Prize 2021 and has been shortlisted for both the New Emergence Art Prize 2022 and the Women United Art Prize 2021. In March she will be exhibiting at The Other Art Fair in London, where she has been selected as the Fair Director's Pick. For more information on the work of Kare Turner go to https://www.karenturnerfineart.com/ To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.org Email: [email protected] Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.