Featured artist
Angel Greenham
Angel Greenham graduated in 2017 with an MA in Fine Art at Bath School of Art and Design. Since then she has been in discussions with Dr. Ventsislav Valev from the Physics Department at the University of Bath where her work Beyond Human is on permanent display. Technological advances and a seemingly increasing void act as ways of thinking through ideas around escapism. my work explores notions of intangible spaces through the use of light and photography.
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/angel_greenham/
website - https://www.angelgreenham.co.uk/
Is Art relevant today? - This makes me think of an Andy Warhol quote - “Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art”.
Theaster Gates talks about opening up possibilities, from the humble materials he shapes into powerful works to the abandoned buildings he transforms into vibrant social hubs, he uses the same mindset and process. Instead of being restricted by what constitutes art I found I was liberated by this new way of thinking and working.
We want to know what Art influences you? -
I try to always find something valuable in artworks and if I don’t like it maybe that’s the point. It could be the artist's intention to repel or cause discomfort and that’s interesting. An artist whose approach I find really motivating is Takesada Matsutani. In an interview he said, "Matsutani, you have one pencil and one piece of paper, what can you do?".
I remind myself of this quote and it spurs me into action.
I've also been lucky enough to have been taught by some incredible artists whilst studying for an MA at Bath Spa University, including; Michael Simpson who paints on just two different sizes of canvas, as each size requires specific tools and a certain mindset. This made me realise that jumping from painting small works to very large ones is not as easy as I had thought and this has changed the way I work. Maria Lalic encouraged us as students to clear away the studio and display the work as if it was in a gallery. That way we could really study it closely and consider every tiny detail. I still do this on a regular basis. Mike Glier is another artist who has impacted my practise. He led a crit which we all found extremely valuable as he asked such thought provoking questions. In an interview I did with him he suggested don’t wait for a curator or dealer to discover you and make your career, art professionals are only interested in artists who have already made a name for themselves. As artists we should nurture relationships with other artists as they are the ones who will likely provide you with the most significant opportunities and support when times are tough . To hear the full interview go to - https://www.angelgreenham.co.uk/post/mike-glier
Having the support and guidance of so many incredible artists has really informed the work I make and the approach I have to my practise.
If you could go back 10 - 20 years what would you tell your younger self? - I would tell my younger self to listen to Dexter Dalwood! Dexter is another artist whose work and wise words have impacted my practise. Whilst in a tutorial with him, he encouraged me to go right to the edge but not over it. And he also said I should not give a sh** what other people think, not in a nasty arrogant way but I should develop confidence in what I’m doing. I think what he meant was for me to stand my ground and defend my decisions. It gave me the shake I needed, lighting a spark and filling me with grit and determination. This is one of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned.
If you could go forward 10 - 20 years what would you like to have achieved - I’m grateful to have a studio in a vibrant community of artists and this keeps me pushing forward every day. Being surrounded by people I respect enables me to challenge myself and analyse and reflect on the work I make. I’ve had the pleasure to work with some fantastic artists and some of these collaborations will continue, like the work I’ve been doing with creative technologist Dave Web - https://www.instagram.com/crispysmokedweb/ We’ve been working with data and using Artificial Intelligence and I’m keen to evolve this project and it would be great to take it around the country.
What’s next for you? I'm also planning an exhibition with an amazing painter called Callum Eaton, which I’m super excited about. - https://www.instagram.com/callumeats/ And I’m working on a book about systems. I’ve interviewed artist Maria Lalic about her paintings in the Tate and Anil Seth a British professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex. I’m not one to think too far into the future, I look at the year ahead and figure out what I want to do and I take it from there.
