Counsel for the Artist

8 statements chosen to form the keystones to future artistic practice.

The statements are distilled from the work untitled (testimony) and therefore have come from a wide range of sources. Now printed onto postcards, you are invited to select the words pertinant to you/others and continue the process of dissemination.

Probably they will mean something different to you, but this is how I interpret them and apply them to my work:

Strive to achieve modest connections.

Value quality connections with a small number of people over shouting your message out to thousands who aren’t really listening.

I’ve put all this effort into communicating with you, and I’m interested to hear what your response is.

Make exchanges with spaces.

Exchange: it’s a 2-way process.

Space: it could be physical or social.

Dialogue that informs the work, and work that feeds back into the space.

Add to a culture of learning and experimentation.

You are always a student.

Meet a new network.

Have conversations with those outside of your usual discipline. Probably they’ve got something relevant to say.

Circumnavigate predictability.

My own personal kick up the pants because I always start off in a very predictable manner. Things start to get interesting once I can let go of that approach and start thinking sideways.

Resist the ascribed role of witness.

What is the point in merely illustrating something that’s already there? Bring something new to the table.

Get the message across.

Communication, communication, communication. It’s your job.

Set your own agenda.

Know what it is you want to achieve. Don’t get diluted by circumstance.