- The louvre, this was possibly an amazing turning point for me as it wasn't until i explored the louvre as a young child and stared in amazement at the mona lisa, thinking how someones work could become so famous and how I could create something like this which in years to come could become a sought after treasure that other people could look up to.
- The baltic in newcastle, I have visited this on numerous occasions, most lately with my university and this allowed me to see things from a different perspective.
-The mima in middlesborough, I went on a trip with the university here and this was the first art gallery I visited after I started appreciating different and new things, as I was never as interested in abstract and the idea that art can just be paint and not anything in particular, however seeing works of artists such as Jackson Polluck and others in person completely changed my opinion.
- Lazarides art gallery, this art gallery featured a lot of different street art with surreal twists which is a huge influence on my personal style, this was the first time I had witnessed a banksy piece in person which was a big deal for me at the time.
- The baltic 39 in newcastle, it is a smaller art gallery compared to that of the Baltic, but i much preferred the different exhibitions which was housed there at the time, and was my personal favourite and enjoyable that I have visited.
Which contemporary artists are most important to you?
-Guy Denning, I studied Guy in my 6th Form and found his work inspiring and affected my personal studies quite a lot.
- Allen Ruppersberg, to me he helped break the idealism of what is art.
-Keith Tyson, the way he blends colours and the way he chooses his composition means a lot to me.
-Ai Weiwei, his sculptures of shapes and repetition I found to be hypnotising and intriguing.
- Douglas Gordon, his work entails setting fire to famous images and making a different thing completely, showing that destruction is also art if done right.
- Salvador Dali, surrealism is my favourite type of painting styles and he was the most well known that was associated with surrealism, that and his quirky personality traits I found to be amusing.
- Francis Bacon, to me his surrealist art was always dark and gothic which I thought was unique compared to others.
- Alberto Giacometti, his elongated skeletal figures were the first art work I recall attempting to recreate myself with wires. His work is extremely valuable to this day and he managed to make his work look both so simple and complex at the same time.
- Joan Miro, I could stare at a Miro art work for a long time, questioning what things are and what they represent, giving things a new outlook and appearance.
- Francisco Goya, Goya is my personal favourite artist at portraying different emotions and some almost in a sinister appearance.
What are films you have seen that you think are culturally significant?
- Fight Club, it explores a lot of different atmospheres to current life, such as the mundaneness and repetitiveness to modern day living and the barbaric-ness to which we need excitement, and throw in a mental disorder it gives a lot of twisted and unique views online that leaves people questioning what is living.
- Leon the Professional, it challenges the stereotypes of a hit man with that of a child like innocent man who hasn't lived and is socially inept, who gets a partner of that in a young girl which has shown him things and helped him to become alive through simple menial things such as having fun.
- Se7en, a murderer uses the seven deadly sins as his reason for killing people while leaving clues, and through the dark atmosphere and realisation that nearly all people are liable to the sins it brings a lot of dark questions into the movie and it's significance.
-Watchmen, this isn't like the typical super hero movie as you find that most of the heroes are just as villainous as their enemies, which brings an uneasy feeling into if their is right and wrong, or just a conflict of needs.
- Train spotting, a film about the lives of different youths who attempt a friend going cold turkey on heroin so he can hope for a normal life.
Who are your favourite historic or contemporary heroes or heroines beyond the art world?
- Mahatma Gandhi, for the revolution of non violence movements throughout india and parts of the world.
- Keanu Reeves, a rich actor whom isn't money orientated and shares his wealth with the less fortunate but outside of the medias eye so not for attention or publicity.
- Abraham Lincoln, was a smart and self taught leader whom struggled through hard times but prevailed.
- Walt Whitman, a humanistic poet which was looked down on at the time due to his beliefs.
- Bob Geldof, raises a lot of awareness and money for charities without personal gain.
What books about art have you found most informative?
-Salvador Dali, his self titled book features many of his paintings and the thoughts that went behind him when finishing these, I found his thought process to be inspirational.
- When I was much younger my sister had bought me a learn how to draw book, which got me interested in skeletal structures of creatures and taught me the very basics of how to draw.
What novels have you found most enjoyable?( poetry/plays also)
- Tyler Knott Gregson is a poet who released the book, 'Chasers of Light' that is amongst my favourites One of my personal favourites of his pieces is from his typewriter series, number 996.
"Maybe I was a thing to be
dismantled,
pulled apart
one piece at a time,
all the parts spread out,
catalogued, photographed
and stored.
All I know is the dusty scent
of the box I'm kept in,
the lid I mistake
for night. "
- Another of my favourites poets is Christopher Pointdexter , this is an extract from his book, ' The universe and Her, and I' number 288.
"I am something new."
you must tell yourself.
"I am the beginning and
end
of a story that
will never be lived again.
I am new earth and new air
and new words.
I am as fresh
as birth.
I am significant."
- Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, later made into a film iconicity starring Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter.
- Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson is a good novel that delves into characters and how events change them morally.
- Looking For Alaska by John Green, this was a very emotional and hard book for me to read as it shows how quickly life can go from normal to despair after someone closes death and leaving a lot of things to go unanswered that you have to live with.
What music albums do you regard as essential listening?
- Pink Floyd- wish you were here, I have never heard a band that resembles pink floyd in anyway, they have a magical atmosphere towards them and even the instrumentals seem to speak to the listeners.
http://vimeo.com/28208077
- John Frusciante- the empyrean, such a simple and beautiful album done by the guitarist from red hot chilli peppers, John is an artist who is independent on himself purely and in the past had a coke addiction which influenced his mentality and himself to what he has become now and he has shown the beauty of his talents in his work.
http://vimeo.com/2579381
- Isles and Glaciers- The hearts of lonely people
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzmi6uB2hmc
- Lynyrd Skynyrd- (pronounced leh-nerd skin-nerd)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHQ_aTjXObs
- Anberlin- New surrender
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdddceIqW2k
Which are your favourite historic or contemporary buildings?
-The sage building located in newcastle, living so close to it I seen it often whilst travelling, I also witnessed it slowly getting built throughout my childhood.
- The blue planet in Denmark, its spiral design looks extremely impressive, especially from a birds eye view.
- Mercat Encats in Barcelona, features an abstract roof of different angles which is complete mirror, so the sky view is that of the ground but in a twisted view point.
-SOGA in mexico, its an open air bridged walk through area which looks like an inside interior design and is extremely appealing and interesting to look at.
What are your favourite pieces of contemporary design?
- David Stanley- Wye Spring
- Jo Lewis - Riverscape
-Nenad Zilic- Genesis
- Slava Groshev- Melancholy
-Zachary Walsh- aTOMIC CHILD 6
What are the most significant national or international events that you have 'witnessed'?
- 9/11, I was a young child but I remember the news at the time and how it is still considered a monumental event of the 21st century.
- Barack Obama becoming the first black president, this was a huge step in the way of equality amongst races, changes is happening and people are gradually getting more and more rights when you look at how different races and genders were treated even just a few decades ago.
