Richard Deacon
(artist)
What is, in your
opinion, a professional artist?
There is an expression "Sunday
painter" which refers to an amateur or part-time artist.
So, I suppose that, for me, a professional artist is someone who
makes art, but not on Sundays.
What's the relation between art and money in your work?
Money is fairly basic. It's
very difficult to survive without money. Most of the things I
make are for sale. I am very fortunate that sometimes people want
to buy them. Having money enables me to continue to have conditions
in which I can work in the way that I want to. So I the answer
seems to be that money makes things easier, but I don't think
that money is the reason or the cause for me to work.
How do you resolve the conditions of visibility of your work in
the context you work in?
This changes with time. I believe that the visibility of a
work is an important part of its character. I started by issuing
hand-written invitations to people I knew to come and visit, and
rented exhibition spaces. When I organized a group studio I incorporated
a gallery into the building and both used and helped to run it.
I think that I am also an audience and go to look at a lot as
well as sometimes writing criticism and catalogue or theoretical
essays. Now I am fortunate in that there are gallery and museum
spaces that want to show my work. But I am also interested in
spaces outside of the art-world, in shops and homes and have worked
with alternative distribution systems.
How would you define cultural tourism?
I think tourism is a cultural activity.
How would you define culture shock?
September 11th.
What's the relationship between control and chance in your work?
It's a song and dance routine.
How important is it for you to be able to talk about your work?
I don't think of talking as a one way street. I am as interested
in talking about my work as I am in talking about other peoples
work. I think that talking is a way of sharing and that is important
to me. This has also to do with your question about visibility.
|