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DUPE chats to Hazel Brill about the Slade School of Art, bad habits & second lives.

You are currently studying your MFA at the Slade. Why the Slade amongst the other Art schools?

A couple of people had suggested the Slade MFA to me, and after looking into it more, saw that a lot of artists I really love atm are graduates from the Slade, in particular the MFA/MA Media. There are good tutors whose work I respect and good media stuff/facilities etc... A big thing was the size, I think smaller institutions suit me well, more intimate and nurturing, and it shares similarities to Newcastle in that respect. Also it has a great reputation so obviously that was a factor.

 You’re originally from London yet have studied in Newcastle and participated in a residency in Vienna. Do you think relocating to another city changed your practice in any way?

Yeah, my practice changed both times I relocated, I think being in unfamiliar places helps to uproot bad habits or something.

  What do you think those bad habits are?

I got stuck in a medium or choices of materials, which I think restricted other ideas from developing. I was convinced I was a painter at Camberwell (where I did my foundation), but the paintings I made were pretty awful looking back, anyway I started making installations in Newcastle which was so liberating and activated a different type of thinking/making/possibilities. Vienna was another big shift because I started using video and text.

  Your work now seems very influenced by the online world. Did you play video games as a child/teen?

I was never a big gamer, I did play sometimes but it was never passion or anything. A couple of years ago, connecting to an art project at that time, I did get very interested in the virtual world Second Life. I (my avatar) spent some time roaming around and taking part in pagan rituals, I was being a tourist without feeling like too much of a voyeur because everyone playing is in disguise. It did alter the way I think about virtual space and I do still find myself referencing these gaming aesthetics.

 You have already exhibited at the BALTIC 39, which is quite an achievement so close to graduating. How did you find the whole experience?

It was really exciting and just amazing to have a massive space with technicians to help you install everything that felt like a real novelty. I didn't have long to make the show so it was pretty stressful getting everything together in time, I basically didn't sleep much. It was my first experience of working closely with a curator, which was pretty insightful, she was amazing. Also I had to do a filmed interview which was a real nightmare for me I hate being in front of the camera and I struggle to string a sentence together sometimes when nervous. 

 The work shown at the BALTIC 39 also included sculpture. Can you explain the relationship between the video work and the Roman replica figures?

I think there is something bizarre that happens when the archaic and the new collide, just to reference the pagan rituals being practiced within the virtual world Second Life again, I am interested in how new technologies provides opportunity for the retelling of ancient stories and myths. The video's narrative looks at the preservation of the myths that surround Hermes within the context of online platform and virtual space. Also, Hermes was said to be a Psycho pomp, someone who carries the deceased into the afterlife, he was someone who straddled these two realities that felt fitting. I was thinking about the stage a lot when making that work. I wanted the statue to become the protagonist, prop and stage set at different points in the narrative.

   What are your chosen tools for your craft?

I use Cinema 4d, After Effects, Premiere Pro, various apps for scanning objects.

   What are your favorite videos to watch on youtube?

Music videos... but I spend most of the time watching youtube tutorials unfortunately.

  On computer software?

Yes, it’s very dull but has taught me everything really so an amazing resource.

  Looking through all your works they mostly always involve the human figure, this is something that you’re drawn to in your practice. Why do you think that is?

It’s funny because a couple of times now I have been determined for the protagonist to be an inanimate object like a pot, and although I do use these, you're right human figures always feature and because of their nature they dominate. I am not sure why and had never really thought about that before but I guess I am interested in storytelling and recently more specifically the storyteller - a person.

 How do you start a new project? Do you have a specific routine to get inspired?

It varies; it’s usually a really spiralling process of researching, writing and making, so they all affect each other. I guess reading helps to formulate ideas, but its more filtering through all the shit ideas that I find to be most difficult.

 Can we see you in any shows soon?

Unless something comes up in the meantime, the next thing is the Museum of London commission, which goes up in July.

 Last but not least. I want your words of wisdom Hazel; do you have any survival tips on being a Contemporary artist at this time?

ha-ha! I would like some advice too, I'm still finding my feet, it’s so hard getting a balance between making art, making money and making love. Lol

 http://www.hazelbrill.com

Twitter: @hazel_brill

[wearedupe]

DUPE talks to Contemporary Artist Alfie Strong about gangs, ancient cultures and the ridiculous.

When we first met at Leeds College of Art 7 years ago your work was very much inspired by the past. Old books, old clothes, old music etc. Yet today your work seems very influenced by the today and Contemporary life. Why do you think this has changed?

Ideas, interests and works change all the time so you can imagine the difference in the style and process of works 7 years apart. I think great art employs the time in which it is made. I try to make work that is aware of when and why it’s made. 7 years ago when I first started college I made work about a time that interested me and not about the time in which it was being made. I guess it was a kind of mis-placed nostalgia and I don’t think that approach is particularly interesting or helpful, just confusing, but what isn't confusing when you’re 18?

Describe your work now in 4 words.

Dark-witted conjectural commentary.

You’ve exhibited worldwide and last year graduated from ‘The School of the Dammed’. Tell us about the school and your time there.

School of the Damned acts as a positive protest against the increase of tuition fees and the marginalisation of the poor in education. It is essentially a free ‘school’ that is administrated by the students that use it. Rather than a practice based programme it serves as a rigorous, critical and theoretical torrent for your work to push against. It made me dismantle my work and completely re-build it from the ground up… an incredibly difficult but useful thing to do.

We went to your most latest solo show at GRRG in Kennington and read that your recent work has being inspired by Mexican culture, in particular wrestling and even hints of African tribal masks. Have you had this interpretation before?

The Mexican wrestler likeness came up in a review of that show. I’d be lying if I said Mexican wrestling masks in particular were of importance or of interest. Broadly speaking I make felt mask-type hoods because I’m interested in the ceremonial quality of masks and the visual impact masks can carry, across all cultures. My work often plays with a balance between formal, object sculpture and goofy figurative works. Masks come from the kind of abhorrent cartoon drawing that I do in response to my research efforts and often act as the figurative element.  

What is Pluto Gang?

Its a fictional gang that are mentioned as an almost unimportant footnote in a Kurt Vonnegut novel.

Is there anything in your work that references other cultures than your own?

I do use and borrow from other cultures… both present and ancient cultures. I don’t use it as a statement but more to inject a little of what I might find fascinating in to the work that I make. Maybe it’s just to make what I produce a bit more bearable for me to look around after I’ve made it. I’ve always been pretty interested in mythology, religion and folk lore, my work sometimes compares inane parts of modern life to more grander parts of of those areas of interest. I enjoy the ridiculousness of the two coexisting in a work, a sentence or a show.  

We remember having a discussion with you and the Head of Fine Art at Leeds School of Art (Shelia Gaffney) about the fact that work should never be titled ‘Untitled’. Do all your works have titles?

All my works are titled. The names I give are actually an important part of the work, the language is as important as the materials I’ve used. A lot of the time my titles are made before the work or changed after the work has already been shown with one title. If they weren't an important part of the make-up of my work then I wouldn’t bother titling them for the sake if it… So I kind of like works that are ‘untitled’ because it makes me think that the artist has cut back any arbitrary and unnecessary baggage the work was carrying.  

How important to you is the space in which you exhibit your work?

There are obviously spaces that lend themselves to showing work better than others and their are spaces where I feel my work stands a better chance of being seen correctly. But I think a good space can be down to who runs/directs/curates it.

We are not sure we have ever seen you do collaboration. Is this something that interests you? If so, who would you like to join forces with on an artwork?

I’ve done a few collaborative shows and projects in the past few years. I enjoy them a lot, I learn loads from working with other people. I’m currently part of an collaborative group that is based in Sheffield called (it’s all) Tropical. We curate a lot of large group shows of artists that we really love and want to work and show along side with.

Which are your favourite galleries to visit?

I like Limoncello and I’m in to a lot of their artists. I think David Dale in Glasgow do some really great things and similarly S1 in Sheffield and Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun back in Leeds.

Who or what inspires you?

Henri Gaudier Brzeska

Our next issue of DUPE is the WILD issue. So tell us the wildest thing you’ve done?

I can’t tell you that, I’m sorry.

We’ve seen a huge rise of Contemporary using social media to share their work. Is social media important to you or your work?

I try to keep my work and my FB, Twitter and Instagram apart from each other. I think it’s a real good tool to meet other people making work and see what everyones on with. I’ve ended up being in some great shows and made friends with some brilliant artists through social media, but I think using it to just show off your work can be a bit strange if I’m honest.

Would you ever do performance art?

I think performance art (I’m thinking about live performance art here) is incredibly difficult to do. When its done well its magnificent but most of the time it’s not, it’s normally done really badly. I think people think that because you don’t necessarily have to ‘make’ anything they can just get up whimsically and just do it, but their wrong… by doing that they make something insufferably cringe worthy and I feel that’s really insulting to the people who dedicate their life, work and time to it.

What is the best criticism you’ve ever received about you work and who was it from?

“The more I understand your work, the less I understand you” That was a text off my dad after he went to see a show of mine at Embassy Gallery in Edinburgh.

What’s next for Alfie Strong?

I’ve a few small plans, nothing to write home about... because they all think what I do is weird.

http://www.alfiestrong.co.uk

[wearedupe]

DUPE Talks to Artist Rosie Vohra about the Prince's Art School, colour and 3 dimensional drawings.

Rosie how would you describe your work and what you do as an artist?

Drawing forms the base of everything I do, not only pencil on paper but the act of drawing and collaging with line and colour in 2-dimensions and 3-dimensions. I’m interested in combining my imagination with observation in my work, ultimately creating multi-layered drawings that are an act of thinking onto a surface with reference to my surroundings.

What are the differences between your BA and the Princes drawings school? Is there an institute you prefer?

The drawing school and my BA have been two really different experiences. At Uni there were a lot of opportunities to experiment with mediums such as ceramics, printmaking, painting, metalwork and photography. The freedom of university was what made the structure of taught lessons at the drawing school so challenging and it was amazing to be surrounded by artists who were all interested in the importance of drawing in their practice.

Who or what are your biggest influences?

From being in London the past year I have been drawing a lot from Sienese paintings in the National Gallery and Indian miniatures in the British Museum. At the moment I feel really inspired by the use of colour and form in these paintings and how they create rhythm and another language through pattern. 

What are your favourite tools to work with?

If I am in my studio I tend to use lots of different materials and tools all at once. The things I tend to always have in my pencil case are black waterproof ink, a small paintbrush, 4B pencil, stabilo woody colouring pencils and a scalpel.

Do you ever have nightmares? If so tell me about them?

I don’t normally have nightmares. The other week I wasn’t sleeping very well and I had a dream there were dead butterflies in the toilet and I had to wee on them to make them come alive. 

  How often do you draw when you're not at the Princes school? (Truthfully)

It varies really, I would say I draw pretty much every day/every other day. Drawing and keeping a sketchbook are something I’ve always done, even before I started the drawing school.

What is the darkest thing you’ve drawn/painted?

I don’t think I have ever intentionally made the subject matter of my drawings ‘dark’. Some of my work from last year is saturated with so much colour that it could come across as slightly unnerving. At the moment I’m interested in exploring the relationship between different colours and seeing how they push and pull your eyes in different directions across a drawing or painting.

On one of your works you write ‘Growth isn’t a comfortable thing’. Are these your words? If so, why do you think that?

I remember being in the studio and phoning my older brother because I was finding it difficult to make work under pressure towards the end of my degree and he said ‘growth isn’t a comfortable thing’. Growth is also like change and change isn’t always easy but I think it can sometimes be for the best. 

So we’ve met in person and you are always very warm (we haven’t touched) and smiley. Tell me, what makes you angry?

It’s hard to think what really makes me angry. Sometimes I think people are too quick to judge others and I find that difficult to deal with.

What’s next for you now you have graduated from the Princes school?

After I graduate I plan to stay in London for a little while longer. I think I need some time to make work and process all the things I have learnt over the past year and London is a great place because of all the resources that are on your doorstep! I am also itching to travel (to India in particular). After travelling around China for a month this summer I think I would really benefit from making work in an exciting and unfamiliar place so I hope to apply for some artist residencies as well.  

http://rosievohra.tumblr.com

https://twitter.com/rosievohra

[wearedupe]

DUPE chats to Photographer Sophie Stafford about unpaid internships, Malick Sidibé and Paris Techno Parade.

What has been your favorite project you have worked on so far?

Every new project I do tends to be my favourite, but out of my recent work the East Park Boys project.

If you could visit just one place to take pictures where would it be and why?

 Mexico to photograph Colombian Fashion.

Has photography always been what you wanted to do?

I initially wanted to be a Veterinarian, then I realised I didn't want to put down animals, then I went university to study business entrepreneurship which surprisingly enough isn't as interesting as it sounds, so I started taking my Photography more seriously and changed courses to study it.

 What is the hardest part of being a photographer/what are the perks?

I guess the hardest part of being a photographer is that you have to be much more than that to make a career out of it, you need to market yourself, advertise, network which is completely separate from the enjoyment of making the work. The perks for me are capturing/creating the image I have in my head and telling the interesting stories of the people I meet.

What are your tips and tricks for any budding photographers?

Tips and tricks - Be calm and don't rush, take your time arranging your subject and making sure you get the image you want. 

 What are your views on unpaid internships?

I have conflicting views of unpaid internships, it seems in this industry they have become a necessary evil to an extent. From my experience of which I have done many unpaid/barely paid internships, some elements are rewarding and some are not. I dislike extortion of interns for long periods of time with little prospect of gaining a job at the end, or reimbursement for travel/food. I am looking forward for there to be new laws in place to support interns in the workplace.

 Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Almost 30 :S

 Do you ever photograph at night?

Most of the time no, as I tend to use daylight or studio lights.

You take alot of portraits and must meet alot of characters. Is there a person that sticks out?

I once photographed a guy and his really big collection of my little ponies.

How important is living in London in relation to your work?

I have lived in London for a year and a half now, and I have yet to photograph any personal projects in London, however whilst living in London I have made connections that have followed on to paid photography work. 

 What do you what viewers to take away from your work?

Hopefully a connection with my subject, but every person will interpret my work differently.

Describe yourself in 4 words.

indecisive, curious,  .. I can only think of two.

Who are your favourite photographers and how did they influence you

One of my favourite photographers is Malick Sidibé I love the style and the make shift backdrops of his portrait shoots and how relaxed and confident his subjects are.

Whats next for Sophie Stafford?

I am currently working on a project which I am about to publish from a project at Paris Techno Parade.  Very excited to show this work! 

http://sophiejanestafford.co.uk

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DUPE chats with Illustrator Louise Zergaeng Pomeroy about Goths, where she goes when it gets dark and Japanese horror.

. Describe your work in 4 words?

Precise, descriptive, dry, humorous

. Pen vs Digital. What side are you on?

I'd go with pen, but I don't mind digital unless it starts to look soulless. 

I use photoshop a lot to clean up my drawings and add colour but I never solely rely on a program. It's great that the internet makes sharing work so easy, but I really hope print doesn't get phased out too. 

. What is your worst nightmare?

Being forced to watch a musical, featuring a cast of magicians, for eternity. That and damaging my right arm so I can never draw again. 

. If you could collaborate with any other artist, who would it be and why?

That's a tough question. There's so many artists I love but I can't visualise a collaboration. I'd love to work with an animation team one day and make a short film. 

Where do you go when it gets dark?

I never really go to sleep before 2am. Sometimes I work better at night as there are less distractions. Other than working, probably a bar near where I live (east) or soho. 

. Who has been your favourite person to draw so far?  

William S Burroughs was really fun to draw. He had such an amazing face, you can definitely tell he had an erm..eventful life. 

I also really enjoyed drawing portraits from the London tattoo convention. Some of the facial modifications of the subjects were really unusual.

. If you weren't an illustrator, what would be doing instead?

Probably something to do with protecting human rights.

  . What is the scariest film you've ever watched?

When I was around 13 I used to record horror films on my parents VCR without them knowing (they didn't know how to use the timer setting). So I ended up watching loads of pretty extreme films like Driller Killer and I Spit on Your Grave but none of it really scared me back then.

Now I jump so easily, but once I see what the killer or monster is in a film, it usually ruins it. Maybe the original of The Ring? And the original Dark Water, that genre of Japanese horror can be pretty terrifying. 

. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I'd like to live somewhere out of the UK for a year or so. Or travel more and draw people I meet along the way. 

I really love Pat Perry's blog, his sketchbook work and photos really make me want to jump on a train and draw more from life http://patperry.net/blog. 

I'd also like to work on more narrative projects. I'd love to create another book of illustrated shorts, or a graphic novel. 

. Your work is appearing in DUPE's next issue, the Dark issue. What is the first thing that comes to mind when i say the word 'dark'?

Dark humour. 

. Emo's or Goth's?

Definitely goths. I'll always have a soft spot for them, and I guess I'm borderline. I'm in talks with the organisers of AltFest about doing a reportage project there in August. That'd be a dream job.

[wearedupe]

DUPE chats to Illustrator Jodie McNeil about naked polaroids, Berlin & Jockum Nordstrom

Jodie's illustrations grab you instantly and make you feel like a peeping Tom. Nudes of soft bellied men and women going about their day to day lives are captivating....

DUPE chats to Jodie McNeil here

You have only just recently graduated, what’s next for Jodie McNeil? 

I'm applying for graduate jobs at the minute, and then if I can save up enough money I'll apply to do a masters in Berlin or London.

  Describe your work in five words.

 My tutor Phil Wrigglesworth described my work as ''considered naivety'' so I'll let him describe it in two for me, cheeky sod. 

    Where do you get your inspiration from? Are these characters from your day-to-day life?

  When I was studying in Berlin my friend found some polaroid’s of a naked old couple and I loved how nonchalant they were while posing. I couldn't stop thinking about the couple, so I illustrated a story around them. Most things that inspire me come from things I've found in markets or second hand shops, I found a family photo album from the fifties not long ago and made a book based around that. 

  Do you have a favorite piece of work that you've done so far?

 I've got a least favorite if that counts? Erm if I had to choose then probably the house with the front wall cut off so you can see what everyone is doing in each room, there's the old woman going about her business stark-bollock-naked which has petrified the cat, while her husband remains oblivious in the bath. 

Where was your favorite place to holiday as a child?

 My mum couldn't really afford to take us on holiday when we were younger, so she would take me and my little brother to visit our Uncles, Uncle Steven, who lives in Whitechapel and Uncle Billy who lives in the middle of nowhere in Wales. He had a forest for a garden so we'd make tyre swings and go walking up hills and stuff.

  Who are your favorite illustrators/artists and why?

 Jockum Nordstrom is one of my absolute favorites, I love that his hand-collaged figures seem to be innocently riding horses or dancing but there always seems to be something strangely sinister going on. Viva Vidali is another good one, he works with collage too and his blog is amazing but his work is a bit more child friendly. I've also recently become obsessed with Vladimir Lebedev, after buying his book in the Arnolfini bookshop in Bristol.

  If you could take one book on a road trip, what book would this be?

 The man who grew his beard by Oliver Schrauwen, it's well and truly mental and every time I read it I see something I'd missed the time before.

You’re from Bristol; tell me your favorite thing about the city?

 I'm not from Bristol, thank god... I'm from Liverpool, but I went to University in Bristol. I don't know why I like Bristol so much, but I'm still here four years later so it must be doing something right.

[wearedupe]

DUPE talks to Fashion Designer Mary Benson about Brooke Candy, the UK & who she has her eyes on next

Mary Benson is already shaking things up in the fashion world and she hasn’t even graduated yet! I first met Mary (she’s a Northern Lass) in a bar in Leeds & chatted about our mutual love over a Vivienne Westwood heel. DUPE catches up with Mary Benson here..

Did you ever get those shoes in the end?

Yes I bought pink ones with a big bow on the front!

After Leeds you moved to London to complete your BA HONS in Fashion and already I’ve spotted Brooke Candy and Rita Ora in your designs. How did that happen?

Their stylists requested my pieces for events and shoots so they must have liked them because I saw photos all over the Internet of them in my stuff.

      Who would you love to see next in a Mary Benson design?

I’m not sure who exactly but I’d love to see my pieces in the US and places abroad.

How would you describe your personal style?

I wear a lot of simple black clothes. Then usually mix it with really bright pieces of my own.

    What do you find inspiring about living and working in the UK?

Everything is really fast moving and a lot of hype about the UK. I find living in London particularly exciting and inspiring but also appreciate chill time at home up north with the family.

If you could pick one outfit to wear on a American road trip, what would it be?

Probably my Yorkshire jacket, just to be deliberate ha.

Do you still find yourself inspired by the same things in London as you did in Leeds?

Not really, it’s really different here. I have the same drive but the fashion culture here is really interesting and more evolved. There’s so much to take in.

    The first place you went on holiday?

To the Pyrenees in France. My mum and dad have photos of me stood in 7inch snow in my shorts and T-shirt looking so happy!

What next for Mary Benson?

I’m going to finish my final year at Westminster, and continue with my business at the same time. The pressure’s on!

www.marybenson.co.uk