Garth Gratrix

Interview 2017

ARTIST | CURATOR | DIRECTOR

www.garthgratrix.com

Facebook: @bloodygood Instagram: @garth.gratrix

What are your current inspirations?

My current inspirations are space, architecture, (space as in rooms, buildings, square footage not as in clouds and other worlds) queer culture or the idea of queerness, subcultures, language and behaviour. How I understand these and work with them as a contemporary artist is something I’m conscious about in the process of making or proposing things in space/s.

Who is your favourite living artist?

Living in this world as an artist is often gruelling and bloody hard work, so my favourite artist is all of them!  If your doing it and grafting for what your passionate about, I have respect for you and a thank you is in order.

What has been your favourite work of your own to date?

My work is often experimental so I tend to look upon it with unfinished eyes and thats ok, so favourites are tough as they are yet to be fully determined. A piece I made during a residency in Norway at Prosjektromm Normanns is probably a turning point work for me. it was my largest wall based installation to date that work with the simplest process and set of rules to date as well. So it allowed me to refine and define my practice in the moment and progress a body of work to this date that combines colour specification that are sourced across DIY stores that are....a bit camp...then combine this visual language with digital disturbance (I was asked on a dating app if I had a nine incher). The work/s become a collection of nine inch things measured nine inches apart of together.

What is your strongest childhood memory?

Oh! Gosh... I'll cry! Strongest childhood memory... it's not even the best is it? The day me and my sister told our parents that they should not be together. Oh ok, that is a very big memory! Yeah. So the day we... suddenly became adults mentally, it was quite a big day. That is a big decision for kids to make as well. Yeah, but I think we just knew what was best, well we didn't know what best meant but we knew what felt right and it was just, it was so wrong. 

What has been your scariest artistic experience?

When I had to do a deliver a conference to over 300 arts and cultural leaders. It was introducing a brand new project i was working on at the time and everyone had many, many questions about it to try and understand all its detail; budget, engagement, partnerships, marketing, communities, artists and so on. It was full on and my knees were shaking behind the lectern. Scary but a confidence booster as well. Its always scary to take your work out there and present in that way but a reminder that at some point this is going to happen and you can do it.

What has been your happiest artistic experience?

Hmm... Well I think there's two, so when I set up Abingdon Studios and that reminded me that Blackpool is a place for great development of artists as an affordable place to take risks. Then the other one is when I got shortlisted for Clore Visual Artist Fellowship in both 2017 and 2019, which was great although still not won it.....thanks lol.

Can you describe a real life situation that inspired you?

When I was asked to curate an exhibition in Seoul, South Korea with UK Young Artists. It was inspirational because it was humbling to be surrounded by so much young artistic talent and ambition and to be part of that provided great energy and opportunity to think, discuss and progress ideas. The sheer scale of the space at The National Assembly, Seoul, was just an inspirational moment to be included in.

What has been your most embarrassing artistic experience?

When I took part in a live performance piece for another artist installation and as I dropped to my knee my crotch split wide open. Well the pants not my actual crotch.

What other jobs have you done, other than being an artist?

Pizza boy, paper boy, cleaner, care assistant, runner, community engagement, workshops, project management, curator, artist liaison, commissioner, retail.... Oh my God so much retail part time just to pay the rent, bit of retail management, no retail therapy. That's probably enough without really embarrassing myself.

What has been the most memorable response you have had to one of your pieces?

(Laughs) It was memorable for all the wrong reasons, but there was a turner price artist in 2008. I had a solo show at Harris Museum, Art Gallery & Library throughout the stairways straight after uni and he had a solo show in the Upper Galleries space. I just remember grabbing him because I was so adamant that i wanted to tell everybody about my work. (laughs) I didn't know who he was and I didn't care, I was just like 'this is my work!' and he just looked like he had to go all the time and then there was an announcement up stairs that said '(artists name) are you there' and he said 'I have to go, it looks nice'. Then i just remember saying to him 'If nice is all you have to say, you shouldn't have a show up there'. I was a foul human being when i graduated though,  I was well up my arse, but i have changed now, slightly, a little bit. Yeah, just 'it looks nice'. I just think it is the s*****t word you could say to another artist. It's just you've got other words you could use that are encouraging. 

What do you dislike about the art world?

B******t, saying one thing and doing another, pretence, privileged, the term 'blended offer'  blurring what it is to make art.

Lack of secure opportunities for artists, the expectations of progressing a career as an artist whilst having to subsidise your career through other employment often asking you to deliver a full-time role in part-time hours.

It can at times be self-congratulatory and not inclusive of those working in peripheral locations. Judgements on class and background is still a thing.

80% admin 20% making

What research do you do for your pieces?

Hmm, I do research that's lead by practice so I usually look for residencies to develop my work, to further my ideas in response to a given or used space. I take studio time as a jumping off point and a way to amalgamate and gather ideas, I might try and predict or influence aesthetic trends, cultural trends, discussion topics about the things I'm interested in and then use that as way of instigating a conversation that's professional. I do try and do as much reading as possible but we don't all have time to read none stop when were working class artist trying to make a living with no mum or dad with a bank account to fall back on. So you have to read in the gaps. I think it is more about physically doing it and getting on with it which is active research in itself. To take a day off is nonsensical as an artist, there's no such thing, but you can always be thinking and doing and making and reflecting. which is partly research.

What is your dream project?

Something collaborative and challenging beyond my current skills set and knowledge. It has to take my practice from where it is to somewhere else....progress!

Something that tests the scale and perceived barriers to my practice. Something that afforded me time and budget to indulge the senses, go crazy, build and knock down and build again. The financial freedom to be unapologetic and aesthetically loud.

Maybe a town wide installation trail developing works with architects, lighting and sound specialists, music directors, sculptors.

Inevitably a dream project is one that’s already being delivered that leads to another opportunity to produce work....thats the dream....no stop and start....just a constant chance to make work

Can you name three artist you would like to be compared to?

Aahh that's vile lol, I don't really want to be compared to anyone. 
But if I was to be, they would have to be good obviously hmmm...
Someone like Prem Sahib he's a really interesting artist at the moment. Err, but then for more of the kind of s**ts and giggles maybe someone like Keith Haring from the eighties you know, very public out and proud and contributed a lot to social and cultural change of perceptions for LGBTQ communities and a queer voice in mainstream contemporary practice. Then, I am trying to think of someone who is... they don't even have to be a visual artist do they? ...Madonna. There I've said it. I'd like to be compared to Madonna as someone who's trans-formative. It doesn't matter which direction she goes down, everyone understands what she's doing. She deserves to be compared to.

Do you have a place that's inspirational for you?

Blackpool. I'm kind of a naive romantic about my hometown. To me it's wonderful in every way. Berlin just makes me melt, I love that city and New York just for it being so over the top. It's just ridiculous but it works. So those three combined and then put back onto Blackpool promenade would be the ideal place to live.

What is the best advice you have been given as an artist?

Stop! (Laughs) Someone did say stop once, which then made me do it even more, so I think sometimes the best advice is someone trying to make you stop doing something, it's good reverse psychology, your like 'I'm gonna show you I can do it' so yeah stop was a good one. Then also 'your doing something that's not happening yet' is a good reference sometimes when people see your work and they're not sure if it's quite there or 'does he know something we don’t?' The idea that your doing something for the future is a reason to do it.

Professionally what is your goal?

One of the basics is to generate enough income as an artist to not have to worry about doing the other things and then fully push your identity and artistic vision forward. Work life balance is always a dream, so that you are available as a brother, son, spouse and not just the artist. Then maybe just have a couple of different places of residence, that would be ideal so that your available to work in other places rather than be too committed in one place and be restricted by budget and travel. If I had a house in all of my favourite places that would be lovely. I've got one, so that's one down and to be an artist with my own house, that's pretty good.

What three things could you not live without?

My cat, (Jilly Bean, for the record). One eye and one tooth and still fabulous. Ideas are another thing I couldn't live without and space to try all the ideas whilst the cats sat comfortably. So they all kind of join together.

What representation do you have physically and online?

I don't have any agency representation. I develop my own platforms such as website, studios and empty shop initiatives that add to an awareness of my practice, so its definitely a case of being your own marketer, manager, artist and producer. I subscribe to Artists Newsletter and Curator Space.

A lot of representation is indirect through positive working relationships with peers, leading to word of mouth and future invitations to work. Being acknowledges on shortlists for fellowships or prizes have given a level of representation (or credibility) such as Clore Visual Artist Fellowship. 

It was a pleasure to interview Garth, such a down to earth witty human, and I would like to say a massive thank you to him for taking the time out to meet with me.