SLART's Artistic Fusion of Dubuffet, Shrigley, and Haring

Interview with Jessica Turner, Art Journalist*.

Jessica: Hello SLART, delighted to have you with us today. Let's dive into your artistic journey. Growing up in Marlborough and later spending a decade in London, how have these distinct phases of your life influenced the themes and narratives you bring to your artwork?

SLART: Thanks for having me, Jessica. That's a great question. Growing up in a small town, you feel safe, you feel trusting of others. Moving to a big city was a culture shock but a much-needed one, I see people in Marlborough who still live there and don't venture out of that small-town environment much. Which is fine of course, but I was always inspired by London, I remember the feeling I got coming to London on school trips, the Noah's Ark building always stood out to me as we drove over Hammersmith Flyover. Maybe I have a connection to London as we lived there for the first 4 years of my life.

In terms of my art, I have many stories of living small-town life and some pieces in the pipeline about that. Living in London opened my eyes to culture, the abundance of art galleries, the people, the diversity, and the buildings really stood out to me.  Whether I was living in Marlborough or London, I did struggle with confidence a lot in my younger life. The themes of the struggle intertwine with humour and often lightheartedness find their way into my art. London absolutely shaped who I am today, I would be a totally different person if I had stayed local.  

If I had to sum things up, I'd say that I had the inkling for art as a young child, and the small town, safe life, nurtured that. Moving to London was the explosion of culture that I felt I needed to pursue a career as an artist. 

Jessica: Thank you for sharing that, SLART. It's fascinating to hear how the contrast between the small-town environment and the dynamic life in London has played such a pivotal role in shaping your perspective. You mentioned upcoming pieces inspired by small-town life—can you provide a glimpse into how those experiences will manifest in your art, and perhaps share a specific moment or detail you're excited to explore?

SLART: Sure, well, I feel a little uncomfortable in saying this out loud, but it will come out with the piece anyway.  Having an older brother (11 years older) he had a lot of adult magazines, my best friend and I used to steal his mags and secretly flick through them [in awe], we must have only been 9 or 10. The artwork will depict my friend and me sitting on an old mattress outside reading a Club magazine, less of the reading, but more looking at the pictures.  The idea behind it was two-fold, that "boys will be boys", and also the detrimental effect it can have on the sexuality of a person. This is most probably small-town behaviour and you wouldn't really see this in a city, no one hassled us at all, and it was a quiet place to grow up.

My friend and I created our own adult drawings and put them in a portfolio afterwards and were really proud of the work. My parents found it and shared it with their colleagues (my dad ran a taxi business) but nothing was ever said after that. It was so humiliating for me. I think they were probably thrown in the bin. 

Jessica: Thank you for sharing that, SLART. It takes courage to delve into personal and sometimes uncomfortable experiences through art. This upcoming piece seems like it will provoke thought about the impact of early exposure to adult content and how it intertwines with the "boys will be boys" narrative. Moving on to your influences, you've mentioned Jean Dubuffet, David Shrigley, and Keith Haring as key inspirations. Can you share a specific instance where the influence of one of these artists is particularly evident in your work?

Ode to Haring by SLART.

SLART: Thank you for your kind words. Sure, well, Debuffet came to my awareness as I found out that he was a huge influence on Haring. I went to see Jean Debuffet in 2021 at The Barbican in London with some friends. I was in awe at the boldness and diversity of his work, his work also gave me permission to 'do my own thing' in art. One of my friends proclaimed "I could do that" when viewing the work of Dubuffet, but I simply replied "But you didn't". His words spurred me on to create more, as you can either create no art or create lots of art, the main thing is creating the art, and Debuffet did, in abundance. When I learned more about his history, I realised that he started taking his art career seriously at age 41, this inspired me a lot, as I started late at 37, after 20 years of no art creation. 

Haring ties in well, not only as he was inspired by Debuffet, but he was unapologetically himself, he was an activist and wanted art to be accessible to all! He also got me looking into murals and street art, of which I have created 6 murals so far within 12 months. 

Shrigley is candid about his style, he does his own thing, and he adds great humour to his work. 

I went on a Zoom call with David Shrigley but was gutted when he didn’t answer any of my questions.

I have this shrigley postcard in my studio as a reminder.

Jessica: It's fascinating to see how these influences have woven into your artistic journey, SLART. Jean Dubuffet's boldness and diversity seem to have not only resonated with you aesthetically but also served as a catalyst for embracing the uniqueness of your own artistic path. Haring's activism and the accessibility of his art have clearly left a mark, especially in your venture into murals and street art. Moving forward, can you share a bit about your creative process when working on murals? How does the outdoor space influence your approach compared to working in a studio?

SLART: My studio work is usually quite insular and solitary, which I love, it's my time to slow down and lose myself in my work. I have had that experience with one of the murals I created, a Spanish landscape for a couple whose mother passed away, it was her favourite place to visit. This was like painting on a 2-metre-wide canvas. The other mural projects have been more collaborative and with a local theme. So a little bit more planning has gone into the designs beforehand, but I always allow some room to freestyle. My plan for the future is to paint a 12-story mural, but that's top secret at the moment. I also have an idea of using outdoor wall space like a permanent art exhibition. There would be spaces made for canvases (not actual, but on the wall) then an artist would paint what they like inside each canvas. The idea brightens up a wall and it's a novel idea, I think.

Wish you were here by SLART, tribute mural.

Jessica: Your approach to both studio work and murals reflects a dynamic range in your artistic expression, SLART. The emotional depth of creating a mural as a tribute to someone's favourite place is touching. The idea of turning outdoor wall space into a permanent art exhibition is innovative and would indeed bring a novel, vibrant element to public spaces. Speaking of future projects, your plan for a 12-story mural sounds ambitious and intriguing. Can you share any hints about the concept or themes you're considering for this monumental piece?

SLART: OK, sure, just for you Jessica. The theme is "Standing on the shoulders of giants" whereby each story of the building has a "Giant of Swindon" a famous person, past or present. There'll be a nod to the "Great Blondinis" statue, which was a feature of the town centre in the 80s and 90s.

Jessica: That sounds like an incredibly ambitious and meaningful project, SLART. "Standing on the shoulders of giants" is such a powerful theme, paying homage to the local figures who have left a lasting impact on Swindon. Including a nod to the "Great Blondinis" statue adds a touch of nostalgia, connecting the mural to the town's history. I'm sure it will be a captivating piece that resonates with both locals and visitors. Moving on to your upcoming exhibitions, particularly the Affordable Art Fair in New York, what can attendees expect from your showcased works, and are there any specific pieces you're especially excited to present?

SLART: Thank you. Regarding the Affordable art fair in New York, logistics prevent any large pieces from being displayed. But I am excited about displaying my piece "1.2 Billion Seconds" (1.2 Billion Seconds (2021) – 55 cm x 62 cm – Alcohol markers on white paper, mounted). It's a personal piece and I look forward to sharing it with a new audience, I'm very fond of New York and I hope to attend in person. I have been drawn to NY since watching Short Circuit 2 and other films as a child. Later as a teen I loved New York Rappers Wu-Tang Clan and supported the New York Knicks Basketball team.

About the piece: At the time of writing: I have been alive for approximately 1.2 billion seconds and I feel that I have wasted a lot of that time due to various anxieties. Each portrait has a story of its own and represents a snapshot of my life, from birth until the present day.

At 16, my art teacher said I could not draw so I gave up altogether until 2 years ago. This piece is dedicated to him, I resented him for years but I have been reunited with my love of art and have many more life experiences to share. So thank you. This piece is my line in the sand, to say ‘this is who you were’ what’s in the past is no more, time to move forward as a person and an artist.

My story hasn’t ended yet and have emphasised this by leaving some blank spaces in the bottom right corner.

I will be creating some new works for this as well as sharing some previous smaller works

1.2 Billion Seconds by SLART.

Jessica: "1.2 Billion Seconds" sounds like a deeply personal and introspective piece, SLART. It's a testament to the transformative power of art in your life and a way to express gratitude even in the face of past challenges. I'm sure attendees at the Affordable Art Fair will appreciate the emotional depth and narrative behind the work. Your dedication to creating new works for the exhibition adds an exciting element, and I hope you get the chance to attend in person to connect with the audience in New York. As we wrap up, is there anything else you'd like to share about your artistic journey or upcoming projects that we haven't touched upon?

SLART: I’m having a joint exhibition with artist Adam Crosland on the 9th of December. We are two local artists who are hosting a free art exhibition at Artsite, a community art space in Swindon. Adam and I are studio neighbours there and we came to collaborate on the Redcliffe Street Mural project in July 2022. Our styles merge well and we wanted to create a fun evening for people to explore our art and meet other like-minded locals. 

One thing you might not know about me is that I enjoy setting up events, especially art-related ones, so I get to be creative in terms of how the exhibit is portrayed from start to finish. Saying that I’d like more time to work on the creation of my art, so if anyone out there is reading this who’d like to curate my work for an exhibit at your gallery, please get in touch.

Jessica: That sounds like an exciting event, SLART! The joint exhibition with Adam Crosland on December 9th at Artsite in Swindon seems like a wonderful opportunity for the local community to experience your synergistic artistic styles. It's fantastic that you enjoy setting up art-related events, adding another layer of creativity to your portfolio. And, extending an invitation for someone to curate your work is a great initiative, opening doors for potential collaborations. If anyone reading is interested, I'm sure they'll appreciate the chance to get in touch. Thank you, SLART, for sharing your upcoming plans and insights into your artistic world. It's been a pleasure getting to know more about your journey and the exciting projects on the horizon.

*Jessica Turner is a fictional interviewer created with the help of our friend, Chat GPT, but

SLART

is 100% real.

Asking GPT to interview me with the persona of an art journalist, is akin to using a writer’s prompt. But instead of being a regular, static prompt, it’s dynamic in its nature. It allows me to use my imagination by simulating an interview scenario, allowing me to respond naturally. Try it yourself, I lost myself in the writing and it felt like an authentic interview.

A note to the Chat GPT Skeptics, use GPT like any other tool. Like you’d use a word processor for typing a cover letter, or a spanner for undoing a bolt. I know GPT isn’t as simple as at, but it can do a lot of things, a lot faster than we can, so use it to your advantage.

I’ll give you a helping hand in setting up your own interview.

1. Go to chat.openai.com

2. Copy and paste the prompt below, and use your own info in [Job] [Name] and [Bio] - write inside the square brackets [].

3. Have a wonderful interview! Let me know how you get in with it.

Simulate a Magazine Interview. Context: I am a [Job] named [Name]. You are a top journalist from a top magazine, you can invent a cool name for yourself and your magazine. You will start off by asking me a question and you will await my manual reply. Here is a bit about be to get you started: [Your bio - add as much info as possible]