My journey into being an artist was inspired by constant engagement with relationships of creativity and society. It benefitted from collaborating with others and from the need to understand what it meant for me to first become and later to be an artist.
The first 20 years of this journey I spent in Germany but in January 1996 l moved to the UK, where I got involved in lecturing and academic research without ever loosing my identity as an artist. Part
of my involvement in academic research was an AHRC Fellowship investigating
sound – through art practice. My career in teaching ended in Sept 2012.
Constant engagement with relationships of contemporary European creativity
and society has inspired my practice. I benefitted from collaboration across
borders and understanding the meaning of being an artist in today’s society.
After 40 years of public art practice, of which I spent 20 years in Germany and 20 years in the UK, I am now at a point where I feel it is important again to fundamentally question my role and my future as an artist.
There are three main reasons to do so from my perspective at this very moment:
1 – I entered the global Art ‘world’ as someone without formal art education and encountered the British Art world as a foreigner (German) both this special conditions gave me the advantage to take none of the art structures for granted and to question such structures, hierarchies and procedures. Recent experiences with Art curatorship, research, funding, ‘leadership’ etc. have driven me to value the need of redefining art and artists roles.
Recent experiences and changes let me ask what was inherent and let me re-
examine art and artists roles in changing political and social landscapes.
2 - A growing frustration with institutionalized art education let me to write the TA BA BAA manifesto in which I outlined principles of an alternative Art education.
3 - The result of the Brexit Referendum lets me wonder whether a foreign artist (EU national) can and should engage with English communities and what she/he can achieve.
Is it time to redefine my artistic identity and to move on?
To focus on this essential questions is of fundamental importance not only for my personal further artistic development but the questions I will first ask in the 'basement underneath the Fusilier Museum' in Bury and will later address are relevant for an ever growing number of colleagues, for the creative communities and society.
I am only one of many artists who are in doubt of their role and question their relevance in our societies unsure what the future holds with Britain outside of the EU.
I am only one of many globally working artist who are (after Brexit) faced with a new reality of nationalism.
My project LISTEN BACKWARDS to ADVANCE invites questions and participation.