ARTISTS TALKING

Introduction

This section is a taster of public art.

Often an aspect of an artist's broader practice, it includes profiles of Michael Pinsky whose projects may be permanent or temporary and Marion Kalmus whose digital works have been presented in galleries and public settings including the National Botanical Garden of Wales.

Marion Kalmus

I use digital technologies, sound and light projection to create cinematic, painterly installations in unusual spaces. These vast scale, site-specific works are complemented by my intimate performance and photographic gallery works. My work is about insignificant heroism: perseverance in the face of disappointment and mortality, about how all living is mundane and profound and about the joys and failures of communication.

I am currently working on a number of major commissions, including an architectural work for Norman Foster's National Botanic Garden of Wales.

I have curiosity across media, so acquiring new skills is the only strategy for me. I listen to the artwork's demand, and make each piece in whatever form it wants to be made in. The works are linked by matter rather than material.

I'm driven and I work extremely hard. But I do feel fortunate. There are many artists who haven't had the opportunities that I have. I've been successful at raising huge sponsorship and attracting collaborators with amazing skills, such as Arup Acoustics who produced the surround-sound track for my project Restoration Drama – but I haven't got any secret weapons. I'm just very straightforward about what I'm asking for. I like working with people who are sincere, committed and inspired. I think if you're honest about your passion, likeminded people galvanise around you. This may sound idealistic, but it's worked for me.

[a-n] MAGAZINE has been an invaluable aid. In 94 on the final year of my BA at Goldsmiths, I entered an open submission competition, which I saw advertised in the magazine, to produce a work for the the Royal Festival Hall. It was the first advert I'd responded to and I was amazed when I was selected. The commissioned installation was my first publicly-shown work. Later that year, I saw Moviola (now FACT) advertise in the magazine for submissions for Video Positive 95. Encouraged by my previous success, I applied and was commissioned to make Deserter, which was shown at Tate Liverpool and toured to Chapter and Oriel 31.

In 97 I responded to an advert in the magazine for the Kettle's Yard Fellowship. I was awarded this and 'I Won't Promise You the Earth', my solo show at Kettle's Yard, showcased sixteen new works. The fellowship led to multiple opportunities, the latest of which was Restoration Drama, shown at the Festival Theatre, Cambridge in 2000.

Since 98, although I've been approached directly with commissions, I still browse the opportunities section of [a-n] MAGAZINE. Also, now that I'm working on large budget, permanent public commissions, I base my contracts on the format of [a-n]'s excellent Visual Arts Contracts. I would recommend these contracts as an introduction to legal matters for all artists.

Michael Pinsky

Immediately after my degree, I went through the Directory of Exhibition Spaces (published previously by [a-n] and now out of print) and approached literally hundreds of venues ' even on holiday I looked up the local galleries and took my portfolio to show them.

This somewhat manic publicity campaign was a great success. However, with ten shows a year earning me on average just £300, I quickly realised this wasn't the way forward: you can promote yourself forever but at some point you need to start making a living. Since my MA, I have managed to support myself through residencies, many of which have come through advertisements in [a-n] MAGAZINE. As I have gained experience my proposals have become more focused and I am now fairly sure that if I apply I will be successful. Since 2001, I have made a semi-deliberate move into public art commissions.

As part of Hull Time Based Arts (HTBA) River Commissions, I have just installed Symposium, a car cut in half and split across a bridge. Moving from residencies to public projects is something of a leap of faith since my work is generally a bit extreme for many local authorities. Fortunately the more experienced commissioning agencies such as HTBA are prepared to take the risk.

Michael Pinsky did a BA (Hons) in Visual and Performing Arts at Brighton Polytechnic (1988-1991) and an MA in Printmaking at the Royal College of Art (1993-1995).

The writers

Libby Anson is an independent professional, creative and personal development consultant, who also works as a freelance lecturer and writer.

Abigail Branagan is a freelance consultant and marketing director of the Applied Arts Agency - a retail and gallery space in Clerkenwell, London. Originally trained in fine art, she has been working in the creative sector for eight years and has undertaken projects for a range of organisations, including Mazorca Projects, London.

Mark Gubb is an artist based in Nottingham working in a range of disciplines from painting to installation to video. His installation and film commission for Grizedale Arts references classic British horror and its cross pollination with American culture. A lecturer at the University of Derby, South East Derbyshire College and a regular contributor to a-n's publications, he is also co-director of artist-led initiative Loadstar.

Wendy Mason is a designer-maker in Yorkshire who also works as an arts consultant and trainer.

Graham Parker is an artist, critic, curator and lecturer involved in artist-led initiatives in Manchester. His work has been commissioned by Henry Moore Institute and Tate Gallery, Liverpool (Artranspennine), Manchester City Art Gallery, Compton Verney, Foundation for Art and Creative Technology and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. He has shown extensively in the UK and internationally. He is Visual Arts Officer at Salford University and co-course leader of Tate Liverpool's University Network MA course module and artistic director (with Dave Beech) of floating ip project space Manchester.

Emma Safe is an artist and writer on the visual arts based in Birmingham.

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