Q&A Richie Culver
Q: Can you tell me about your background?
I was born in Hull in the North Of England into a loving working class family. I was super close to my Mother.
I was not really exposed to any art growing up. I was however installed with an inner confidence that I could be or do what ever I wanted to. Education and School etc. was not forced on me. I loved school but not for learning reasons. I left School with no qualifications and for a job straight away in a Factory making Caravans.
Q: What was the first artwork you made?
At School I guess was the first pieces I made. Designing Football kits etc. But as an actual work. When I was living in New York. I started making collages from cutouts and adding text.
Q: What is more important to you: The Process. Ideas, The final visual outcome. The material? Or something else?
I would have to say… the process and the visual outcome are pretty important to me… Also the destruction of a work. I destroy much of what I do. The process of destroying a work is a sensation that is hard to describe. Especially if it’s a work I liked.
It’s a similar process to life and death really. I recently read The Snowman to my son. When we got to the end it dawned on me .. wow, the Snowman dies.. abandoning the child. I never have really thought about it in that way growing up as I watched it. It made me think.. When is a good time to explain to a 3 year I do about death?
My work is the same. It has a shelf life with me. Often the debris of destroyed works makes It’s way into other sculptural works.
Sometimes I destroy them simply because i can. It’s the one thing in my life I feel I have 100% control of.
Q: The world and speed of Social media. Living as an artist within this arena.. How do you see yourself, And how does affect your work, way of living .. Or does it ?
I use Social media (Instagram) as a medium in which to work. Of course I show work / process etc. but for me it is a medium. I have made a book and plan on making another one from comments about my work after destroying the work.
Primarily A book of comments about a work that no longer exists. It does however live on online and in my memory yet the physical object lives on as a book.
It’s a really interesting place for me to monitor behaviour / mental health / opinions in the art world. It’s super fascinating. The book itself is actually quite dark in places. But a “comments” section naturally is a place for comments.. Give your opinion.
I realise Instagram will not be around forever. It’s a no brainer for me to use it as a conceptual tool.
Q: It seems like there is trend towards. Instagram and informational overload how do you see this,, and do you respond.. use it.. and if so.. where do you see this ending up.
I have a love hate relationship with it. If I’m not working with it. I find social media a very unhealthy place. I would much rather read a book. I feel it’s destroying society and human interactions are on a serious decline. My sons will not be exposed to phones / social media for a long time. Of course we need it and my career has gained much from it. But I see it as a negative in general for the human race.
Q: Can you let us in on some of the future projects, works?
A solo with Annka Kultys in London. A group show at L21 in Palma who are also showing some work of mine at ARCO Madrid. And a solo with Sunday’s CPH that’s it for this year.
