WISE WORDS

MAXINE MARTELL INTERVIEWING EDWARD BULLINGER, A RECENT GRADUATE OF NUCA.

M – OK, FIRST THINGS FIRST. YOU STUDIED FINE ART AT NUCA, WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE THIS COURSE/ UNIVERSITY?

E – I THINK BECAUSE IT WAS RECOMMENDED BY MY TUTOR DURING COLLEGE TIME AND IT WAS A GOOD PLACE WHEN I WENT TO AN OPEN DAY. IT SEEMED LIKE A REALLY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT, PLUS IT IS NATIONALLY RENOWNED AS ONE OF THE UK’S LEADING ART UNIVERSITIES.

M – HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE AT NUCA?

E – I WOULD SAY IT’S AN INVALUABLE INSIGHT INTO HOW THE ART WORLD WORKS. I WAS A BIT MORE SHELTERED DURING COLLEGE AND ONCE YOU GET TO UNIVERSITY IT OPENS YOUR EYES A LOT MORE TO WHAT EXPERIENCES YOU’LL BE FACED WITH LATER ON, AFTER GRADUATION. I THINK THE TUTORS WERE DEFINITELY ENCOURAGING FOR DEVELOPING YOUR OWN STYLE AND ALLOWING YOU FIND OUT WHAT IT IS SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU WANT FROM YOUR WORK AND YOUR COURSE, BUT WITHOUT BEING TOO INVOLVED.

M – I THINK YOU’VE KIND OF ANSWERED MY NEXT QUESTION, BUT WAS THERE ANYTHING (ASIDE FROM WHAT YOU’VE MENTIONED) IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU GAINED FROM IT?

E – I THINK DURING THE START OF THIRD YEAR WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT I HAD A NEW METHOD OF WORK, I’D STUMBLED UPON A NEW WAY TO MAKE ART AND IT WAS BASICALLY A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SUBJECT. THAT WAS A REAL BOOST FOR ME BECAUSE IT HELPED ME DISCOVER A LOT ABOUT WHAT I ACTUALLY WANTED FROM THE COURSE, AS OPPOSED TO BEFORE WHICH WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE BUMBLING ALONG, DOING WHAT I HAD ALWAYS DONE. IT WAS GOOD TO MAKE A MASSIVE TURNING POINT AND I THINK HAD I NOT BEEN IN UNIVERSITY THEN I WOULD HAVE NOT DISCOVERED THAT.

M – NOW HAVING LEFT THE CONFINES OF UNIVERSITY, HOW DOES IT FEEL BEING OUT THERE IN THE ‘REAL WORLD’ OF ART?

E – IT FEELS HOW I FELT IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF MY COURSE, BECAUSE OUTSIDE OF NUCA WORK MY TIME IN THE ART WORLD WAS SPENT TRYING TO CONTACT VARIOUS PLACES TO EXHIBIT AND TRYING TO FIND OUT IN NORWICH WHO WAS WILLING TO PUT UP SOON-TO-BE GRADUATES AT THAT TIME. SO IT WAS REALLY JUST TRYING TO FIND MY FEET AND IT STILL IS, SO NOW HAVING LEFT IT’S SUDDENLY BECOME MORE OF A CHALLENGE

M – HOW DIFFICULT WOULD YOU SAY IT IS TO GET THE PUBLIC/ GALLERIES TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU’RE DOING NOW YOU’RE OUT THERE?

E – I THINK THE DIFFICULTY OF DEPENDS ON WHICH WAY YOU GO ABOUT IT, CERTAINLY HAVING A GROUP OF EXHIBITORS WITH YOU RATHER THAN DOING IT ALONE IS EASIER. A SELF-FUNDED SHOW OR EXHIBITION CERTAINLY BECOMES A LOT HARDER BECAUSE THEN IT BECOMES MORE AN ISSUE OF SELF-PUBLICISING AND IF IT’S NOT SOMETHING THAT’S EMPHASISED A LOT IT CAN BE EASILY IGNORED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IT ALSO DEPENDS WHERE YOU’RE HOLDING THE EXHIBITION, WHICH I DISCOVERED DURING THE LAST FEW TIMES I’VE EXHIBITED DURING UNIVERSITY TIME AND OUTSIDE OF IT, SO IT’S REALLY JUST GETTING TO KNOW THE AREA YOU’RE GOING TO EXHIBIT IN AND FINDING THE PEOPLE WHO’LL TAKE YOU ON.

M – HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU FEEL SOCIAL MEDIA IS TO UP AND COMING ARTISTS, OR THOSE TRYING TO BREAK INTO THE ART WORLD?

E – I THINK IT ACTUALLY IS QUITE IMPORTANT FOR ANY ARTIST TO TRY AND GET INVOLVED IN SOCIAL MEDIA AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE MEDIA IN GENERAL WILL CREATE A LOT OF HYPE FOR YOUR WORK AND, INDEED, IT HELPS IN THE ADVERTISING OF IT.  

M – NOW TO TALK ABOUT YOUR WORK, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOUR CURRENT WORK IS FOCUSING ON?

E – MY WORK AT THE MOMENT IS FOCUSING MAINLY ON THE USE OF THE WRITTEN WORD AND TEXT IN GENERAL, TO TRY AND EMPHASISE A POINT LITERALLY AND VERBALLY RATHER THAN USING AN IMAGE TO PORTRAY A MESSAGE. I’VE FOUND MY IDEAS HAVE BECOME A LOT MORE FOCUSED I’M TRYING TO GLORIFY THE WRITTEN WORD TO THE AUDIENCE TO SHOW HOW THE LITTLE KNOWN AND THE GREATLY USED PHRASES CAN SOMETIMES BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED. IT’S REALLY JUST TAKING LANGUAGE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND PUTTING IT ON A PLINTH FOR PEOPLE TO BECOME MORE AWARE OF IT.

M – WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOUR MAIN INFLUENCES ARE, OTHER THAN THE OBVIOUS ONE OF LANGUAGE?

E – WELL YES, LANGUAGE HELPS. THE MAIN PEOPLE I’VE BEEN LOOKING AT ARE TEXT ARTISTS LIKE JENNY HOLZER, ED RUSCHA, BARBARA KRUGER, THOSE PEOPLE WHO USED THE WORD TO A VERY DEFINED END, AND WHOSE WORKS HAVE BECOME INDEFINITELY BASED AROUND USE OF WORDS TO PORTRAY EITHER A MESSAGE OR PUT A THOUGHT IN SOMEBODY ELSE’S HEAD, WHICH I FIND REALLY CLEVER.

M – AND IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT INFLUENCES YOU, OUTSIDE OF ART? FOR EXAMPLE, POPULAR CULTURE?

E – I THINK, WHEN IT’S BASED IN LANGUAGE I CAN FIND INSPIRATION FROM ALMOST ANYTHING THAT I READ. SO IT DEPENDS ON WHAT I’M READING OR WHAT I’VE SEEN. AS WELL AS BEING VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT’S BEEN SAID I’M ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN THE TYPE OF FONT THAT’S BEING USED, SO IF SOMETHING GRABS MY ATTENTION IT COULD BE MEANINGLESS BUT THE FONT THAT’S USED COULD OPEN UP A NEW PATHWAY FOR ME. IT’S REALLY ABOUT USING THE IDEALS OF ADVERTISING TO CAPTURE THE AUDIENCE’S ATTENTION, AND MINE. IT’S MORE THAN LIKELY I’LL STUMBLE ACROSS SOMETHING IF I’M NOT SEARCHING FOR IT.

M – HOW DID YOU COME TO A DECISION ON THE MEDIUM TO USE FOR YOUR WORK?

E – THAT WAS MAINLY A PRODUCT OF ME LOOKING FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TO MY PREVIOUS WORK, WHICH WAS ABSTRACT PAINTING. I FOUND THAT USING IT FOR SO LONG I’D BECOME BORED OF THE ROUTINE AND HOW EASY I WAS FINDING IT. I SLOWLY MOVED AWAY FROM THAT BY FIRST OF ALL LOSING THE PAINT, AND THEN USING LESS COLOUR, AND THEN EXPLORING DIFFERENT MATERIALS TO GET WHAT IT WAS THAT I WANTED.

M – SO WHAT IS THE ACTUAL MEDIUM YOU SETTLED ON?

E – THE MEDIUM IS NOW ACRYLIC PERSPEX, WHICH HAS EITHER HAD THE TEXT ROUTED OUT OF IT OR LASER CUT.

M – DO YOU HAVE ANY CURRENT PROJECTS, OR IDEAS THAT YOU’RE WORKING ON?

E – WELL NOW I’VE GRADUATED, IT’S MORE A TIME FOR ME TO HAVE A SIT DOWN AND A PROPER THINK ABOUT HOW TO CARRY THIS ON. I THINK FOR ME, THE MESSAGE MATTERS A LOT AND MY WORK NEEDS TO FOCUS ON SIZE AND COLOUR, BOTH OF WHICH ARE BIG FACTORS IN MY WORK.

M – SO HAVE YOU CONSIDERED COLLABORATING WITH OTHER ARTISTS, THOSE WHO HAVE SIMILAR OR POSSIBLY DIFFERENT INTERESTS?

E – NOT SINCE AN EXHIBITION WE HAD AT THE FORUM LIBRARY IN NORWICH, BUT TO BE HONEST SINCE THEN I HAVEN’T REALLY GIVEN IT ANY THOUGHT. I’D DEFINITELY CONSIDER DOING WORK WITH PEOPLE AGAIN IN THE FUTURE, PROVIDED THEY WERE OF THE SAME FRAME OF MIND, OR THEY WORKED IN A SIMILAR MEDIUM/ HAD SIMILAR IDEALS ABOUT WORK. SO MAYBE A WHOLE TEXT BASED EXHIBITION OR AN EXHIBITION WHERE EVERYBODY’S WORK WAS IN THE SAME COLOUR FOR EXAMPLE.

M – WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST EXCITING/ CHALLENGING MOMENT AS AN ARTIST/STUDENT SO FAR?

E – I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE AT THE END OF MY COURSE WITH OUR DEGREE SHOW, WHERE I HAD TO CREATE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PIECE TO WHAT I’D BEEN MAKING UP UNTIL THAT POINT. I EVENTUALLY SETTLED ON THE BIGGEST PIECE I’D MADE IN PERSPEX, WITH AN EQUALLY BOLD MESSAGE. IT WAS CHALLENGING AS I HAD TO CREATE SOMETHING RELEVANT, AND ATTENTION GRABBING.

M – AND HOW WAS THE REACTION TO YOUR WORK?

E – I THINK THERE WAS A HEALTHY MIX OF RESPONSES. I MADE A BOOK TO ACCOMPANY THE WORK, WHICH I THINK HELPED A LOT BECAUSE IT THEN GAVE THE AUDIENCE THE CHANCE TO SEE WHAT I’D BEEN DOING PREVIOUSLY, AND IT ALSO GAVE IT MORE OF A CONTEXT. THE PEOPLE I SPOKE TO ABOUT THE WORK SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND IT, WHICH WAS A BIG PLUS FOR ME; IT’S GRATIFYING TO BE TOLD THAT YOUR WORK ACTUALLY MEANS SOMETHING.

M – SO WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE NEXT YEAR?

E – CARRY ON WITH THE WAY I’VE BEEN WORKING SINCE UNIVERSITY, AND TRY TO GET SOME MORE PROJECTS ON THE GO. I THINK THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PATHS TO TRAVEL DOWN, TO INCREASE MY CHANCES OF EXHIBITING BOTH IN NORWICH AND ELSEWHERE. I ALSO PLAN TO CONTACT OTHER GALLERIES IN DIFFERENT COUNTIES TO SEE HOW FAR THAT GETS ME, AND JUST SEE WHAT’S OUT THERE.

M – AND BEYOND THAT?

E – I LIKE TO THINK BOTH REALISTICALLY AND A DREAM-LIKE SITUATION. IDEALLY I’D BE DOING WHAT I AM NOW, BUT MORE DEVELOPED AND MAYBE BECOMING AT LEAST A NATIONAL EXHIBITOR. I THINK IT’S A REAL THRILL TO BE ABLE TO SHOW OTHER PEOPLE WHAT IT IS YOU CAN DO.

M – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE ART SCENE IN NORWICH? IS IT A GOOD PLACE FOR ARTISTS TO GROW?

E – I THINK NORWICH IS A GOOD PLACE FOR ANY CREATIVE MIND TO EXPLORE, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF POTENTIAL FOR THE RIGHT KIND OF ARTIST TO EMERGE HERE. ANYBODY WHO IS ALREADY IN NORWICH AND TRYING, ALL I CAN SAY IS KEEP TRYING. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU’RE GOING TO GET YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO END UP EXHIBITING.

M – LAST QUESTION, I PROMISE. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SAINSBURY CENTRE FOR VISUAL ARTS?

E – WELL I’VE BEEN A FAIR FEW TIMES IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND THERE’S ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING EXCITING GOING ON. I THINK IT’S A GOOD PLACE WHICH ALLOWS CREATIVITY AND THE POTENTIAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GATHER AND EXPLORE VARIOUS IDEAS. IT SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE MAIN INSTITUTIONS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE ART COMMUNITY IN NORWICH.

M – OK, WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!

E – YOU’RE MOST WELCOME.