03/10/18 VL Heath Bunting with Q&A

From the start, it was clear that Heath had made so much work, had been through so many stages during his career and had learned so much that it was difficult to quantify into a 50-minute speech. It would have been impossible to explain everything so Heath explained his background wasn't formal and that he had radical ideas from being very young. He explained how he has reacted to issues he has been made aware of and worked with other activists/ Artists and the consequences involved. I personally enjoyed the lecture. Heath had conviction and although he seemed very organised; due to the quantity of experience/ work to talk about, it was fast paced, interesting and not delivered from a script.

He spoke about believing in a cause and using the position as an Artist to achieve something and reach others. To him, his work is a natural response to problems he/ we are facing. He cannot be ignorant and chooses to put himself in uncomfortable and difficult positions for the sake of everyone.

I've struggled over the Summer, waiting for the perfect project to come into my head. I didn't want to make rubbish,I wanted to make something intelligent and powerful but I am realising that stifles me. Work is made in a reaction or response. I asked about the risks and he said not all of his work has survived and not all of it was worth the consequences he encountered. He said in the question time that he has gone too far at times, some things were mistakes. I will apply this to my own work, letting go of ego, trying things and being okay with failure and feeling uncomfortable. 

Reflection

I was glad I was finally able to remove the idea of a 'theme', inspired by people like Heath and Rosa Johan Uddoh. Being open but better at editing have been the two things I have developed this year, even if I haven't made much work. 

Artists like these two seem to have strong 'themes', but they didn't go out looking for them they are reacting to the world around them. Compelled to do so. 

Mike Pratt and Heath would make something cool I think, Mike is such a physical person, making to think and Heath is a thinker and often his work disappears or is digital. 

http://irational.org/cgi-bin/cv2/temp.pl