Q. Was Art your favourite subject in school? If answered yes, why?
Yes definitely! I was always known as the artist at primary school, secondary and
college! I love art and saw it as my release, my way of escaping and expressing
myself, I wax always respected for my art work and lived the way it really allowed me to show my true self, which is hard to do when your younger…
Q. At what age did you decide you wanted to commit to being an artist? What
trigged your interest?
There was no age, it’s something that’s always been in me, it’s what I have done my whole life and all I have ever wanted to do, I am very lucky as I have an art based career and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
Q. If you had to choose which gallery would be your ideal gallery to show your
work and why?
I think I’d like to be in the Tate modern. I love the whole gallery space itself, the
industrial architecture and the way it really embraces modern art. It’s such a large
space too and would allow me to create some gallery specific pieces, perhaps even in the cavernous turbine hall!!
Q. What materials do you like using to create your work and why?
I like to stay diverse in my approach, my subject and my mediums, I use everything I can get my hands on to make a mark and feel it’s important to be able to fo this, I like to think anything I can pick up I could make something from , it’s not so much about the medium but more the message and the content. I have been using spray paint or my large-scale graffiti pieces exclusively, I love the purity of graffiti, the undiluted nature if using the can, but I do use digital painting, acrylics, oils, pencils and love thick black markers in my sketchbook!!! I can’t live with out chisel tipped calligraphy pens!!! Heaven 😉
Q. What inspires you to create art?
I feel compelled to create work everyday, I have felt this as long as I remember, a
day where I don’t create anything, makes me feel low and depressed, I have to create something even a small sketch or maybe a 60ft wall piece! I feel it’s my way of communicating my feelings and ideas
Q. What do you think about the current art scene in London?
I feel that the current London scene has some very strong artists, but I also feel it’s become perhaps victim of it’s own success, too many shows, too much mediocre work and over saturation. I feel a change is needed, the current street art trend has died or is dying and something new and fresh needs to emerge.
Q . What is the best exhibition you have seen in the last year?
The Grafik Warfare Show at Portobello’s Graffik Gallery was amazing and had some
incredible works there , all very diverse and individual and not merely jumping on
accreted art band wagon to make money!
www.urbancurations.com/#/dan-kitchener/
