Ministry of Arts Podcast

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Mark Beattie (@markbeattie_art) Mark Beattie MRSS is a British award-winning sculptor who has had a remarkable career so far winning the Midlands Open and the Xerxes Sculpture Prize in 2015. In the same year he was elected to the Royal Society of Sculptors (MRSS). In 2017 Mark was shortlisted for the Open Contemporary Young Artist Award run by The Biscuit F...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Thorp Stavri (@thorpstavri)   Thorp Stavri is a London based curatorial platform committed to developing and supporting artist’s practices through exhibitions, collaboration, talks and workshops. It is composed of curators Eric Thorp and Nicholas Stavri.   Thorp Stavri support early career talent and contemporary art in non-traditional but accessible spaces...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Madeleine Kessler (@maddie_kessler_) Trained as an architect and engineer, Madeleine is a RIBA chartered architect with over a decade of practice experience working on cultural, civic and masterplanning projects. She enjoys working with complex urban sites, placing community, craft and placemaking at the heart of design. Madeleine is co-curator of the Briti...

This is a follow-up episode after Stevie (@StevieByTheSea) contacted The Ministry of arts asking if she could add something that had been on her mind since the previous recording.   ATTENTION: In this episode, Stevie discusses sexual assault, Rape and psychosis trauma, so listener discretion is advised.     In 2017 Stevie was hospitalised due to experiencing psychosis (a symptom of undiagnosed and...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Stevie Georgina (@StevieByTheSea)   In 2017 Stevie was hospitalised due to experiencing psychosis (a symptom of undiagnosed and untreated bipolar disorder) and when she came out of psychiatric care she was felt lost: That's until she found crochet which lead her to experiment with arts and crafts. Ever since she’s devoted her time to creative pursuits and i...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Anthony Garratt (@_anthony_garratt_)   Anthony Garratt's work is concerned with the weather, an experience and impact of a landscape. His research time is spent in heavy weather, in remote locations and places that have an emotional impact.   AG: “The more I paint, the more I realise that we are at the mercy of the landscape and elements. This is very appea...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Emily Ramsay (@closer2urdreams)   The View Magazine’s Photo London Exhibition, Someone’s Daughter, consists of world renowned photographers to capture portraits of former prisoners, and placing them alongside professional women working within the Criminal Justice space.   Emily Ramsay has a lived experience of the Criminal Justice System and has recently st...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Laura Pannack (@laurapannack) Driven by research-led, self-initiated projects, Pannack seeks to fully understand the lives of those she captures on film in order to portray them as truthfully as possible. Perceiving “time, trust and understanding” to be the key elements to achieving this, many of her projects develop over several years, helping her achieve...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Soo Turner (The TAP Galleries) and Maxim (@Maxim)   Part 1. TAP Galleries founder, Soo Turner tells of her recent collaboration with Selfridges and the artists she has taken with her on this journey.   Part 2. Known the world over for his role in the dance music group The Prodigy, Maxim gives a rare insight into his visual art work, which he has been creati...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Stuart Semple (@stuartsemple)   Stuart Semple is a multidisciplinary British artist working across painting, sculpture, happenings, technology and activism. He is well known for his sociologically engaged works that often discuss youth politics, accessibility and democracy. Although diverse in it’s presentation, Semple’s body of work orbits around a handful...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Jonathan Perugia (@jonathanperugia)     Jonathan Perugia is a documentary, travel and commercial photographer and filmmaker.   He launched Gaia Visual as a response to the challenges we face around the world, and a desire to serve, promote and collaborate with inspiring people and organisations who are focussed on solutions.   My images and stories depend o...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to James Earley (@jamesearleystudio) James uses his work to raise awareness of issues such as homelessness, mental health and war. James wants to make the invisible visible, he wants his art to scream and demand attention.   James Earley has thus emerged as one of the foremost pioneers of figurative and hyperrealism painting in Britain today, a fact all the mo...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Verity Babbs (@veritybabbsart) Verity Babbs wears many hats in the art world, she is an History of Art graduate from the University of Oxford, artist consultant, writer,*Art Laughs  podcast host, assistant curator at Rise Art, vlogger, **Art Club host and life-model.   She aims to talk about the arts in an accessible, funny, no-nonsense tone, and hope to en...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Jo Peel (@jo_peel)     Jo Peel is best known for her distinctive line drawings of our ever changing urban landscapes. Jo spends her time documenting the evolution of the cityscape, capturing demolition of the old to make way for the new.   Jo’s illustrative style gives a heart-warming nod of respect to each environment she chooses as her subject, which are...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to AK47 aka Andy Link (@AK47TheArtist)     AK47 is a well-known figure in urban/street art circles and an absolute pleasure to talk to; funny, bold, brash and just oozing Yorkshire charisma. He is also a self-proclaimed ‘art terrorist’, leader of Art Kieda; an “underground global network of arto-politkal activists”.   AK47 tells us his amazing story, of an ong...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Yan Skates (@YanSkates)   KCAW and the King’s Road Curve present a new floral sculpture installation, in memory of Advisory Board member Sarah Farrugia.   Created by artist and florist Yan Skates, the artwork features a 2metre tall dog, made from discarded materials and living plants. This work is based on the lessons learnt by Skates whilst taking part in...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to My Dog Sighs (@mydogsighs)     After 10 years of giving his art away for free as part of the now infamous Free Art Friday project, My Dog Sighs has this year finally found himself strapped in to a well-deserved meteoric rise. With an incredible international following in Israel, Japan and of course the UK, five sold out shows under his belt, and a strong fo...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to LR Vandy (@lrvandy) In her sculptures, LR Vandy brings together both found and made objects in order to create new meaning from seemingly unrelated mediums forced together.   A large Jesmonite sculpture from the series Superhero Cog-Woman, this work, on view in Napoleon Garden for Summer 2021 as part of the *Kensington & Chelsea Art Festival, is a tribute t...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Amy Jackson (@thisisamyjackson)   Amy Jackson is a conceptual artist with 15 years’ experience blending philosophy, nature and science to create meticulous immersive experiences in traditional galleries and unconventional spaces. Her work includes street art, happenings, photography, painting and found objects.     Jackson explores issues such as climate ch...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Philip Colbert (@philipcolbert)   Philip Colbert is a contemporary British artist based in London. Colbert works across the mediums of painting, sculpture, clothing, furniture and design. Colbert was described by Andre Leon Talley as "The godson of Andy Warhol"     On 30 June, Colbert will unveil LOBSTEROPOLIS CITY, his first fully digital exhibition, openi...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Ben Wakeling (@_benwakeling_)   Ben Wakeling is a multi-disciplinary artist that really does use art to ‘give back’. Ben discovered art whilst receiving support during a secure mental health assessment. He found the art therapy being most beneficial part of the after care. Since then, Ben has gone on to create the *Hackney Wick Life Drawing classes, deliver...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Zak Ové (@zakove)   Zak Ové is a London based multi-disciplinary artist working in film, sculpture and photography to reclaim old world mythologies in new world source materials and technologies. His fascination with the interplay between antiquity and the future is inspired by masking rituals and traditions of Trinidadian carnival that is itself rooted in...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Sarah Hardie (@sarahhardie.art)   Sarah’s practice deals with how we live in the world, the intimate and extimate nature of the human voice and how we connect through it, via language and other forms of aural communication. The concept of resonance itself captures within it the potential for both love (if love is an echoing or recognition and acknowledgemen...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Lee Baker of Graphic Rewilding (@graphic_rewilding)   Lee baker [like Catherine Borowski, ep.104] is one half Baker & Borowski, that has given us, among other things, The skip Gallery and now Graphic rewilding.   Lee has been a commercial music producer for many years, using its income to fund Baker & Borowski projects to bypass the bureaucratic process of...

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Lily Lewis (@tigerlilylewis)   Lily Lewis is a multi-disciplinary artist, her works range from painting, drawing, sculpture and mixed media pieces. She has had works shown in both group and solo exhibitions in London, New York, LA and Paris.   Her current exhibition is ‘Safe Places’ at Petersham Nurseries, in Covent Garden. Lily Lewis addresses vulnerabilit...