Ey Up with Harry Meadley

Jenny talks to me on the morning of her exhibition opening about being asked to unofficially do O-level art, studying tapestry with no interest in making tapestries, making time for your work, and the deeper aspect of her latest series that she doesn’t necessarily want the viewer to know about.

Geri stops by to chat about not giving too much of your material away on the internet (hence why I’ve ended up cutting quite a bit out), undergoing life coaching, artist guilt, trying to be less apologetic and less dependent on inner turmoil to help make your work. Then I meet with Tyler whilst he’s over in the UK researching Garth Evans’ artist placement at British Steel, which may have had some big implications, and we talk pedagogy, precarity and their combined perpetuation.

Testament joins me to discuss conscious rap, the Leeds 13, William Blake, Christian fundamentalism, his latest show WOKE, trying to be a better feminist, and tells me the story behind his beatboxing Guinness world record and the unexpected place where it can help.

James talks to me about the significant role his mother played in his artistic development, doing his foundation course twice, running around Leeds Art Gallery naked, the many anxieties and pressures we experience as artists, curators, or even what we call ourselves, and how ego can make for bad exhibitions.

Derek tells me about growing up in Birmingham, receiving a Technical Education, making adventure playgrounds, the artistic advantages of being a van driver, rural living, regional MA programmes, Fullerites, being among the first people to do a practice based PHD, and their unintended consequences.