Known for his contemporary slogan art, the artist also known as Bob and Roberta Smith, discusses influences and how important art education is.
In early 2017 Patrick Brill, 54, received a prestigious OBE by Her Majesty the Queen for his services to art. Now an associate professor of fine art at London Metropolitan and founder of the Leytonstone Centre for Contemporary Art. How did he get to where he is now?
“It was a democratic time, everybody ought to of been making culture at that time”. When punk really took off in London, Patrick explains he was heading towards the end of secondary school. He added: “Some people picked up guitars, but I grabbed hold of a paint brush and made a mess.”
As a secondary school student, another important memory for Patrick was a visit to Whitechapel Gallery for a kids workshop. Inspired by the 19th century German painter Max Beckman, he created a huge abstract collage, and knew that afternoon he didn’t want to do anything else.
After studying an undergrad in Reading University he committed to a scholarship in Rome. Whilst there, he noticed how every surface was covered in decorative painting and this helped change his idea about painting.
After this Patrick went on to have a fruitful career teaching in Goldsmiths, Cardiff and even lived in New York for a while. Whilst in The Big Apple he saw that political text art was on the streets. It was around this time that he started making the political conceptual art that he is famous for today.
Two things inspire Patrick on a daily basis. Firstly, other people’s work in museums which create huge conversation between human beings and the resulting finished object he said. Radio also generates further motivation. Jokingly, he added: “An awful politician would makes me want to throw my radio across the room and inspire me to create a slogan.”
Art is more central to peoples lives then they imagine. He explains, “when you put your clothes on in the morning you’re making a series of aesthetics”. Even looking is the mirror is a visual artists thing he adds.
Currently Teaching at The Cass, he describes it as a “huge comprehensive school” with a whole range of people and societies”. He added: “none of the other art schools are like that”.
For Patrick, art is central. His relationships, friendships, work environment are all driven by creativity. “Art makes you powerful”, he said, because “creativity on basic level, teaches you to think for yourself, and to not follow other people”.
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