Art for Our Sake

In this three-headed conversation, between a philosophical art historian and two practising artists, they set out to redefine “Art” in the twenty-first century, and to show it as a force that flows across the philosophical, the personal and the political.

Art inspires… great art opens our minds, stirs our hearts and provides us with a perspective of ourselves and our place in society

In this three-headed conversation, between a philosophical art historian and two practising artists (each with very different approaches to their discipline), they set out to redefine “Art” in the twenty-first century, and to show it as a force that flows across the philosophical, the personal and the political. This co-incides with a comparable exercise also being championed by the Arts Council with their #CultureMatters campaign.

As well as being the Chief Executive Officer of Conway Hall, Dr Jim Walsh has written a blog on Ethics and the Importance of Culture because he is deeply interested in how culture can open our minds at a philosophical and ethical level. In particular, Jim will discuss how the artist at times needs to kidnap their audience and that art can help pose necessary and difficult questions that we otherwise shy away from.

For Holly Tingley, art is more than a means of expression, it’s a way of understanding her subject. An interest in psychology has played a substantial role in her development as an artist and she is especially interested in trying to express her experience as an identical twin. A shared appearance, sometimes inferred as a shared identity has made Holly very conscious of individuality and others perceptions of it. She states, “Increased births and the lingering threat of human cloning, make us question further who we are physically, as well as psychologically. I see this as similar to how continuous reproduction of our own image, through the immediacy of digital photography, plays an important role in how we see ourselves. My work is an ongoing investigation of this state of constant individual redefinition.” Issues related to the fields of human genetics, concepts of otherness, the uncanny and the copy, also influence the nature of Holly’s work.

Lawrence Mathias works mainly as a visual artist, but his work crosses over into film, music, poetry and collaborations. His art has a social and political focus, which aims to explore complex relationships often in a satirical and surreal context. He has worked extensively with community groups and other artists, and believes strongly in art’s communicative power and ability to provoke. All art becomes a part of our lives, he feels, whatever its context, and this appropriation, when experienced positively, can be a bridge to a wider understanding of other social and cultural perspectives.

Come along to Bloomsbury and get a fascinating dose of inspiration!

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