Today we’d like to introduce you to Max Presneill.
Hi Max, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Thanks for having me. As I have told my story before I would prefer to talk about the present, the interesting things that are happening now as both an artist and as a curator.
As an internationally exhibiting contemporary artist, a painter, I have been trying to develop my work in terms of understanding it in relation to scientific theories of perception, memory and understanding. With the work using autobiographical elements and sub-cultural vernacular as a basis, I have been seeing how a more fluid, non-linear narrative, of using the paintings surface as a map of ways of thinking, can be a much better way of exploring what painting can be. In other words – how do you tell your story in ways that fit what we know of how the brain works, the sub-cultures we all live in and the ways art itself follows methods of transferring information historically.
These present themselves as large-scale abstract paintings with figurative elements inserted.
As a Curator, I have been trying to develop exhibitions and programs at the Torrance Art Museum and through my membership in the artist-run Durden and Ray gallery (a curatorial collaborative group for artists that are heavily involved in international exchange exhibitions around the world).
The major directions I am working towards are establishing connections for emerging artists, as well as established ones, through exhibitions that bring people together to develop things between them in the hopes of ongoing working relationships beyond the singular exhibition.
I would also say that political themes are important to me so we (the teams I work with in these endeavors) maintain a relevant dynamic of art and contemporary culture. The last thing I will say is that it is important also to keep non-traditional types of things going on too – pop-up shows that include a really wide range of artists, with real diversity, levels of professional success, etc so we understand we all live and work in a wider community together.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As an artist, there are always the same problems, as with most of us. Enough money to afford a good studio and materials is always a problem. Time enough to work regularly. I know I curate professionally and love my job and would not give it up, but that still leaves the lack of studio time as a real obstacle. The solution is a very organized schedule and highly focused attention when in the studio! It is a passion and a lifelong commitment to the discovery of possibilities and a major challenge is keeping this in perspective. There is no final answer, just a process. Any artist needs to realize it is the journey that counts rather than any temporary destination we may reach.
Curatorially it is mostly budget restrictions that impose challenges upon us. The development is a steady exercise in herding an idea from initial impulse, to expansion and content building, into an actual exhibition, with a dedicated team. For some of the more outlandish projects, like NOMAD (450 artists in huge pop-up last year, for example), it is always a logistical nightmare but an exciting and rewarding one all the same. Getting a large-scale venue for free is the primary one and one which takes time and effort!!! Bringing together hundreds of artists at the same place, same time is something which always works out but I am never quite sure how!
Trying to keep a really experimental program going and inventing innovative ways to explore art requires a willingness to try and a willingness to fail if necessary, but a determination to attempt change. It is invigorating, stimulating, frustrating and a wonder when the plan all comes together – due to the collective agreement by all participants to invest meaning in these activities, by both artists and their audiences, to get it done, to contribute, to engage and to be an active part of the visual culture of our time.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
What are my paintings about? They are maps. They locate things within a space and form sets of relationships between things in the world. They are about being me, here, now! They relate to things and people around me and the thoughts and ideas that inform those relationships. They are about the freedom to choose and decide, and to create meaning by doing so. The basis for my paintings is an intertextual examination of my own mortality, as seen through the merging contradictions of the disparate elements and influences of my life. This interpenetration occurs when the histories of abstract mark-making, an ongoing developing iconography and sub-cultural motifs are placed in relationships on the picture plane. This allows for an extended and negotiated dialogue between ideas of the political and class division, race, sub-cultural resistance and tribalism via a curatorial-type selection and arrangement on the picture plane.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I think there are plenty of stereotypes about artists. The way I might surprise you is that I am a passionate sports fan, something unexpected by most when they think of artists – Arsenal soccer club, from my native London, is a lifelong passion and a heartbreak at times too! The other is that I ride a Harley motorcycle as a member of the Chosen Few Motorcycle Club – which you should check out to see anti-racism at work.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maxpresneill.com
- Instagram: maxpresneill
- Facebook: Max Presneill (but it is at my 5000 limit)
