This is the first of our lockdown digital exhibitions. We interviewed Luke Skiffington as part of our proposal to offer insight into how practising artists were coping with these unprecedented times. What Luke shows us is a sneak peek into what would become his “Interloper” exhibition held at our main gallery space.

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1. Who are you? Introduce yourself-

I’m an artist and dad to two young children based in Liverpool. We moved here last summer, and I am exploring the city and its surroundings with a fresh set of eyes! I think a complete change of environment can be healthy and since the move I’m feeling more positive and energised in my work. I did a degree in Fine Art at Goldsmiths College in the late nineties and an MA in Fine Art at Chelsea School of Art in 2003-04. Since 1999, I’ve exhibited consistently and like most artists, had the usual casual jobs, worked as a visiting tutor, a museum guide and an artists assistant.

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2. What is your artistic research? Where did the artistic research start? What are your key topics/areas?-

Its hard to pinpoint what my artistic research is exactly, but I make things, mostly by hand that are centred on painting. I move between making multi-panel (composite) works that lean or are supported on drum-stands and larger scale paintings, that act as more immersive environments. In many works, specific imagery is combined with modulated colour-fields, exploring perceptions of the figure, the screen and the transitional nature of urban spaces. In the panel works, imagery relates to the various supports used to display them with the stands suggesting anatomical details or schematised bodies. In a recent show, I arranged the profile of a face so it appeared almost as an arrow sending the viewer in a circle (movement) around the space. I’ve become interested in exposing the differences between different bodies of work, some suggesting a more illusory space, while the panel works could be read almost as signs, abbreviated figures, surrogates or understudies.

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3. What are you currently working on? Tell us about the work you are exhibiting?-

Before lockdown I was beginning work for a solo show of panel works in Liverpool. This group of works are all based on very early experiments with computer graphics, animation and CGI. I’m always intrigued by the beginnings of things that shape visual culture, whether that be the Bauhaus, art history or computer animation. In many ways I see these people as pioneers in the same way you might think of the artists of the past, offering representations of the future by looking at the past.

 

4. What’s next; has this exhibition work inspired further research?-

During lockdown (and just before) I have been making a number works on paper that take their starting points from the larger paintings. Working on paper has surprised me, allowed me to work through ideas quicker and opened up areas for exploration but its too early to know where these works might end up. I tend to work on different bodies of work simultaneously, often making variations/interpretations of a single image. While much of my work may initially look quite different, they gain similarities and overlaps as each work progresses to a conclusion. Works grow together or apart, lay dormant for a while and occasionally are brought back to life later.

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5. Where can we find you?-

Like a lot of people, the pandemic has caused mayhem in planning exhibitions and teaching work. I’m waiting for a few dates for re-scheduled exhibitions but hope to show new panel-works in Liverpool in the coming months.  A recent work has been selected for the 2020 Beep Painting Biennial at the Elysium Gallery, Swansea in October, so fingers crossed that can go ahead!

You can his work on Instagram @luke_skiffingtonand his website www.lukeskiffington.com