—>
Alistair McClymont
UK based artist
His video “The Dark Side of the Rainbow” is part of the selection “image vs music”
—>
—>
Interview: 10 question
1. Tell me something about your life and the educational background
I was born in Harlow, England, a fairly ordinary satellite town outside London, but not the kind of place to try and be an artist. I studied at Hull for my BA Fine Art, then at the Royal College of Art for MA Sculpture.
2. When, how and why started you filming?
I first started using video with sculptural works. I made a piece that involved inflatable steel structures, the piece was shown inflated along with videos of the work inflating.
3.What kind of subjects have your films?
My work of late is connected conceptually, but often has widely different subject matter. I’m interested in the way we connect things, believe in things and invest emotionally in very ordinary subjects. I’ve filmed performances of blowing up balloons with cans of airfreshener, and balancing on a chair. The work in this show is an extension of that fascination with that human ability to invest romantically in something that isn’t there.
4. How do you develop your films, do you follow certain principles, styles etc?
I’m not sure what my styles or principles are, but obviously you can’t avoid having them. Each video tends to be dictated by the subject and concept. So the Dark Side of the Rainbow video is a pure cut from the film the Wizard of Oz. Other videos have been filmed by myself, so differ vastly
5. Tell me something about the technical equipment you use.
Lots of very expensive pieces of plastic and silicone – borrowed, begged and stolen
6. What are the chances of new media for the genre film/video in general
and you personally?
I don’t have any attachment to any particular media. Each project or concept will lend itself more to one media than another.
7. How do you finance your films?
I’ve worked as an artists assistant for various artists, I also work as a self employed designer for all things computer based (web/graphics/video/print) which gives me a lot of spare time.
8. Do you work individually as a video artist/film maker or do you work in a team?
I work on my own at the moment, but i’ve made 2 films with John O’Connell (a fellow student at the RCA) in the past.
if you have experience in both, what is the difference, what do you prefer?
Its a lot of fun working with someone else, working on my own is more introverted and focused. Each makes a different kind of film.
9. Who or what has a lasting influence on your film/video making?
Cheap video cameras, digital cameras with a video mode and mobile phones that enable you to record anything any time
10. What are your future plans or dreams as a film/video maker?
I’m more focused on progressing as an artist as a whole rather than a film/video maker, any medium to me has to be appropriate to the piece i’m working on, so i use video where appropriate. I’m quite happy at the moment working as I am, but the more time i can spend on my artwork and the less having to fund it the better.
View more work here:
http://www.alistairmcclymont.com/
http://www.thewyergallery.co.uk/