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SP Are you still collecting ? CW Whenever I can yes but it has to sit alongside other commitments , charitable obligations and the ups and downs of running a business . I try to limit my spending on art to the same as I give to charity but obviously many people would think it should be less . Recently I ’ m more interested in young and emerging artists like Jamie Fitzpatrick who challenges the pretention of monumental figures in public sculpture , and Ben Turnbull who uses satire to create politically charged comment , and Svay Sareth who turns real anger at his treatment in Cambodia into beautifully crafted work with humour and humility . Also , established artists are expensive and it ’ s more interesting to spot new talent and see how the artists develop over time .
SP Are you as fond of the new artists as the more established ones ? Is the love affair with Warhol over ? CW Definitely not . But I think the younger artists are constantly challenging and questioning - as Warhol was - as artists always are . We ( WestonWilliamson + Partners ) have been fortunate to work with some amazing artists on our projects and they are a constant revelation . Rodin said that before you become an artist you need to become a craftsman . I ’ m not sure that it ’ s true any more for the current generation of artists ( or architects ). I guess it depends how you define craft . I love the fact that everyone likes different things . It would be a boring world if we were all the same .
SP When is it all due to open ? CW It will open in the summer . At the moment the decorating is being completed . The church , as you can imagine was quite austere , so it ’ s being painted in a palette of muted heritage shades similar to St John at Hampstead , which looks stunning . The AV and lighting takes time but will be state-of-the-art . The lights are from Concord by Sylania and the AV is by musicgearinstallations . co . uk . It ’ s a fantastic space to adapt , even down to the wonderful natural ventilation system - through the walls and roof - which still works . There might be certain things like the artist-in-residence to finalise . I ’ d like to have an artist working there a year at a time - for visitors to meet and engage with to help take away the mystique of art . They would have an exhibition of work at the end of their tenure . There will also be a Sculpture Park , if that ’ s not too grand a term . The grounds are not extensive but there is certainly space to do something interesting .
SP It sounds wonderful . After the last few years we ’ ve had we could all use an uplifting experience . Good luck . CW Thank you . I hope my home town enjoys it as much as I have . I ’ ll let you know . Perhaps we should do a follow up next year when it has been open for a while . London has so many great galleries but there ’ s nothing like this in Ilkeston .
OTHER GALLERIES AND CURATORS MENTIONED vitrinegallery . com contemporarysculpturefulmer . com belairfineart . com / en / galleries / venise-san-marco artwisecurators . com messumswiltshire . com
Susanne Pinter is a former Art Director at Condé Nast and Director at www . pinterdesigngroup . co . uk
Right : Fifteenth-century St Nicholas Icon , Andy Warhol Santa Claus screen print 1981 . www . ilkestoncontemporaryarts . com