How do you become an... Artist with Mani Kambo

HOW DO YOU BECOME A...

Artist This month we talked to the incredible Newcastlebased multidisciplinary artist, Mani Kambo.

Mani explores the inner spirit by drawing on her own personal totemic symbols. Influenced by her upbringing

in

a

Sikh

household

filled

with

superstition, prayer and religious ceremony. Textile, fabric dying and printmaking is rooted in Kambos family history within the caste system. She focuses on objects, routines and rituals distilled both from the every day and mythology.​​ Her

work

records

movement

and

documents

performative actions – the hand that creates the action, fire that reveals, water which is the purifier and eyes that perceive: through the exploration of totemic objects and symbols. Through layering and editing images together she collages narratives and weaves dreamscapes. These visuals are repeated throughout her work like markers linking to notions of spirituality and belief in reincarnation.

H O W

D I D

Y O U

B E C O M E …

A R T I S T ?

E V E R Y

M O N T H

O N L Y

P A T R E O N

P I N K

G A L L E R Y

M E M B E R S . . .

O N

C O L L A R

I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up, but I was always drawn to art and media studies at school. While I studied art for A level it was much

we will be doing interviews with working-class

more traditional learning. It wasn't until I studied at

creatives and how they got into the arts. These

Newcastle

interviews will give other creatives an insight into

expressions and mediums were unveiled to me. I just

the art world, the positives and negatives. This

kept making and testing and pushing what to make

gives you a chance to ask curators, directors,

next enjoying the process.

College

that

different

artists, musicians and anyone else who wants to talk about how they got into working in the arts and why they do it. These interviews will give bother creatives an insight into the art world, the positives and negatives.

0 1

artistic

As a teenager, I joined a few art clubs after school

I applied for my first Arts Council England project

and at local galleries. It was while I was part of

grant for my first solo show at 36 Lime Street which

these young people’s groups I learned about

I was successful in and this helped build my

different types of art and spaces. We visited art

confidence in myself and my practice. Through

galleries in the region but also further afield like

residencies and commissions, I have been able to

London and Edinburgh which created a shift for

push my making processes, to work at a different

me into a world I was fascinated with but didn’t

scale and to create site-specific work. I am very

know how I fit into. Through these opportunities, I

lucky to have recently received a DYCP grant which

connected with art galleries and people and started

took the pressure off making money to live and

learning how these spaces functioned, I started to

allowed me for the first time to put my art practice

see behind the curtain and how I might fit in.

at the front. This allowed me to move away from customer service jobs and have time to look for art

After studying and getting my B.A Hons in Fine Art

opportunities as well as figure out how to make

from Northumbria I had the opportunity to apply

money from art jobs. Yes, I was a bit skint for a

to stay on another year so I could still have access

while but I never had the luxury of time like this

to workshops, printing facilities, the library and a

before to be able to focus and figure out a plan of

shared studio space on the top floor. This was so

action. I have found when you get the ball rolling

beneficial in giving me space to figure out ‘how to

and regularly try and put yourself out there

be an artist’ and bridge the gap between studying

eventually things have to come back to you it’s just

and the real world of working. I found you’ve got to

a matter of time.

weave your own path, there is no set route, everyone’s different and things happen at different times. Having a few good art friends to hold you accountable, boost your confidence and check over applications is great, even if just to feel like you’re not the only one struggling. I had a studio space in Commercial Union House which allowed me to be surrounded by so many different artists, so I met a lot of interesting people under one roof. I still worked part-time in a basic customer service role while looking for opportunities to exhibit work and started to look into the world of arts funding and application writing.

0 2

W H A T

H A S

B I G G E S T

B E E N

Y O U R

H U R D L E

I N

C R E A T I V E

W H A T

Y O U R

B A R R I E R S

B E H A V I O U R S

C A R E E R ?

T O A R T

S E E

O R

W O U L D

S C R A P P E D

Y O U

F R O M

L I K E T H E

W O R L D ?

I found juggling work and art life to be a struggle, as sometimes you just have to work to pay the bills and put food on the table. This takes priority at times not leaving much space to be creative around it when you’re knackered from working a single or double shift. Trying to find time to write grant applications or submit to open calls before or after work, even though it’s important, you sometimes just don’t have the capacity. Acknowledging that you can’t do it all, even when you want to, is the main lesson. I have learned to better manage my time between working and making art and have been lucky to receive funding to take the financial weight off a little, so I can have periods of time to focus on my practice and make work. Running workshops as a means of income has helped my creativity so when I’m not able to make my own work, I can still feel creative and connected to my practice. I have also found it difficult to feel represented as a person of the global majority when attending

I would like to see more diversity in artists, exhibitions and staff, who are the gatekeepers.

Do they have a sense of entitlement, whose voices are they bringing to the table and who’s included in these conversations? I also think the industry is in a vicious cycle of not paying properly, it needs more transparency around earrings

and

payments,

the

Artist

Union

England rates are great so even if you’re unsure of what you should be charging for work or should be expected to get paid you have a general idea. Not that organisations always pay these fees with funding pots shrinking and becoming more competitive but we all got to make a living somehow. Especially as a freelancer when your main income relies on someone authorising a payment, sticking to payment schedules and not having to wait and chase money that you’ve already waited over a month for.

events and in certain spaces, to feel reflected in

roles

and

other

people

particularly in the North East.

in

the

room

0 3

“BE TRUE TO YOURSELF AND THE WORK YOU MAKE, DON’T TRY AND MAKE WHAT YOU THINK PEOPLE WOULD LIKE.” W H A T

A D V I C E

H A V E

L I K E D

Y O U

W E R E

W O U L D Y O U R

W O U L D

T O

R E C E I V E

S T A R T I N G

H A V E

Y O U

B E E N

W H E N

T H A T

H E L P F U L

T O

C A R E E R ?

Remember to be yourself and if you don’t align with an organisation or get rejected for an opportunity it’s not a reflection on you and your skills, but that you don’t quite align with that opportunity and that there will be another opportunity that better suits you. It’s just finding those opportunities and organisations that take time. Keep making art, even if it’s shit or you’re unsure about it, just make it so you can better understand your making processes and what it is you’re trying to create and share with the world.

You don’t have to only work in one medium or if you start in one medium and decide to try something else and enjoy it more, go with it, don’t feel boxed in by a label. I used to paint, tried sculpture, made experimental films, worked in print and only a few years ago started to work in textiles so don’t feel like you can’t change and experiment you’re the one who defines those parameters.

0 4

Y O U

H A V E

N O R T H

D O M I N A T E D

E A S T

A R T

E X H I B I T I O N S , A N D

S C E N E ,

I N

W I T H

R E S I D E N C I E S

C O M M I S S I O N S

W O R K E D

T H E

A N D

L O N D O N ,

S C O T L A N D

A N D

Y O U

I T

H A R D E R

T O

T H E

R E G I O N

A N D

F I N D

O U T S I D E Y O U

H A V E

A N Y

A R T I S T S

W H O

O U T

T H E

O F

B E R L I N .

T I P S

W A N T N O R T H

D O W O R K D O

F O R T O

B R E A K

E A S T

B U B B L E ?

I tend to keep an eye out for organisations I’m interested in and follow when they have open calls and opportunities to apply for. Most places tend to do one or two callouts a year for big opportunities. If you can afford it sometimes having a membership with an organisation outside the region might allow you to exhibit your work as part of a group show or allow you at a reduced cost to use a space in the building to exhibit. Going and physically visiting a gallery you’re interested in outside the region, see if you align with these places, attend a workshop or talk get to know people. It’s more difficult when working outside the North East as you can’t always picture and visualise spaces from a spec sheet. You end up liaising over emails, zoom and phone calls but there’s nothing like being on site and things can get lost in translation. I’ve been fortunate enough when working outside the North East to have had great support from the organisation by having a main point of contact who regularly checked in with me as well as being able to have site visits before exhibitions were installed. When in residence I can connect with a space but as it’s a new space I don’t usually have all the tools I use with me so packing to be away can be difficult as you don’t always know the outcome.

0 5

W H A T H A V E Y O U

A D V I C E L I K E D W E R E

W O U L D Y O U R

W O U L D

T O

R E C E I V E

S T A R T I N G

H A V E

Y O U

B E E N

W H E N

T H A T

H E L P F U L

T O

C A R E E R ?

I wouldn’t say there are any particular do’s or don’ts. I would say be true to yourself and the work you make, don’t try and make what you think people would like. Do your research about the organisation or person, do you align with what they’re interested in? who’s previously shown there? are you at the right stage with the work or your practice for the opportunity? Keep making work and sharing it when you can, as you never know who’s watching your practice grow. Turn up to previews and events at the places you’re interested in, and get to know people through genuine interactions. Don’t just expect something to happen even if you get to know someone they might have other obligations or you don’t quite align. Get a few friends together and put on your own group show even if it’s just for a couple of days, you’ve got to work for it and keep active, get great documentation of your work. When applying for opportunities having good quality images is worth it. Most galleries will have a schedule for the year ahead if not the next 2 / 3 years of programming exhibitions and events. Just because you want to exhibit there might not mean you will, certain galleries are invite-only, others have open calls, and some you can rent the space.

I think as long as you keep making art and sharing your work, applying for opportunities the right people will start to take note BUT it takes time, nothing is immediate in the art world it’s a slog you’ve got to love. I’ve been making work since I graduated on and off, at various scales and different mediums and would say it’s only been within the last few years I’ve found my practice and it feels like until this point my work (and myself) haven’t been ready to be taken to the next level, you have to do the in-between steps and endure before you get a gold star.

0 6

C H E C K

O U T

A L L

O F

M A N I ' S

W O R K

A T

H T T P S : / / M A N I K A M B O . C O . U K / W O R K

F O L L O W

O N

I N S T A G R A M

@ M A N I K A M B O

0 7