Ben Luke talks to Jeremy Deller about his influences – from writers to filmmakers, musicians and, of course, other artists – and the cultural experiences that have shaped his life and work.
by Jeremy Deller Welcome to the Shitshow (2019)
© Jeremy Deller
Deller, born in London in 1966, has created some of the most extraordinary works of recent decades, acting as a catalyst for exhibitions, films, events and happenings that often involve numerous collaborators. His works reflect social movements, communities and counter-cultures, art and design history, pop-cultural forms and famous public figures.
by Jeremy Deller Father and Son (Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch) 2021, Melbourne
Artwork by Jeremy Deller, photo by Christian Capurro
In this episode, he discusses the early influence of Francis Bacon, how Mike Kelley was an important figure in defining the possibilities of art’s relationship with popular culture, the power of the seminal biography of ‘Albert Speer by Gitta Sereny, for his ongoing engagement with music in various forms. , and much more. Plus, he gives insight into his life in the studio and answers our usual questions, including the ultimate: “What is art for?”
Still from Jeremy Deller Everyone instead (2018)
© Jeremy Deller
• Jeremy Deller, Art is Magic (book), Cheerio, £30/$60
• Art is magic (exhibition), Frac BrittanyLa Criée Contemporary Art Center and Museum of Fine Arts, Rennes, until September 17
• Jeremy Deller: Welcome to the Shitshow!, Kunsthalle CharlottenbergCopenhagen, until August 6.
by Jeremy Deller Sacrilege (Inflatable Stonehenge)2012, Glasgow
Artwork and photo by Jeremy Deller
This podcast is sponsored by Bloomberg connectsthe arts and culture app.
The free app offers access to a huge range of international cultural organizations via a single download, with new guides added regularly. Among them are many of the institutions that Jeremy Deller has collaborated with, such as visionary art producers Artangel, the Hayward Gallery in London and the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. He is also on display in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, in a photographic portrait by David Levene. If you download the app, you’ll find a guide to the NPG including a welcome by its director Nicholas Cullinan, explaining the extensive redevelopment that transformed the gallery, a section called Meet the Portraits with a 60-minute tour of its collection, and In behind the scenes, in which models and artists describe the experience of creating works.
