161. Art’s Real Superpower: Stuart Semple [reads] ‘Just Kids’

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The previous guest on this podcast was W. Dave Ball, a fellow Rhodes scholar whom I met at Oxford. One of the things I remember from my time there is the signs that were everywhere: Don’t walk on the grass. Entry forbidden. Don’t bring a naked flame into the Bodleian Library. Fair enough - I understand the last one, but most of the signs just made me feel like rebelling against them. Maybe this was the artist in me. There’s something about transgression that can be extremely powerful. 

Stuart Semple is a British artist who never really had a choice about what he wanted to be when he grew up. Today, he’s not just an artist, but also an activist. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/ 

Stuart reads two pages from ‘Just Kids’ by Patti Smith. [reading begins at 8:40]  

Hear us discuss: 

“I believe an artwork isn’t truly finished until it meets an audience. I think art happens when people connect with the things that we make.” [6:24] | The sacrifices of an artist. [15:12] | Seeking inspiration: “Ideas find you.” [16:53] | The role of failure in the success of creating art. [18:07] | “There’s a peak in your work when it’s the best it’ll be, and if you fiddle about with it any more, you’re actually doing damage.” [21:34] | Criticism of your work does not equal criticism of you. [21:57] | The story of Black 3.0 [24:29] | What it takes to be a great collaborator. [27:28]