Bio
- UK-based
- Artist/engineer/designer
- Formal training (MEng) and three years' experience as a mechatronics engineer
Artist statement
On my website you will see work that spans different disciplines, styles, and mediums. It is eclectic at best and unfocused at worst. Even my ink drawings do not share a consistent use of line. It is therefore better if I give my statement as a set of component interests and themes which may or may not influence any given work.
My favourite medium is the ink drawing. It was Kim Jung Gi's work that inspired me, around seven years ago, to take drawing seriously. Ink is immediate, portable, fast, and permanent. This makes it good for sketches on the go as well as for practice, as it encourages you to think before you draw, and do more in a shorter amount of time.
Most of my subjects fall within science fiction, a genre which shaped much of my childhood. When sketching I default to the comfort of robots, aliens, and soldiers. Science fiction creates interesting contrasts and similarities to the real world by departing from it—however, it is possible to go overboard with escapism. There is a certain type of fan/artist who say the appeal of sci-fi is that it's 'apolitical.' Usually this is because they are too ignorant of politics, social issues, or life in general, to meaningfully bridge the gap. It's like being bad at X, and saying "I don't like X anyway!". I am conscious that when I draw a picture of a soldier I am indistinguishable from these people, since the predominant role of the modern soldier has been an agent of occupation, crime, and atrocity. A drawing of one needs extra context to shake off those associations, which I hope to add either within the drawing itself, or in commentary packaged with it (the latter being the goal of my zines).
The real-world issue that interests me most is sustainability. Sustainability is inextricably linked to design, which is something I enjoy and hope to one day be good at. It's impossible to tell at this point whether my work will ever have a bigger impact than, say, planting a vegetable patch would, but I think it makes sense to engage with sustainability wherever it intersects with your passions. Other issues I support (albeit more passively) include LGBTQA+ rights, anti-fascism, and the social safety net. I am a member of the Green Party, but will happily vote Labour if necessary.
Other influences include my training/job as an engineer, Karl Kopinski, Yoji Shinkawa, and an amateur interest in architecture and urban planning.