An Interview with Oliver Chan
1. In three words describe your intentions for the graduate show?
Show my achievement
2. Can you describe your work, your process and the vision you have for your exhibition space?
My paintings focus on people and places that are important in my life. I paint relationship because it is a way to express love which I find difficult in the real world. Some of these painting have spilt faces with several people of they are having a conversation, inspired by Picasso. Doing painting get me away from my obsessions and I feel calmer when I do art.
In the show I will have a mixture of busy urban landscape and portraits.
3. What’s proving to be the most difficult part about preparations?
The difficult part for me will be the installation as I get anxious about how to hang my work.
4. What one piece of your is closest to representing everything you want to say?
My closest piece to representing is the Shard From the Art Studio in Borough High Street. I like this piece especially because of the unusual view.
5. What unique opportunities has attending the AAL Fine Art programme given you?
The Academy has taught me to paint with vibrant colours. When I did drawing in measurement it taught me to draw more precisely. I learnt new technique for painting for example starting with the big shapes and then going to the smaller one.
6. What artist intrigues you at the moment?
I have been triggered by Picasso because of the split faces and vibrant colours. I am also influence by Hockney, Freud, Van Gogh and other traditional artists.
Weeping Woman 1937 by Pablo Picasso 1881-1973 © Succession Picasso
7. What do you think you have got from the Academy that you might not have got from another college?
I found that I learned to paint in the traditional way compare to some other university. I also found that the lesson are a lot longer in the Academy which means it give me more time with the tutors and give me more time to paint properly.
8. What do you want to be doing as an artist in 5 years?
I am hoping to be making my living as an artist.
