“I have a love hate relationship with my work, somedays I love it others I hate it.”
Name
Will Hughes
Profession
Artist, Sculpture technician, PA
Website
Who are you? What do you do?
My name is Will and I’m a sculptor, I graduated from my Degree in Fine Art in 2018 and I currently live in Bristol.
Where are you from?
Market Overton, a small village in the East Midlands, UK
Your style in 3 words?
Seductive, intimate, sensual
Your weakness? Your strength?
strengths: Determined, Passionate, Playful
Weaknesses: Determined, Head strong,
What makes you different?
My personal history is what sets me apart, my experiences allow me to make my art.
When did you decide to become an artist?
I decided when I went to study nursing, I was doing this to please other people and not myself, I left and had a mental breakdown. Art was always what made me happy. My earliest memory is drawing with gel pens at the living room table, so after I recovered I went back into education and studied Art and Design and then Fine Art.
What do you find most fascinating about the creative process?
How inspiration can come from anyplace, I draw a lot of my ideas from my own experiences but also I appropriate and reimagine ideas from music, pop and queer culture, buildings layers of understanding into the work. Thats why I always name the works after song lyrics or quotes.
A few words about your favourite creation?
I have a love hate relationship with my work, somedays I love it others I hate it. At the moment my newest work, ‘In the land of gods and monsters I was an angel looking to get fucked hard’ is my favourite work. This is because its taken me 7 months to complete the work and I’m just so happy its finished.
Someone else’s work that inspired or inspires you…
I take a lot of inspiration from my creative friends, its been great to have so many creatives around me and feed off that collective buzz. Lee Bul is a large inspiration on my current work but I’m also a big fan of Chris Burden and Nicolas Schöffer kinetic sculptures. I also follow fashion and I’m inspired by people such as Matty Bovan a young British designer and the living icon that is Donatella Versace.
A new project coming up or an idea you want to work on?
I have my second solo show coming up in August at the Roper gallery in bath which I’m working on the sculptures for at the moment. I am also looking into using smart tint glass within a piece of work.
Finish the sentence „More important than my career is…“
My own happiness and that of my friends and family
2019: Where are we going?
Hopefully finding a part time job which can support me and my practice, while I continue to make and show my work. My current job as a sculpture technician at a university is only a temporary position. I would also like to show internationally again this year.
When the going gets tough…
I plan my way out of situations, I look to the optimism of the future and heavily rely on my family and friends to support me and guide me back.
Your city’s favourite spots?
I spend a lot of my time at a gallery and studio complex called Spike Island, I have my studio there and volunteer as an invigilator. I also love to go out and enjoy a bar called Queenshilling in Bristol.
Do you have a vision?
20 years time winning the turner prize?
What would you do if you could change the World?
Make people believe we should all be treated equally
Tell us about your future plans…
My plan is to be able to pay back my family for all the money they have invested in my over the last few years and supported me to become an artist. I also wish to just keep making and showing my work.
Last but not least: what is your favourite Song?
At the moment I’m obsessed with the intro of Daft Punk – Instant Crush
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