{"id":937,"date":"2012-08-28T10:41:32","date_gmt":"2012-08-28T00:41:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=937"},"modified":"2012-08-28T10:44:03","modified_gmt":"2012-08-28T00:44:03","slug":"artchat-blog-interview-number-17-%e2%80%93-piers-bateman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=937","title":{"rendered":"ArtChat [Blog Interview Number 17] \u2013  Piers Bateman"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"fb_share_1\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 10px;\"><a name=\"fb_share\" type=\"icon_link\" share_url=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=937\" href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php\">Share<\/a><\/div><div><script src=\"http:\/\/static.ak.fbcdn.net\/connect.php\/js\/FB.Share\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script><\/div><p>The internationally acclaimed leading Australian landscape artist showcases his most recent body of works at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.redhillgallery.com.au\/PiersBateman2012.html\" target=\"_blank\">Red Hill Gallery<\/a>. Piers has a keen eye and intuitively captures the spirit of the landscape through his use of bold colour and line, which makes him highly sought after by collectors.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?attachment_id=946\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-946\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-946\" title=\"Piers Bateman\" src=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/PB01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"295\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/PB01.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/PB01-300x110.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Currently residing in China we have managed to get in touch with Piers for a quick interview and catch up.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Piers, you are currently residing in Shanghai, tell us about your position at the University.<br \/>\nPB: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong> In 2007 I was invited to exhibit at the Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair. My work came to the attention of some prominent people and I was invited to return the following year. \u00a0In 2009 I was asked if I would accept a position at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.siva.edu.cn\/renda\/node6813\/english\/Brief_Introduction_of_SIVA\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Shanghai Institute of Visual Art (S.I.V.A.<\/a>)\u00a0 as an Honorary Professor. I was to be given accommodation, a studio and would be free to paint and lead my own life. \u00a0Naturally I accepted. (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.siva.edu.cn\/renda\/node6813\/english\/Brief_Introduction_of_SIVA\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">S.I.V.A.<\/a> is a new arts university and possibly the best equipped of its kind in the world, their policy is to invite leading exponents of the various Art disciplines to accept residencies so the students have a chance to experience influences from the outside world.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What is it like living in China, do you miss home?<br \/>\nPB: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Living in China is very different from my life in Australia in almost every aspect. \u00a0I live in a small flat, ride an electric scooter, have learnt the Chinese road laws (there aren\u2019t any) and of course eat mainly Chinese cuisine, which by the way is very different from what we think of as \u201cChinese\u201d in Australia. \u00a0I have also learnt that there is a very different social culture and mind set in China, and until one adjusts it can be very frustrating to say the least. \u00a0But when one thinks how quickly China has evolved in the last few decades one has to be very impressed. \u00a0Unfortunately this development comes at a price to the environment that is very worrying. \u00a0China is not unaware of the problem but like the rest of the world is having difficulty with the solution. \u00a0I feel that art will be an important way of addressing this problem. \u00a0By this I mean that the first impulse of the newly rich is to display their success in material acquisitions such as luxury cars, but later when wealth is accepted people expand their interests into the Arts, Theatre, Music, Art galleries etc. This passive consumption is not only spiritually more satisfying but less damaging to our resources.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 You capture the spirit of the Australian landscape so accurately! \u00a0What draws you to paint a particular scene?<br \/>\nPB:\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0 Firstly thank you for the compliment. \u00a0\u00a0My paintings are rarely of a particular place. I travel widely and like to interact with my physical location. \u00a0I like to experience what it is that makes a place unique. \u00a0This subject could have me going for half an hour! \u00a0Briefly: \u00a0as modern artists have realized for over a century, a painting has to succeed as a work of art before any other consideration is given to it. In other words all painting has to be considered in the abstract sense.\u00a0 \u00a0Composition, and then the other visual elements of line, colour, harmony etc. \u00a0Subject is of secondary importance, but it is interesting to the viewer and the artist from a personal point of view. \u00a0We all like to feel that we \u201cknow\u201d a place, it brings us memories of places we know or experiences of places we would like to know. \u00a0An artist realizes that there are two minds involved with a work of art, the artist\u2019s and the viewer\u2019s. \u00a0The painting if you like is a vehicle to connect one mind with another. \u00a0I always feel these things are more easily understood when we consider music. \u00a0Enough! I am writing a booklet on this at the moment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Your work is in many major corporate collections and the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.usa.embassy.gov.au\/whwh\/home.html \" target=\"_blank\">Australian Embassy in Washington<\/a>,\u00a0 how do you feel about your paintings being so highly sort after and represented?<br \/>\nPB: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong> It is very satisfying to find my work permanently displayed in many different places in Australia and around the world. \u00a0I remember to this day the letter I got in London in 1967 telling me that I had sold three small paintings in a group exhibition. \u00a0It gave me so much confidence, to realize that someone (other than my mother!) found some meaning in my work. \u00a0As a professional artist who has never received Government funding, selling paintings, is absolutely vital to my existence as an artist. \u00a0The small collectors who buy the occasional painting do more to support artists and art than any Government grants, which tend to favour the few.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So we heard you have an art studio in Spain?! \u00a0How often do you visit it and Why Spain?<br \/>\nPB:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong> My connection with Spain is many layered, from my Grandfather who was born in Columbia to a Spanish mother, to my sister who married a Spaniard with family in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.malaga.us\/\" target=\"_blank\">Malaga<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 where I bought a small piece of land in the country (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.maplandia.com\/spain\/andalucia\/almeria\/el-campo\/\" target=\"_blank\">El campo<\/a>). \u00a0This land had an old ruin which over the last ten years we transformed into a small traditional house with a separate studio. \u00a0Spain has many similarities with Australia, the climate, the love of the good life, food and wine and of course sport.\u00a0 I have managed to visit nearly every year, especially when I was building the house and now I would like to conduct workshops there with up to six people to experience the Andalusian life. \u00a0Fiesta, food, wine, dancing and of course art!!\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.andalucia.com\/festival\/home.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Andaluc\u00eda Festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I recently heard a funny story about you asking Arthur Boyd to teach you how to paint. \u00a0Can you share with our readers what happened next and give us a little insight into your relationship with this amazing Australian artist.<br \/>\nPB: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>When I was a callow youth living in London with aspirations to being a painter, I wrote a letter to <a href=\"http:\/\/adb.anu.edu.au\/biography\/boyd-arthur-merric-5323\" target=\"_blank\">Arthur Boyd<\/a>, whom I knew slightly, asking him if it might be possible to become a sort of apprentice as in the renaissance tradition. \u00a0He didn\u2019t reply but when I saw him again he mentioned the letter and said if I wanted a job I could paint his house. \u00a0Needless to say I jumped at the chance and after doing a satisfactory job was kept on as a sort of studio assistant. \u00a0He made his own paint and was extremely fastidious with preparation of his boards, I had to put on seventeen layers of gesso ground, fine sanded every third layer for use as a base for egg tempera (paint medium). I lived in the basement room and had in my room some of the most famous paintings from his \u201cBlackman and his Bride\u201d series as well as many others. I knew at the time what an amazing privilege it was. \u00a0Boyd taught me the importance of hard work as an artist. During the painting of the house which was incidentally four stories high I had to paint the eves with a large extension ladder at full stretch. \u00a0It was a little short so I put it on top of a washing machine crate to get the extra height. \u00a0Well he nearly had a fit and raced up stairs and tied the ladder to the bathroom plumbing and made me come down. I didn\u2019t know what the fuss was about, I was nineteen.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What do you do when you are not working on your art?<br \/>\nPB: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong> At the moment that (art) is taking up most of my time. \u00a0I have just come back from a month in Spain with my 19 year old son who is studying in Holland. (So he will be qualified for a \u201cproper \u201cJob!) I am very keen on sailing and have lived on a yacht for several years in the Mediterranean.\u00a0 And of course I am an addicted traveller. \u00a0Travelling makes me think that I am getting somewhere!<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Describe your art in one sentence.<br \/>\nPB: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>My art is about trying to solve the elusive puzzle that has fascinated artists since art was discovered, the mystery of the human mind and the amazing accuracy of the eye.<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What is your favourite childhood memory?<br \/>\nPB:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong> Holidays at the beach at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.travelvictoria.com.au\/sanremo\/\" target=\"_blank\">San Remo Victoria<\/a>,\u00a0 swimming, fishing and dreaming of being old enough to drive an MG and have a girl friend with similar carnal desires!!<\/p>\n<p><strong>AC: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Finally, what does your art mean to you and what do you hope it means to your collectors?<strong><br \/>\nPB:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/strong>Art is to me the most important thing after survival needs. \u00a0By art I include of course all the arts. I like to say as a definition of art. Art is the seduction of the senses. Art is to be explored, enjoyed questioned and collected.<\/p>\n<p>When I was about twenty one I once delivered a painting of mine to a famous Melbourne collector who had so many paintings they were hung from ceiling to floor. <a href=\"%20http:\/\/adb.anu.edu.au\/biography\/boyd-arthur-merric-5323\" target=\"_blank\">Boyds<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.artistsfootsteps.com\/html\/Streeton_biography.htm%20\" target=\"_blank\">Streetons<\/a>, <a href=\"%20http:\/\/adb.anu.edu.au\/biography\/mccubbin-frederick-fred-7328%20%20\" target=\"_blank\">McCubbins<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesblackman.com\/charles-blackman-australian-artist\/\" target=\"_blank\">Blackmans<\/a>, \u00a0 (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.redhillgallery.com.au\/CharlesBlackman.html\" target=\"_blank\">Charles Blackman at R<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.redhillgallery.com.au\/CharlesBlackman.html\" target=\"_blank\">ed Hill Gallery<\/a>) etc. He offered me a cup of coffee and spoke of his collection. He said his business associates constantly asked him why he didn\u2019t sell the collection now that it had become so valuable. He said \u201cevery morning before I go in to the office I sit here for ten minutes with a coffee and feel invigourated for the rest of the day. \u00a0If I framed my shares and put them on the wall they would give me no pleasure whatsoever.&#8221;<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?attachment_id=947\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-947\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-947\" title=\"Piers Bateman\" src=\"http:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/PB02..jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"295\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/PB02..jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/PB02.-300x110.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"al2fb_like_button\"><div id=\"fb-root\"><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n(function(d, s, id) {\n  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];\n  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;\n  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;\n  js.src = \"\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=499790883388518\";\n  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);\n}(document, \"script\", \"facebook-jssdk\"));\n<\/script>\n<fb:like href=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=937\" send=\"true\" layout=\"button_count\" show_faces=\"true\" share=\"false\" width=\"150\" action=\"recommend\" font=\"arial\" colorscheme=\"light\" ref=\"AL2FB\"><\/fb:like><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ShareThe internationally acclaimed leading Australian landscape artist showcases his most recent body of works at Red Hill Gallery. Piers has a keen eye and intuitively captures the spirit of the landscape through his use of bold colour and line, which &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/?p=937\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/937"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=937"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/937\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":958,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/937\/revisions\/958"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artchat.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}