We are thrilled to have Infinity Bunce artist, tutor, and curator to be part of our Zine and will be our featured artist this month.
BIO…
Infinity Bunce graduated with an MA at Central St. Martins in 1999, she is both an artist and curator. She has curated large-scale shows across London. She has shown her artwork extensively both in the UK and abroad for example she has shown with the Vegas Gallery, London, International Photographic exhibition Beijing, China. Traveling light - WW Gallery - Venice Biennale, Fish out of Water Gallery, California, USA. Sponsors have included Celia and John Bonningham- Christie’s Charitable Trust, Creative Business Enterprise London. Welsh Arts Council, exhibition award. She has also collaborated with high-profile organizations such as the CDC Centre, Atlanta, USA- on her virus and bacteria paintings. Her projects have been featured in many press publications such as Elle Magazine and The London Newspaper and have been highly featured in American magazines.
1 - Could you explain your creative practice? What do you enjoy the most?
"I graduated with an MA in Central St. Martins in 1999 Fine Art – Painting. I have curated and shown with many artists including Michael Craig Martin for example/Matty Small/ Gordon Cheung/ Carne Griffiths etc. I am an experimental process painter. I have been exploring the use of household gloss paint and satinwood for many years. I sometimes mix epoxy resins and spray paint onto MDF or circular canvases. The outcome of the work is a juxtaposing mix of urban and fine art. I have curated and shown with both street artists and urban artists and due to my processes, I have always found myself in the middle of both. My current work for the last few years is landscape-based with marbling effects, built-up layers of gloss /circular foundations with an urban art feel. The work explores the use of nature and the environment and its changes.’
My creative process throughout the years has mainly been painting and photography. I tend to weave between the two practices. I started spending a lot of my time as a child working on drawings and designs with my mother. The skill or Art came down through the family line of technical drawing. Yet oddly I Never felt drawing was my strength. I was always more of a creative maker -exploring experiments and taking risks. I have tended to go through phases in my career. I have painted bacteria and virus images ranging from Diarrhoea to Hantavirus - some images I have worked on I had donated to be from the CDC Centre in Atlanta Georgia. These images were created with layers of household paint, and gloss on MDF. The layers created an almost embossed effect, giving depth to the surface quality. I have also done a range of figurative pieces combining spray paint ranging from boys living on estates in London to well-known artists. My current work is more linked to landscapes. All my work whether it's portraits, landscapes or virus paintings or Photography contains a message that could be social or environmental. I have always been looking for art to transfer a message about the world. Whereas if it's how young people live on estates in London or the pressure that goes with celebrity culture or viruses and the effects of them or landscapes and how we treat our environment. My degree was 50% Aesthetics and Fine Art so maybe that is one factor why I have a need to have a message with my work. I can’t say what I enjoy most as it is always in flux. I am trained in photography and through the pandemic, I mixed up cult figure models with my paintings, so I also have a vast new bond of photographic work. I am currently curating a photographic show in Wales and artists touring show while writing for FAD magazine and creating my artwork."
2 – how many different areas of the arts do you work in and why?
I work in a variety of different areas. I have curated large-scale contemporary art shows with both Street/Urban and Fine Artists in London in various locations such as Shoreditch Town Hall in sixteen rooms of 100 artists etc.. I am a freelance writer for FAD magazine - I have interviewed a variety of different people both in music and art such as Matthew Collings and Goldie. I have also taught Art and Design for many years in different settings such as prison, college, Barnardo's, and schools. I am currently Head of Art in a school in London. I also have worked as a freelance curator for many years as mentioned in question 1. The last curation I co-curator was with the Cello Factory for International Women's Day for 10 days at the Cello Factory which featured a talk/ performance and artwork from Women across the UK, this show will vary and continue to next year at Cardiff Made in Wales. I am a freelance artist and have spent years developing processes and techniques with gloss paint through experiments. I am very much a process painter with an outcome similar to some urban artists. The reason why and how I do so many things is down to rarely watching TV. I hardly ever switch it on as it frees me up a bit more.
process painting - gloss on circular canvas
3- Is having creative practice relevant today? Do you think it is encouraged enough in schools?
I am Head of Art in a school so I can only answer from my own experience. Art is encouraged in the art I work in and the students have had fantastic opportunities. I have worked with my Students with the BBC / English National Opera on set designs / Central St. Martins with workshops, my students work all around the school and they have won many awards and have shown for example in the Royal Academy summer show.
4 – We are always asked what other artists influence us, we want to know what artists and writers that you don’t like, and which influence your’ practice?
In The Studio
What influences my practice is travel which has a major effect on how I look at the world and how I can express my feelings. I haven’t really got a dislike for anything really. I am more focused on other things like how other artists have to create their work. I really like watching the pouring artists on Instagram or how someone has done an experimental photo. I love the work of Contemporary artist Gordon Cheung and who builds up the layers of paint. I like the work of the Contemporary French photographer that goes into different environmental settings and photographs the people of that culture that places their images on outside buildings on a large scale - they are then an integral part of the landscape. Gives the people of the place a connection to their place.
5- If you could go back to high school what would you tell your younger self?
I would say pack your bags and travel the world, travel light and see as much of the world as you can before you get bogged down with collecting ornaments and stuff you don’t need. Also make sure you always take every opportunity that comes your way. Show gratitude for things that are given to you and always say thank you.
Freefall - Gloss on Circular canvas - 2021 Closeup of Landscape painting on Circular canvas
6 – If you could go forward 20 years, what do you hope to have done or not done?
What would I have done differently to work in other countries maybe?
On the Art front, I hope I can travel the world with my art and exhibit it widely and also have my own gallery.
Probably, I would like to have done more public talks about the environment and social issues and would like to be part of the Green Party that gives talks to mass audiences about eating meat in connection to climate change. I would like to know that I hope I could be remembered for all the young people I have educated, inspired, and given the confidence to believe in themselves. My art teacher was an incredible inspiration to me and helped me achieve my goals and I hope I have passed this on.
Her work can be seen here
Solo Exhibition