The Others
Meet The Others: Katie Lips
The Game Changers. The Rule Breakers. The Innovators.
Discover some of the fantastic emerging talent showcasing their work at The Other Art Fair.
Fair artist Katie Lips is a contemporary artist whose work explores technological change, ‘post humanism’ and technology culture. Her recent work for “Surprised But Not Delighted” includes mixed media, video and ‘office supplies’, exploring the processes used and promises made by technology startup entrepreneurs.
How would you describe your artwork?
My artwork is bold, colourful, eclectic, and irreverent. It might look light; but my work explores technology; its cultures and motivations; and exposes technology darker side.
What might look like ‘Agile Planning’ popular in tech businesses is actually an expose of entrepreneurial motivations; what might look like graffiti scrawled on a bathroom wall is actually an exploration of the descent of Internet communication into conversation’s most basic form.
When creating work, I involve myself totally in the process; and I imagine the hopes and dreams of the people whose stories I tell. Then I use found objects and stickers and jewels and so on, because they’re just excellent!
What does making art mean to you?
There’s Work and there’s Art! Work limits us, Art frees us. My experience of making art has always been that it’s visceral. For me it’s essential.
I’ve written about my thoughts on Art and Work here actually: My Art Not Work Manifesto.
How did you get started making art?
I’ve always made art; always challenged stuff; prodded and poked around at things. I went to Art School; which was really about unlearning, rather than learning things; learning not to be constrained.
I started working with Digital Media in about 1995; it was new then and full of potential. Whilst I do still use technology in my work; (I’m working on Art Stickers for iOS right now), technology is less present in my tech focussed work. I prefer being able to touch and shape things; a human trait I fear may die out soon.
What is it like to be a part of The Other Art Fair?
I see The Other Art Fair as an intense learning opportunity; the ability to meet and talk with such a large audience is amazing; it’s invaluable to help me better understand how other people see my work; and what they’re interested in. It’s terrifying!
What is your favourite piece for sale on your SA profile and why?
“Hi, anyone know where I can get really good gel nails?” (Mixed Media and Found Objects) is my favourite work right now because I had so much fun making it.
Through having studied how people communicate online (I founded a mobile messaging startup in 2003) I’ve seen how what we feel is a reasonable way to communicate has changed in recent years. Whilst technology could bring order to global collaborative conversations, it doesn’t. We’re still human (thankfully) and it’s still a mess.
This piece uses ‘toilet graffiti’ (graffiti you used to find on toilet walls but now don’t as we have the Internet), repetition, tagging, argumentative Internet chat, miscommunication, invasive ads, motifs and emoticons to represent the mess of digital communication. And to celebrate it. After all, you can learn a lot online, including where to get your nails done!
