Q & A: Rebecca Swan
How would your mother describe you?
Well I was going to say tall, then I asked her and she said "inspirational" which brought a lump to my throat.
What's your principal defect?
Squeezing black heads
What's your favourite foreign word? Why?
Om. Because it's a small word with a large meaning.
What do you have at your bedside table?
The latest issue of Art News New Zealand, a bottle of massage oil and if I'm lucky a hot cup of tea.
Finish this sentence -New Zealandis a land with too few...
Arts patrons
Describe your creative side?
My creative side is always surprising me so I'm in a perpetual state of discovery. Loving that!
How do you overcome a creative block?
Meditate, or if that doesn't work, go and look in the refrigerator.
Do you have a muse?
Yes my amazing partner Jack who is a performer, among other things, so he understands creativity. This is lucky because we both believe creativity should take priority over housework. He is also a very obliging model, although he has just been superseded by a 6 inch clay body double that I've created for a new body of work titled "Fabricated Truths". This work is showing at Mark Hutchins Gallery from June 1st-26th.
What was the hardest part about producing the book Assume Nothing?
Sustaining the passion for the 8 years that it took to get it to the bookshops. I saw over 100 publishers in New Zealand, Australia, America, England and Germany. They all said the same thing, it's beautiful work but it's not commercially viable. So eventually I decided to take the risk and put the money up to self publish. This meant that I had the luxury to make all the decisions relating to content and production and ensure everyone involved was happy with how they were represented.
The portrait images are incredibly intimate. How did you build up the trust of the people who appeared in Assume Nothing?
It's a lot to ask someone to trust me to take their photograph and record intimacies of their lives and I took that responsibility very seriously. Whenever I could, I spent time establishing a connection with the people I approached. I think they took the risk because they understood my intention was to honour them. What completely astounded me was that no one I approached said no.
Another key point was that I gave everyone involved the right to edit the text and/ or their image. This meant they were more comfortable revealing themselvesknowing that they had the choice whether I could use it or not. I have such huge admiration for everyone in Assume Nothing who are generously sharing themselves with complete strangers via the book, the film and the exhibition. I believe it's this vulnerbility that moves people and that's the bridge to understanding and respect. That's the essence of the project for me.
What's the last exhibition/book/performance that really made an impression on you?
Erection by French choreographer Pierre Rigal. It was captivating and left lasting impressions on my body, mind and spirit. Genius!
When do you feel most inspired?
After my first cup of tea of the day.
What is a question you would like to be asked?
Can I fund your next art project?
To find out more about Rebecca Swan's work see -
www.rebeccaswan.com