How to be an international artist

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Going Underground by Darragh Powell

CDG artist Darragh Powell takes the mantel of artist of the month this August as our man in France. As the nation goes on summer holiday, we ask him just how important is travel in his practice.

 

Name: Darragh Powell 

Discipline : Visual artist

Where do you live: Vichy, in the Auvergne region of France

 

You work both in London and in France, how do you split your creative time between two places, for example do you have to plan ahead of your visit what you will be working on?

 

 I've been living in France since 2006 and only been coming back to the UK for the last year really so it's a fairly new thing. When in London I tend to research ideas, I sometimes work on small pieces, no oils though as that gets too messy in a small workspace! I visit a lot of art shows as there is always something new to see in the capital. 

 

Many artists work internationally, not just for opportunities but for new vistas, is this similar for you?

 

 Definitely, even though France is very close to Britain there are cultural and lifestyle differences. Art seems to be really part of the culture and national identity in France and it's nice to get new or different perspectives on art, to see how styles and attitudes can change from country to country and even from region to region (in France). 

 

I know you studied abroad, how did you benefit from this? 

 

 It may sound cliché but it really changed my life, from the people I met, places I've been and the challenges including studying my for Masters (French equivalent) at the Clermont-Ferrand school of Art. I feel I really benefitted from being immersed in another culture (and language) and it has made me eager to visit other countries and learn more languages. I also appreciate London more than I did before I left, seeing it from the outside it is a (often exhausting but paradoxically energising) hive of creativity where anything seems possible. 

 

Would you advise studying abroad? 

 

Absolutely. 

 

Knowing that you have an eye for landscapes, how important has travel been in you artistic practice? 

 

Nature is probably my biggest inspiration (along with cinema and music) and I'm always keen to discover new landscapes. France has an incredibly diverse wealth of landscapes which are often very dramatic and instil all kinds of emotions. I also like to explore new towns and cities, not just to visit museums and all the usual tourist spots but rather to walk the streets and soak up the atmosphere of a place and to see how and where other people live, I find that far more interesting.   

 

Do you have one particular country that has inspired you the most? Which countries would you like to work in next?  

 

I'm always inspired by my surroundings, the colours, the moods of different places. France has had a huge effect on me as I've been creating art there the longest. I've lived in different regions and as I said before with the incredible variety of scenery on offer, I think you just can't help to be inspired. However, London is always in there somewhere trying to creep out and into my work too. 

 

 Some of my favourite major cities that I've visited are Lyon, Barcelona, Chisinau (Moldova) and Venice. There are so many places I'd like to discover including Canada, California, Norway, Sweden, Chile and Argentina to name just a few! 

 

Thanks Darragh!

 

You can read Darragh's top 5 exhibitions to visit in France here.