Neal Jones “Iwddiy4U.”

Maccarone

[Image: Neal Jones "art narcci" (2017) Oil on reclaimed wood 27 x 31.25 x 1.25 in.]

This event has ended.

I am an insect, sky, rotten wood, kingfishers and the humans here. Presenting myself as singular Art product feels inadequate while breathing in a cosmic landscape. In the boring Artworld I’m trying to find a tactic for an undergrowth survival, while aiming to communicate my changing reality. From the outside here I’ve been dipping my toe into the Artworld, peeking at both corporate politics and NETFLIX, watching NARCCIssists prosper and sweethearts disappear. I watch these things pass by with my fish-fly-bird eye.

I have a beautiful rented garden in London and grow everything that is delicious. I have made havens for wildlife, which I find delicious company. I built a greenhouse studio and started an art career there. It was a more nourishing solution to an arid underpaid enslavement in London. Here property prices kept rising and I gave thousands of pounds in rent to the genius landlords. I came to London to learn about Art and Culture, I left having learned about cruel nature.

I got priced out of London. I still visit my garden now and then to weed and sow. I live on the waterfront now: nowhere in history, 100 miles away from London. There is no High Art here, and no power. My little rusty houseboat is called Buzzard III and I have an affordable old boatshed nearby as a dark workroom. Soon I will go under. Most evenings I want to speed up the process. Making rounded meaningful art is an attempt to love it all anyway, even my decline. IWDDIY4U.

Neal Jones (born Liverpool, 1969) lives and works in London and Norwich. Selected recent solo exhibitions include POOR ME, Allotment Paintings 2007/08, Southard Reid, London, UK (2017); NJx, Southard Reid, London, UK (catalogue) (2014); and New Paintings and Handmade Things, L-13 Gallery, London, UK (catalogue) (2010). His work is currently included in a touring exhibition sponsored by the British Council.