Critical studies guest speaker: Tom Hackett

"You have to go to the world, don't expect the world to come to you"

I found Tom's talk really inspiring. He didn't have a formal art education path, but netherthless pushed his way into the art world successfully with the quality of his work and by being proactive and likeable. 

I especially liked this collective care project which encouraged people taking responsibility and ownership; essentially by collecting air from people. He built these quasi medical air bags, hung them in a gallery space and assigned each one to an arts student to blow them up at the start of the exhibition. They were then responsible for caring for and reinflating their bag throughout the show.

"Words are just equivalent but they can stick with you". This piece was a launchpad for his, exhibited in Nottingham. He gathered quotes from various celebrities and translated them into a self created visual code that he them inscribed on these tombstone like objects. 

It is clear that Tom is personable and funny.

"Building relationships with peers and other people in the arts sector is really important. People move around and one thing can lead to another". He spoke of this often. Sounds like good advice. 

I also really enjoyed how the shaggy dog stories project came about through serendipity. His family were dog sitting for a friend which propagated frustration and the desire to walk a less impossible kind of dog; a silicon one being pushed in a wheel barrow.