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Artist Statement -2018
From the personal to the political, from the emotional to the critical, the irony and the magical allegory of human existence all come to play Chisholm’s works. From making the invisible visible to the poetics of language and the nuances of Social structures to the unique resonance of materials, Painting plays a heavy part in the Artists communication of an often contradictory and disconcerting feelings of the human experience.
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Chisholm’s practice is informed by popular culture, gender issues, the financial crisis, the appropriation of iconic works of Art and the eternal cleansing and contagion of society. The transcendence of political climates, controversies & cultural strife are key to the reading of his works. Utilising found & utilitarian objects, Sculpture is the key to the artists practice however diverse media including photography, video & drawing creates a practice which speaks of the contemporary.
Language and its idiosyncrasies combined with the juxtaposition of the Good, The Bad and the Ugly is a recurring theme in his works, in part political and activist for Gay Rights and in soul irreverence and whimsicality run deep. Ultimately The Artists despair at the world and a fundamental desire to belong and be accepted even in the face of adversity are the truths behind this young artists his practice.
Artist Statement December 2011
My practice is a dissemination of popular culture and queer aesthetics. At the core of my interests lie the painful emotions of human nature crossed with the whimsicality of everyday occurrences. Using found objects, utilitarian and mass produced detritus. I configure objects which speak of the zeitgeist.
Being a gay man is central to both how my works can be read and how they come into being. From the persecution of and silencing of minority voices. To the globolisation of cultures and experience. Each work stands as a questioning of our beliefs and of the very nature to which we belong.
“ I create because I have no choice, the act of creation to make something unique and thought provoking is innate within my soul.
I consume, digest, excrete and reflect on the contemporary fleeting moment, Each Art work stands as a memento of my thought process. Each piece is either a Positive and or negative reflection of its statement, Just like myself a positive human with negative thoughts, Constantly a virus in my veins, in my gut, stomach and brain, Each Artwork I create belongs on the edge of the precipice we call Earth. Neither here nor there or anywhere…. “
Excerpt from a review ” It’s really about Love” on Art slant by Aldrin Valdez
Other works combine smirking irony and self-awareness with confrontational bluntness. Paul Chisholm’s makeshift crucifix, Love & H*I*V (2010), and Andrew Graham’s AIDS is God’s Curse(2009), are two of those purposely disturbing and inflammatory word-images. Like Imagevirus, they’re meant to make you feel uncomfortable with their double entendre. Chisholm’s vinyl letters on two crisscrossing pieces of plywood read “Fuck me I have… love and HIV.” It’s a message that points to a complicated doubling which exists inherently in language. Fuck me, because I have love. Fuck me, too, for my circumstances. Similarly, Graham’s wordsmithry overturns Fred Phelps’s hate mongering by placing the onus on God; AIDS is His curse. Ultimately, as these artists have shown, the meaning of a word or an image comes down to the reading, to the context in which it exists.
Catalogue text ” Hauntingly Beautiful” 2010
The Art of Paul Chisholm is a conundrum, it is at once pleasing to the eye, but also disturbing at the same time. Many juxtaposed colours, objects and texts proliferate out of the everyday and extraordinary materials the artist utilizes in each of his works.
Touching on issues of health, life, sex, death, war, relationships, human emotions and the world as a contemporary fleeting moment, the artist seeks us to ask what is important in our lives and how we all have the power for change; even when obstacles seem insurmountable.
His sculptures are at first glance playful and childlike but with further investigation each work has serious undertones of a world struggling to deal with its own ideologies. To each statement said there is always someone who will agree or disagree just to play ones devils advocate. And the same goes for the works of this young artist each work plays against the other in a game of kiss and tell, to reveal to the viewer what is necessary and for what is to be seeped out of these mysterious and intriguing objects.
Life for humans is far from perfect one may say we are living in Hell and are far from the pure and perfect world some would like us to believe we are living…… I think the same goes for Chisholm’s art works; are we entering a fantasy land of playful fun or a more sinister laboratory of man’s making…….
Im Tired Im Tired of the shouting I'm Tired of the uncertainty Im Tired of change and I'm Tired of the fear of War and of fighting with my loved ones, I'm Tired of broken dreams and lost promises, I'm Tired of taking the “ once a day pill “ and I'm Tired of thinking about government conspiracy’s, I'm tired of being brave and of long, dark,cold, Winters, I'm Tired of the propaganda and the veneer of stability, Im Tired of corrupt politicians the lying and the conniving, I'm Tired of thinking about nuclear war and gender equality, Im Tired of the sick and I'm Tired of being poor, Im Tired of inequality and I'm Tired of polluting the innocent, Im Tired of Alpha males and the 1 % and I'm Tired of the TV that does nothing to distract a worried mind, Im Tired of a society that only thinks in selfish ways and is forever putting the pursuit of wealth before the welfare of all, I'm Tired, damn right sick and Tired of the suffering and the greed, Im Tired of all the talk of cancer cures and snake oils, Im Tired of AIDS and I'm Tired for being Queer, Im Tired when i fuck and I'm Tired of searching for it when LOVE is nowhere near, Im tired of putting a step out of place and I'm Tired of not knowing when to leave a painting in peace, I'm Tired of the insults and the hatred of humanity, I'm Tired of the relentless barking, crying, daily chores and demands from others but also of the silence when its not there, I'm Tired of religion and the divisions it creates, I'm Tired of the drugs the highs and the lows but I'm also Tired of facing the daily grind without the apocalyptic escapism drugs can bring, I'm Tired of the dirt, I'm Tired of the chaos, I'm Tired of the never ending job lists and the feeling of never being good enough, I'm Tired of pretending to be an Adult and acting as if I have it all together, I'm Tired of the Internet and so very Tired of social media and the dis-connectivity it creates oh and I'm Tired of shiny celebrities, institutions and brands that hollow out any creative or individual thought, I'm Tired of people speculating for their own gain, I'm Tired of not being able to afford a secure home of my own, I'm Tired of the economy and I'm Tired of fake news, I'm Tired of Acid attacks and I'm Tired of petty games , I'm Tired of not knowing if what we are living is really a reality or just an illusion, I'm Tired of all the pain and loss, heartache,injustice,starvation and humiliation and oh so terribly Tired of systems that no longer work and laws that no longer serve a purpose. Im generally just Tired but never to Tired to keep of making Art which hopefully someday somewhere may touch another’s soul.
Education
Nottingham Trent University BA Fine Art
2001- 2004
Metafora Contemporani D’Tallers D’Arte, Barcelona, Espana
2010 -2011
Kensington and Chelsea college of Art and Design
Foundation in Professional Teaching Adults
2006-2007
Exhibitions
Solo
2012 Battle Ground, Espai d’art Waka, Palma, Mallorca, Spain ( September )
2007 The Paul McPherson Gallery, London, UK
2006 The Limelight Gallery, London, UK
2005 The library Gallery, Warwick University, Midlands, UK
2005 The Loft Gallery, Royal Leamington Spa, UK.
Group
2017
Queer Art(ists) Now Exhibition, Archive Gallery, London, U.K ( October )
The Debut, The Ply Gallery, Crouch End, London, U.K
The Arts Project, Dundas street, London, Canada.
Terrence Higgins Trust Auction Gala, Christies Auction House, London.
2016
Everyday exhibition, Visual Aids La Mama Gallery, The Bowery, New York
Summer salon, The Candid Arts Trust, London, U.K
2012
WeArt Festival, MOB Gallery, Barcelona, October ( upcoming)
Mixed Messages ( Touring) , Washington D.C, U.S.A, July 2012
Flesh Art Fair, Palma, Mallorca, Hotel Palau sa Font. 27th, 28th & 29th July.
Floatsam & Jetsam, Tactic Gallery, Cork, Ireland, May 23rd – 2nd June.
( uncensored ) Queer Art and the Church, Leslie Lohman Gallery, N.Y, U.S.A
Finalist in The Arte Laguna Prize, Arsenal, Venice, Italy.
BookStore, Driftstation Gallery, lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.A
Postcards from the edge, Chiem & Read Gallery, NY, U.S.A
International postcard show, Surface Gallery, Nottingham, U.K
2011
GFEST: the Dreamscape Gallery, Hoxton, London, U.K
Mailto: Drift Station Gallery, Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.A
Mixed Messages:La Mama La Galleria, New York, U.S.A
The Alella project:: Can Manye Gallery, Alella, Barcelona, Espana
Stairway to:Untitled BCN Gallery, Barcelona, Espana
2010
Des de fora:Punt Multimedia Gallery, Barcelona, Espana.
Pensa positiu:Convento de St Augustin Gallery, Barcelona, Espana.
Urban identity:Untitled BCN Gallery, Barcelona, Espana.
Social justice:Cubbits Arts, Islington, London, UK.
2009
An Ogee: Acquire arts Gallery, Battersea, London, UK
2007
The PrincesTrust: The Air Gallery, Mayfair, London, UK.
2006
To be an Artist:The Redchurch St Gallery, Shoreditch, London, UK
Deptford X:CorBlimey Arts Gallery, Deptford, London, UK
2005
The Red Door Gallery, Greenwich, London, UK
The where I feel in love Gallery, Shipston on Stour, UK
The South London Gallery, Video Lounge, London, UK
Media and Further Reading
Interview with Daniel Lopez for AtrapaMallorca, Battle Ground show. ( Spanish)
Exhibition Review, Time Out London, By Ana McKay 2011
GFESTis upon us ! Interview with Paul Chisholm By Raymund
The gaily Mail 2011
Love, Image virus & Mixed messages, Artslant By Aldrin Valdez. 2011
Noisy Rain Arts Magazine, Interview Issue 5 2011 www.Noisyrain.com
Clarity through mixed messages by Lily Bouvier,
Gay City News, New York. 2011
100 Artists of the male Figure, Published By Schiffer, New York 2011
Hauntingly Beautiful, Recent Works Catalogues, 2010 Published by Blurb online books, 2010.
A Bad Crit Online Interview Blog 2010
Hijack Reality, By Bob and Roberta smith, published by CT editions, 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJMW-bw4bagBBC midlands today interview August 2005
The Leamington and Warwick Observer, Interview August 2005.
Awards / Grants / Residencies
Visual Aids, Artist Grant, 2011, 2012, 2017
The Cyprus College of Art Summer Residence 2004
The Princes Trust start up grant scheme for Artists 2004
The Sir Thomas Wyatt fund for Arts Education 2001
Erasmus Exchange Program @ Koninklijke Academie van Beeldende Kunsten, Den Haag 2002