YDF26 Artist 01 Q&A: Stewart Knights

What’s your background?

I am a multimedia artist working primarily with communities to create participatory artwork.

Who are your biggest influences?
Artistically? Who inspired you to become an artist?

I am greatly influenced by my home town of Little Hulton. There is a wealth of community-led action happening here which is very inspiring to be a part of. With that action comes frequent change, so there are many opportunities to work agilely and to bring people together in unexpected ways. I am privileged to be surrounded by all those currently working to improve the area at this time.

Since first seeing Lubaina Himid’s theatrical show at Tate Modern, she has been a great inspiration to me and I have enjoyed learning through her sculptural, installation and painted works. I am inspired by how she takes a sometimes playful approach to serious topics to encourage viewers to engage with the work and reflect upon their own place in it, and how in other instances Himid’s handling of distressing topics is done in a way that is delicate yet cutting. For me Lubaina Himid makes artwork which everyone needs to experience.

How have you developed your career?
(From student to artist)

My highest level of art qualification was A Level, and since then I have explored a number of jobs in catering, travel, finance and now work in my hometown for a local charity, balancing this and freelance work with organisations mainly in the VCFSE sector across Greater Manchester.

What does your work as an artist aim to say?

My work invites people to consider, ‘who else has seen this?’ I use sculpture, painting, and installation to create environments of collaboration and sharing where every mark left by a passer-by is celebrated. There is so much beauty in the day to day and my work aims to illuminate that warmth.

How does your work comment on current social or political issues? And if it does why is that important to you? Or if your work doesn’t comment on the current social or political issues what does it focus on instead?

I take a research-based approach in my work, exploring aspects of my lived-experience and telling new stories based on this discovery which navigate the political realities uncovered.

Through the Little Hulton series I explored various histories of Little Hulton as it gradually became a part of Salford throughout the 1950’s, charting a journey between 1949 to the present day. It is important to me to share this story to connect people with the local area, together noticing the threads of our current social and political climate in the past.

I also love a bar of chocolate - but where does my Dairy Milk come from? Working with the group ‘Chocolate Has a Name’ I have learned about the exploitation of cocoa farmers in Ghana and the historical political contexts which have allowed this to perpetuate. This systematically unjust industry relies on the careful cultivation of a non-native plant by farmers who do not get to see where their produce goes.

How do you seek out opportunities for work and practice?

Many of my opportunities come from existing working relationships and word-of-mouth. This works for me as the more I get to work with people the better the rhythm we are in.

Quick Fire questions…