Futurising

It can be daunting when you emerge from a BA in art or design. You have start to selling your work and thinking with a commercial head. Fortunately, artist and creative coach Michael Atavar will be on hand at Futurising, telling you everything you need to know about cutting it as an independent artist.

“Confidence is a big issue," explains Atavar when discussing the biggest hurdles faced by artists starting out. Instead of having confidence in their own talent and ideas, he believes fledging artists often compromise their originality due to fear. Atavar insists this is the biggest mistake to make. “There is a tendency to make statements too generic in order to fit in. It’s the flaws, the differences that will attract others’ attention,” he explains.

With a successful career in art spanning performance, installation and digital art over three decades, Atavar knows what he’s talking about. He has been an artist in residence at the Guardian, his work has been shown at the Hayward Gallery, the ICA, and the V&A, and he is currently at work on an intriguing project to be shown simultaneously in Sao Paulo and Melbourne later this year.

During the last eight years he has moved into an advisory role and has been working closely with artists to develop their creativity. His acclaimed book How to be an Artist was released last year. Rather than just a dry guide, it is an inspiration, filled with advice on how to develop an idea and emphasising the importance of listening to your intuition.

A more European angle
Atavar felt that the writing on creativity he often encountered didn’t reflect his experiences in the UK. “The books were American and appeared more remote,” he says. “I wanted to write something from a uniquely European point of view; very contemporary and alive.”

While Atavar’s advice on listening to your creative voice rings true, how can creativity flourish when there are bills to be paid? He advises, “Don’t rely on art as your sole source of income – it’ll create compromises.” To help young artists be confident and fearless in their creativity, Atavar believes getting a mentor or coach will help keep you on track. “Young artists need someone who can help contextualise their practice, put it within a bigger picture and even enlarge the frame.”

His years as both a successful artist and coach make him the perfect candidate to advise young creatives. He knows how to tackle both the highs and lows of a creative career, and how to combine creating work you can be proud of, while keeping your bank account in the black.

Atavar advises anyone who wants to build a professional career out of being creative to come and see him at Futurising. Based on his book, you can expect a talk that offers practical advice with a large dose of originality.

Michael Atavar will be giving a talk on how to survive as an Independent artist on June 29th. 

Words:  Dominique Brady