In the Studio: Tony Albert

“Sometimes I get great sparks of creative genius at midnight that I will jot down in a note pad next to my bed. In the morning when I read there is usually a realisation that I was completely delusional.”

DO YOU HAVE A STRICT REGIME OF ATTENDING THE STUDIO?

Tony Albert (TA)/ There is a perceived luxury as an artist that you get to work your own hours, however, I am quite strict on myself. I try to set up my day, like that of having a regular job with set hours. I then straddle this with what I would call ‘creative bursts’ where there is this energy and want to continue that is uncontrollable. In those instances I don’t try to forcibly stop – I just keep going. This can be days and nights of non-stop work, it’s a great feeling.

It is not uncommon for me to have multiple projects on the go. I love having something creative to do into the evening at the dining table or whilst watching Law and Order SVU or a murder mystery.

ARE BOTH YOUR THINKING AND MAKING ALL DONE INSIDE THE STUDIO?

TA/ The studio is a creative hub and contains all my books and reference material as well as art making supplies. If I am not making and creating I love to spend time in the studio researching and looking through folders. I love organising and rearranging my collection of Aboriginalia. It is a bit cathartic and nostalgic. I think way too much about everything - all day everyday. I think in depth about a lot of issues. So much of my work is inspired by personal interactions or politics that I then go on to research and pull apart further. My phone has become a jumble of notes and voice recordings. Sometimes I get great sparks of creative genius at midnight that I will jot down in a note pad next to my bed. In the morning when I read there is usually a realisation that I was completely delusional.

ORGANISED CHAOS/ ORGANISED ORDER? MESSY/ NEAT?

TA/ I’m like a virus, I spread and take over spaces. Maybe I have too many White friends as I have learned bad behaviour in colonising spaces.

TELL US ABOUT STORAGE?

TA/ Storage is still a massive problem for me, but I have gotten slightly better as I’ve grown. I’m more organised than I have ever been in my artistic career (and life) and for the first time ever I am in the vicinity of my collection and research material. Everything is in one spot. This excites me, I definitely feel an amalgamation of the past and present, the future is looking so bright – I may need new sunglasses!