Jealous

Hello Alma Singer! We’d love you to sum up your practice in less than 5 words.

Alma Singer

A bit shit

Jealous

What do you think the importance of laughter and play is in contemporary art?

Alma Singer

I think The Art World has a tendency towards pretentiousness and self importance, and sometimes it's healthy to just laugh at yourself, in contemporary art and in life generally. Also our earliest childhood experiences of art are playful, and there's a kind of joy to them that often seems to get lost somewhere along the way towards becoming 'an artist'. I try and keep hold of a little bit of that childhood feeling when I make stuff, mostly because it makes me happy. 

Jealous

You’ve mentioned that as a child you felt the joy of drawing without the pressure to create something ‘good’. Do you have a way to connect with that joy as an adult?

Alma Singer

I guess trying to do whatever made me joyful as a child - listening to music, dancing like a twat, making stuff, learning stuff, being outside, being with the people I love and who make me happy, trying not to care too much what people think (that's a work in progress)

Jealous

We hope the exhibition will bring a lot of laughter and interesting conversation into the gallery but what do you hope audiences take away from "Not Big or Clever" after experiencing it?

Alma Singer

I hope most people smile, and some Art World people get a bit cross. I expect a bit of 'my child could have done that', which is very true, and kind of the point, your child probably could have drawn these, and that's a wonderful thing.

Jealous

Who or what is the biggest influence on your practice?

Alma Singer

A bit of everything. Conversations, music, books, podcasts, news, memories, movies and this whole weird existence of ours. 

Jealous

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us today! Do you have any final words that might encourage people to come to see the exhibition?

Alma Singer

Come laugh at me, or with me. Laughing is good.