The UK Queen has died. You might have heard.
As with any large historical moment, there’s an implied binary position you are required to take - you’re either 100% for the monarchy or 100% against it. Of course, it can be more nunaced than that.
To lend some context to my own position (which I will state eventually), I’m a product of dual national heritage, albeit both from within the UK. My father is Welsh and my Mother is English. I was born and raised in England and lived there until 2009. We made semi-regular trips to South Wales to visit my Welsh family, but even so, and despite being fiercely proud of the Welsh part of my heritage, I couldn't really have claimed to be anything other than English. Then, in 2009, I moved to Wales. So for around a quarter of my life (the most recent quarter at that), I’ve experienced life in the UK from an entirely different perspective; from a Welsh perspective. So, with all that, I think I’m in a pretty good position to make the comments I’m about to make and observe the things I’m going to claim to have observed.
The death of the Queen is a hot potato over here, there’s no denying it. The majority of people in England will have no idea why that is, or the level of feeling that exists here around this moment. I can say that as, even with Welsh family, the entire time I lived in England I had no understanding of the true relationship between the two countries. I think most people in England see the other three nations as kind-of uppity-cousins; family members that like to make a bit of fuss, but we love each really as we’re family.
If you’re reading this in England, I can tell you that’s absolutely not the case. There’s a deep-rooted and justifiable suspicion and mistrust of England that still exists. Not from everyone, of course. Many thousands of people take no issue at all, but there’s a significant part of the population that do. And, personally, I can’t blame them.
I’m no historian, but take the title of the Prince of Wales. This was a title created by King Edward I in the 1300s after he conquered Wales and gave the title to his son. The Prince of Wales has always been an Englishman, based in England. In that sense it is a symbol of oppression. Of course, it IS only symbolic now the monarchy hold no political power (honest!), but aren’t we more acutely attuned to the power of these symbols than ever? There’s been little discussion in the media around this through this time, but I did find this article which spells it out a bit. And, of course, it’s not all about history. Westminster treats Wales disgracefully and I thank goodness we have our own parliament to deal with the lack of respect shown to the country by the English ruling party.
The ‘United’ Kingdom is not united and never has been. On some level it’s a single political entity (but not even that anymore really), but you’ve only got to look back through the history of the Union Flag to see that these countries have rarely, if ever, been united. I made a project around this subject about 10 years ago and you can read more about HERE.
But I didn't really start this piece to try and explain this very difficult relationship or stir up beef with England. It was more about the monarchy and the state circus we’re seeing unfold.
It’s honestly made me think - more - about hierarchy. I think about this a lot. I’ve never had any time or respect for hierarchy. As a kid I was, literally, a young punk, shouting at the world that it’s not fair and hierarchy stinks, and nothing has honestly changed. The idea that one person is somehow more important than someone else really doesn't make sense to me. And none of this has anything to with respect. I’m a great believer in respect - respecting someone for their knowledge, their empathy, their generosity, their experience etc. But hierarchy is like saying, ‘You MUST respect me, because the structure says you must, despite the fact I may have done nothing to earn your respect.’ No one person is worth any more than any other person. And to relate that specifically to what’s happening in the UK right now - with life-saving operations being cancelled and food-banks being shut in honour of the funeral, this is literally like saying, ‘That one person’s life is worth more than yours.’
And, to make this all about me (I’m an artist, everything’s all about me), this has got me reflecting on my personal relationship with hierarchy in connection with my professional life. The art world is all about hierarchy. It really is. It’s about gaining status within the hierarchy, often by attaching oneself to people higher up in that hierarchy, professionally or personally, and absorbing that hierarchical light, much like a vampire sucks life-force from unwitting victims. Picasso’s biographer, John Richardson, wrote this -
"He fed on those around him, like a vampire sucking life out of his victims. He once said something very telling about the fans, stalkers, autograph-seekers, dealers, collectors and paparazzi: 'These people cut me up like a chicken on the dinner table. I nourish them, but who nourishes me?'
"We all donated our energy, if not our blood. If there were six or eight people for lunch, he'd get every single one - he'd seize control of you, turn you inside out. The pretty girls he'd flatter and flirt with. If there were kids present, he'd make toys for them or do drawings. Even animals weren't immune - he'd entice them to come to him. Everyone had to be seduced. You ended the day completely drained. But he'd imbibe all that stolen energy and stride off into the studio and work all night. I can't imagine the hell of being married to him!"
I can’t say I’m honestly surprised. Picasso was an arsehole. Stop press. The art world is full of vampires.
But to make this about me… it’s made me think about my own place and inevitable position within a hierarchy. I’ve been very fortunate to have the career I’ve had so far. I’ve done ok. But I’m also very aware that there have probably been a couple of moments in my career where momentum has been such, that if I’d really leant in to it, things could have been even better. And by ‘better’, I mean more money and more opportunities. The thing is, I can see now that I’ve backed away from those moments as I’ve felt uncomfortable. I’ve stood in an art-dinner whilst a director of an organisation has talked about my work, in front of me, and said to the collected room, ‘Mark’s making some important work currently’. What the fuck does that even mean?
There’s a requirement for an artist to believe this hype and fully inhabit the bandwidth of their own ego to really be successful, and I just can’t bring myself to do it. I’m not prepared to allow myself to believe I’m better than you. I make interesting stuff and do interesting things, but so do you, and so do they, and let’s not forget that person over there. To allow oneself to engage with that is solely for the purpose of rising through a hierarchy that, ultimately, serves no-one than the people intent on maintaining that hierarchy (mostly NOT artists if you’re wondering). - (To clarify, I still WANT those big opportunities and am more than capable of pulling them off, I’m just not going to act like I’m better than you to get them).
And, maybe I should stop there as I also didn't start writing this to rubbish the art world, it’s capable of doing that on its own. It’s more that this intense focus on hierarchy has made me realise what I’ve just written above about my own backing-away from it when I’ve been faced by the opportunity to climb it.
And, to answer the monarchy thing, I simply don’t care. I think they’re an outmoded and irrelevant institution that should be allowed to fade away. It’s not their fault they were born royal, and I don’t wish them any harm, but I think it’s time we just wound them down, like a nuclear power station that’s served it’s purpose but has started leaking crap everywhere as it’s past it’s useful working life. Let QE2 be the last significant face of the UK monarchy and use this as a moment to move on, shall we? Please.