Q: What is the name of the show and the idea behind it?
The show is called 'There's Still Life' and the idea behind it was to ask artists to make a non-conformist/non-conventional still life piece in their own style. There was a suggestion that the works should carry some kind of optimism in the face of all the negativity we've been suffering from at the hands of the media - economic meltdown etc, and I thought this would be an interesting challenge to set. I had no idea of the range of interpretation's that would emerge. Some artists were typically rebellious, for example UK artist Guy Denning chose to watch the Matthew Barney Cremaster Cycle and go through the film frames one by one until he found the image he liked best - and then painted that. That was his Still Life. Ron English chose to paint a Super Sunflower using collage from superhero comics. Every one of the artists made work that was surprising and stimulating - I'm very proud of the show.

Q: How did you choose the artist?
Choosing the artists was easy, I wanted to work with people that I knew to see how they would respond to the brief - and also to bring their work to a greater audience. I also wanted to take the opportunity to work with artists that I hadn't met before. Initiating a show that takes place in two major art fairs means that artists with other gallery affiliations can be released to work on other projects - like There's Still Life - Even Richard Butler, front man of the Psychedelic Furs has a piece in the show, so it was exciting to have the chance to work with new artists too.

Q: Have you shown in Miami before?
Yes, we showed at SCOPE last December. We're in Miami right now and the second time around everything feels a lot easier. We know where to get printing done, who makes the best perspex boxes at very short notice and very importantly, where to get a good pint of beer for less than $8,00.

Q: How long have you owned your own gallery for?
Two years and counting...

Q: How do you see the difference between contemporary English and American artists?
It seems that American artists we work with often have more of have a sense of art as a business than their English counterparts - we don't know why this is but the ability to self publicize seems to come more easily to them. 

Q: I always enjoy that you show artists in many different mediums, what do you enjoy working with the most?
Which medium? I love huge, enormous jaw-dropping sculpture but any artist who's pushing the boundaries of his/her medium is always going to be enjoyable to work with.

Q: Favorite dead artist?
Marcel Duchamp

Q: Just to be difficult favorite living artist?
Two years ago at the Venice Biannale I saw the anatomically 'correct' skeletons of Bugs Bunny, Tweety Pie plus Sylvester and Donald Duck. The artist was Hyungkoo Lee - he also showed at Pulse Miami last year.  

Q: What is the policy for artist to submit work to your space?
Fire off some images of new work to us, with a short artist statement and biog. If we can see a fit with the work in the gallery programme we'll get right back. If we don't get right back it doesn't mean we hate the work, it's often that it simply doesn't go with the gallery's direction. Email is best.

Q: What makes a piece of work Art?
That's a toughie Richard! There's decorative art, and there's art that attempts to explore. The latter is always more exciting but you don't necessarily want a chain-sawed calf in your living room at home. Everything has its place.

Q: Who would you most like to meet at Art Basil Miami?
Last year we met a guy called Vince Offer who made his millions selling faux chamois leathers and during Art Basel, Switzerland in June we heard that Pharrell (Williams) took a particular liking to Patrick Haines' work so we're keeping a broad, open mind as to what will happen in Miami this year.

Q: How long have you lived in the historic city of Bath U.K.?
About 7 years. It's a beautiful refuge from the shows and fairs.

 Q: What excites you about art fairs?
We get to meet some serious collectors, we can showcase our artists' work to thousands of people in a short, intense concentrated period, we love the excitement of the shows and the chance to be constantly dazzled by all the new art shipped in from all over the world for one week of chaotic creativity. 

Also, we like to sell a few pieces of work every now and then (which is a lot easier with 20,000 people walking past your booth than it is in a typical day in the gallery).

Q: Biggest Fear?
All my teeth falling out and forgetting my passport.

Q: Greatest love?
Witney Houston

 Geza Szollosi

Q: Any advice for young artists just starting out?
Don't do it for the money. Stay true. The rest will follow.

Big Thank You to Richard for taking time to chat with us, if you are in Miami for Basil pop by Scope and see him. 

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