| An Interview with
the artist, musician and founder of Kangaroo Kourt,
Hal Camplin. Summer 06.
So you set up an art space in
2002, can you tell us a bit about how it developed
into Kangaroo Kourt?
2001 Just after
Sept. 11th I returned from New York after an operation
on my spine and started a horse racing
betting line business in Bristol (after leaving London).
We named our business HQ Kangaroo Kourt and put a
slate
sign up outside the house I was renting with others
in north Bristol off the Gloucester rd (I was on good
terms
with the house owner).
2002 I tidied up
my front room where I was living in Bristol and advertised
for artists and boarded up the windows to show a cinecam
projection.
2003 I put on about
seven shows, many with stencil graffiti some with
installation.
2004 I started a
group called SWALC (South West Artists’ Little
Cartel) with eight artists such as Peter Hunter and
gHOSTbOY.
2005 I conceived
The Dead Inventive, a show about inventions
that didn’t work (were unmarketable!) and put
on some live art shows with artists from around the
UK. SWALC then became Kangaroo Kourt because it made
communications easier.
2006 A cat called
Larry, born round the corner from Kangaroo Kourt,
had shown an interest in making art so I
decided he should have his own show. I invited artists
I knew and artists I didn’t to get involved
in Moggy Marks:a collaboration with cat artist Larry.
Do you have some kind of manifesto?
We have no manifesto- except we believe that art
is a doing thing which is really what the DIY art
scene is all about- just getting your arse in gear
and doing things for yourself worrying little about
the consequences (time,money, tears, aches and pains)
Who do you respect, who would
you consider to be your role model?
People I haven’t stopped repecting yet for
their dry, dark and surreal humour (and would like
to be) include
Mark E Smith, a songwriter called John Darnielle (
The Mountatin Goats), Bill Murray and the stand up
comedian
Dylan Moran.
I was reading the list of your
musical influences on myspace, it is similar to mine
except for a lack of The
Smiths,explain!
(I’ve got Mark E Smith though…)
Funny you mention it – as I also play in band
called The Great Admirers whose lead singer (Pat Reid
) wrote a book
on Morrissey- and I have actually been listening to
them quite a bit very recently. But the reason for
the omission is that they hold bad memories for me.
I used to fancy a red-head at art college who loved
Morrissey – just as it seemed she was interested
in me one time we were out clubbing I accidently snogged
her friend and then she went off with a Morrissey
look alike.
Badgers seem to be a reoccurring
theme in the life of my co editor, they tend to pop
up at quite frequent intervals, tell us something
about the laconic badger trap, what's with the
name?
My grandad gave me a stuffed badger when I was really
young (instead of a teddy bear perhaps) and so it
has felt
like my particular animal. The black and white seemed
to suit any image and graphics I wanted to create
so it felt
right. But I had read of acts called the badger
this and that so I skewed it to be the trap rather
than the badger, particularly as I was getting into
the National Badger Groups’ politics ( to do
with culling of badgers who farmers’ suspect
of giving their cattle TB). And laconic which I read
to be curt or rude sort of summed up how I wanted
my songs to sound and how I often behave when I get
excited according to most women who know me well.
And there continues to be a stream of ‘The’
bands- so I thought it was funny to put that in especially
as I am essentially a one man band- and a lot of radio
presenters assume I am a whole band just because I
don’t just use my own name for the act.
I have a friend who builds contraptions
that blow smoke rings, would this fit into the dead
inventive collection?
Is it marketable? Probably not as it serves no solution
to a common problem. It sounds brilliant so yes perhaps
we can hook up.
You mention on the web site
that you are always seeking collaborations, do you
have anything interesting lined up?
Well there is this guy who makes a contraption that
blows smoke rings‚ Kangaroo Kourt has a little funding
to go up to the North East and make connections- so
I hope to devise a show around the people we meet-
although we are going to start working on an idea
to invite people (not necessarily artists ) to jump
off the back roof of Kangaroo Kourt into the substance
off their choice- water if they want although I hope
for a little more imagination. |
