ARTISTS TALKING
Visual art exhibitions and events with a platform for critical writing
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Andrew Maclean
Andrew Maclean is one of three graduates from the 2003 a-n Magazine degree show reviews feature ’School’s out’ who hav given updates on their practice in ’School reunion’ as part of 2009 Degrees.
Fresh from graduation, after only a few weeks on the dole, I started to work for a major bank in a call centre. This, I told myself, was only a summer job! Of course, it was years longer, but while working for 'The Man', I also got involved with Generator Projects, an artist-run space in Dundee which is reliant solely on volunteers. I became a committee member in 2004, and Chairperson in 2005. Any thoughts of leaving for the bigger cities (as most of my year at college had done immediately) began to subside as I realised what Dundee had was an art community with a real sense of 'community'. It was small, but as a result it made it easier to ask for something for nothing or favours for favours. Artists here are genuinely supportive and helpful and it was the perfect place for my uncertain self to begin developing a brass neck – extremely useful if you are project managing anything. If you can't develop a brass neck, why not tackle another biological metaphor? You could try increasing your nerve or exposing your cheek or growing some balls. You can start by adding the phrase "...but we can't afford to pay you" to the end of a request! I strongly believe that everyone should be...
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