Alison Jackson's latest exhibition, "Seeing Is Deceiving", is at Hamiltons Gallery, London W1, from 16 April
1 Does art make a difference?
It's a personal thing: art can either give people great aesthetic pleasure or provoke intense and heated debate.
2 Should politics and art mix?
It depends on the artist. Some produce art for art's sake, and others make clear political or social statements. Both types of art are equally valid. A successful artist has a great opportunity to reach a wide audience, and therefore if they have political leanings they have a great platform to spread their views. I would say my work is tongue-in-cheek with a sense of humour, rather than overtly political.
3 Is your work for the many or for the few?
Popular culture is a direct influence on my work, and that means it has mass appeal. There are also hidden complexities designed to provoke thought and debate. I would like to make people think about the superficiality of the celebrity- and image-obsessed world we live in. The desperate obsession with fame means that the divide between fantasy and reality becomes ever more blurred.
4 If you were world leader, what would be your first law?
I would free Tibet and reinstate the Dalai Lama in his rightful home.
5 Who would be your top advisers?
Sir Bob Geldof, Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama.
6 What, if anything, would you censor?
Nothing. I believe in freedom of speech. It is the best thing about living in a democracy.
7 If you had to banish one public figure, who would it be?
George W Bush.
8 What are the rules that you live by?
Be bold, be true to yourself, and carpe diem!
9 Do you love your country?
I love England, and especially London, for its incredible variety of restaurants, galleries and museums, and for the friends that I have here. I also spend a lot of time in LA, which is equally inspirational for my work because of its popular culture.
10 Are we all doomed?
We certainly need to pay more attention to the future of our planet before we ruin it irreparably. But to say we're doomed seems a bit drastic.
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