Diana Ali

Diana Ali was born in Rusholme, Manchester, but lived in Bangladesh from age 2, to age 6. They then returned to Eccles, Greater Manchester where Diana had to re-learn everything in English. In an article by Sajidah Ahmad, she recalls being asked to paint a house in art, but as she had only just moved back, Diana did not know what she was being asked, nor did she know what an english house looks like. She proceeded to smear black paint on the paper, and was later told off by the teacher. Diana regards this as the first time she used her art as a form of communication, which would later become a recurring theme in her work. 

She got into Manchester Metropolitan University to do a foundation art course and later into Nottingham Trent University for a BA (Hons) in Fine Art, where she experimented with different materials to create art. This started because she could not afford ordinary materials, but she developed it because she realised she like the feel of the materials in her hands, and the way the smell of her work would draw the audience in first, and then they could see them visually. 

Spiced

                      

When she left for uni, her parents sent her off with spices to use for cooking. However, as she could not afford art materials, she used these spices to 'paint' with. She stated that these were placed in a dark corner of the studio at uni whilst she worked on other projects, and you could smell them as soon as you walked in. People would follow the scent until they found them, and this idea of drawing in the audience with something other than the visual stuck with her. 

Chocolate Triptych

      

The use of chocolate for these paintings takes advantage of the unpredictability of the medium, and the combinations of the application methods (mixing, melting, sprinkling, and blending) to produce such different outcomes. I asked her how she preserved these works, and she said that she didn't. In fact, she left them outside in the garden and let nature take its course. Over time animals ate away at the materials and the sun bleached away any remnants, leaving all the canvases to revert back to their original white appearance. She said that this process reminded her that nothing is permanent, and so not to get too attached to paintings or other artworks as something may go wrong, get damaged, or even go missing. I like that way of thinking as it lets you 'let go' and not get so emotional over something that may not work out. 

Post-Authorship

For this project, Diana collaborated with artists, writers, and 'thinkers' from opposite parts of the world, to 'translate and exchange the verbal into the visual, the local to the global in an exploration of collaborative postcard collecting and interchanging'. Each participant was asked to write down a quote on a blank postcard which was then passed onto someone in a different country who interprets the quote visually on the reverse side of the same postcard. The postcards were then sent back to Diana to create a huge collaborative work.

Unfortunately, due to the post systems, many of these postcards were lost in the mail. This then led her to make a 'Post-Authorship' Poster, which she then sent to 10 remote post offices in the world in hopes for a response. Non of these offices gave her a response, maybe due to the posters not being received, or them just not writing back to her. This poster was made up of all the postcards which were lost, as each card was photographed (so she could have a record of them) before being posted, and so there was a record of them existing, rather than them being entirely lost. She stated the 'Art isn't art unless somebody sees it', and I love this view as many artists, myself included, make art within the comfort of our own home and are too scared to show it to anybody. This view highlights the fact that although you may be scared, or it was made for yourself, there shouldn't be anything stopping you from sharing your work, and to not be afraid of it. 

TV

Diana has appeared on a few tv programs on BBC1,2,4 and Channel 4. After her appearance on the BBC show, The Big Painting Challenge, she shared how people would come up to her and say how the show inspired them to take up art again. She hopes that by doing these shows, art will seem within reach to those who want to pursue it, as well as bringing art to audiences who otherwise wouldn't have access to it. 'There are so many artists out there who think they can't do it and end up going into other careers and regretting it later'. 

TV Shows:

    The Big Painting Challenge - BBC 1

    Life Drawing Live - BBC 4

    Drawers Off - CH 4

    Inside Museums (which she wrote and presented) - BBC 4

Advice

When Diana spoke to us, she highlighted a couple of things which would help us with our future careers: a good website, and business cards. 

When people look into artists, they make take a passing glance at an instagram page or a blog, but having a website gives you a better sense of professionalism that you can't get otherwise. Potential galleries or curators can find your website with all your artworks, exhibitions and artists statement and get a much better idea abut who you are and what you make than what they could get from a few photos on instagram. 

She also mentioned business cards. She noted that business cards may seem outdated now, but as well as adding a sense of professionalism it also increases your chances of the person you talked to will remember your name. People nowadays may give out their instagram handle, but if its not searched straight away, the person may forget you name, and never see you work, or if they search you up right away, they may see the odd photo on their feed but that's it. When you give someone a business card however, they may stick it in their bag or pockets, but when they come across that card again, they'll remember you all over again, ad they are move likely to look into you further, and for future opportunities.