The Art Newspaper

“Who was the first artist whose work you loved?”

This is a recurring question asked towards the end of 'A brush with...' interviews to uncover early, formative influences.

“Could you set the scene for how this exhibition came together?”

Used in 'The Week in Art' segments to establish the origin and context of a show before diving into details.

“Can we begin by talking about [materiality/a core concept] in your work?”

Luke often opens interviews with a broad, thematic question to frame the entire conversation around a key pillar of the artist's practice.

“Do you ever deliberately [do something counterintuitive, e.g. muddy a form]?”

Probes the artist's intentionality and willingness to disrupt their own process to achieve a desired effect.

“Do you have to create certain circumstances to let the unconscious voice emerge?”

A follow-up question that seeks the practical, real-world application of a conceptual idea like automatism or intuition.

“You've said [X] is a key idea in your work; can you elaborate?”

This demonstrates prior research and invites the artist to expand on a concept they've previously mentioned in other contexts.

“You've described your subject as history, but is it 'history with a small h'?”

This question, often based on a prior quote, refines a broad theme to get at the specific, personal scale of the artist's focus.

“How does your interest in [psychoanalysis/an external field] relate to your creative process?”

Connects the artist's studio practice to broader intellectual or theoretical frameworks.

“Tell us about the hierarchy of materials in your work.”

This question explores the artist's value system for the physical components of their art, from found objects to traditional media.

“Can you tell us about the unorthodox materials or methods you use?”

Invites the artist to discuss specific, non-traditional techniques that define their practice.

“Do you ever look at your work in black and white to check the tonal relationships?”

A specific, technical question that reveals concrete details about an artist's studio process.