Interview with Phil White, Radio Humberside

Hi Phil! Well, this is the end of my third full day here, I’ve got my 300 year old house (with a little bit of wildlife waiting for me to get home at night.. , I continue to be amazed at the whole set up…. It seems to be a real community.

As one of the International artists, visits overlap. The two German artists helped me settle in, showed me the canteen and how to ask for ‘just a little’ of things that I was not too sure of. They have gone back to Germany overland, via Mongolia and the trans Siberian express (which they came here on to avoid flying). We have an Australian arriving next week, an American later in the month, and there are artists from all over China as well.

How did I feel when I arrived here?

Very looked after, but also very nervous that I am going to be able to create some artwork that is equal to what they do here. If you imagine a Chinese David Hockney, he would have his work printed here! It is really famous in China and they have tours around the village so people come into a glass bowl shaped area to look into what is happening.

Was the village a surprise?

Yes. I was lucky to have visited China very recently with my partner, on our holiday of a lifetime, and here I was back again, in a completely protected environment, with security guards dotted all over and people seem happy to smile and say hello. It has its own museum of printmaking, just beyond my house, and a field of lotus blossom which I pass 4 times a day,

And the print base?

Well the technicians here are masters of their trade. They are printing ‘editions’ of maybe a hundred with 30 colour changes on each. Each time they are matching by eye, and printing by hand. I make that 3,000 times for one edition. Of course the print may be sold for a few hundred or even a thousand pounds each, but they all have to be identical. The technicians will come back after their day has finished to help or check all is ok. I use my hands to talk a lot.

Was there anything you wished you had brought with you from home?

Well I think they have everything here, but I never know how to ask for it, I draw a lot of pictures!

It must be quite different to working in a European country?

Yes it is, I would love to know more about how the technicians get to work here, they are not local but from all over China I think, and they are always polite even when it is obvious they are under pressure to complete a job. If you ask for something they sort it out straight away. I worry I am disturbing them so try and be independent. Then when I need them to help I won’t have asked too much already.

What about England – are there similar places here?

I know there are fine art printers who do print Hockney's work, the same sort that printed a lot of the Warhols in the Ferens at the moment. Here at the printmaking base itself where we can work 24 hours around the clock, has just about everything an artist needs, and they offer residencies. I don’t think they do that in the UK.

Technicians?

They seem to work incredibly hard… in this temperature we have the air conditioning in our studios, but the heat hits you when you work into the workshop…each sort of print has its own team and we never see anyone refuse to do something, look grumpy or be anything but completely focussed.

How do you think the expectations of the people who run this match what you want to get out of it?

The printbase want us to produce a couple of really good prints. We want to work non stop because it is so incredible to have this sort of amenity.

What do you take away from Guanlan?

I already think it is fantastic. I would be more prepared but you never know how things will be.

Has it changed your work or you?

We will see...

And what about the food… how has your diet been modified… are you healthier?

The canteen are very kind supplying a choice of chopsticks or forks. I try my best to eat politely with chopsticks – practice makes perfect we say in England. Oh and no bread or sandwiches, although I liked the steamed bread rolls yesterday, a bit like suet pudding but smoother. I just ask for a little of everything. My new best friends are cabbage and rice as I can see exactly what they are, although they did have fried eggs for breakfast this morning. You never know what to expect. It is a new experience not to have to shop for food, carry it home and cook it, for a whole month. Just eat 3 hot meals a day!

Would you want to come back?

Depends if I can get used to the wildlife in my house I think. I may have to shop for something if they start having parties! I think I would want to even though I have only just arrived!!

Where next then?

Come and see what I have done when I get home (I really start working hard on the printing from next Monday!!)