An interview with culture magazine Totally Dublin supporting the Cassette Versus Vinyl exhibition at Ebow Gallery, Dublin.
Perhaps best known as the bassist with 2 tone and ska legends The Specials, Horace Panter has also garnered a reputation in creating pop art. He discusses the confluence of the two in his life.
Your interest in Fine Art proceeded your involvement with The Specials. And you’re still involved in both. Is there a natural balance between the two and how do they inform each other?
I’ve always believed that pop art was to the art world what punk rock was to the music world so in a lot of ways I really relate the creativity of art and music very closely together.
If you take the abstract impressions and the deep secrets of philosophical thought that swept the nation and then recognise how anarchy just blew everything out the water, it’s easy to see how the two go hand in hand. It’s a tenuous but conceptual link I think.
The way that I deal with my art especially in terms of marketing its very similar to music in a way.
If you have a great band you don’t keep them hidden away in practicing in a studio do you? No, you unleash them on the world. I feel similarly practical and pragmatic about art. Many people believe that to make money from art is impure and that you should wile away your days starving in a garret – I don’t. I love the work that I do and how others receive it.
You’re bringing your artist friends, Morgan Howell and Chris Barton, along to this exhibition also. In what capacity?
… continue reading at http://www.totallydublin.ie/arts-culture/artsdesk-cassettes-vs-vinyl-horace-panter/