We chat to artist Rachel Maclean

Have you ever thought about what your 1990s self would think about you constantly looking at a device, whether it’s your phone or your tablet and checking for how many likes you’ve got for the latest picture of your cat, your dinner or your inner ear? Can you remember what life was like before social media took over our lives.

Whether your weapon of choice is Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or all three, HOME’s new exhibition, “Wot u : -) about?” by multimedia artist Rachel Maclean looks at our relationship between our real self and our online persona in a refreshing and fascinating way.

Canal St Online’s Chris Park caught up with Rachel on the eve of the opening.

Tell me about the exhibition

It’s a new work for this year, it is one body of work but similar to my previous work in a way. I play all the characters, I wrote the script and used voice actors and then I mime to them. I enjoy taking on new identities. We shot everything on green screen and added the background. The film and print were put together in post-production.

The themes are similar to my past works, looking at our identity on the internet and data management. I am interested in how we create an identity online which is an idealised version of who we are and the anxiety involved in maintaining that. We have to keep updating it and acquiring likes.

When did you begin work on it?

I wrote the script at the beginning of the year. I had a residency in Texas, the hot environment inspired me and then we shot it in Glasgow.

What is the process from initial concept to exhibition?

I had the ideas in my head for a while. I try and have a larger sense of the theme and edit out bits that don’t work and maybe save those for another project. I have a clear thematic of where I want to go.

Tell me about your background.

I graduated from the Edinburgh College of Art in 2009. I did a course on painting and culture but discovered green screen and made videos in my bedroom and then built on this. I then found opportunities out of college to develop my skills.

How excited are you to represent Scotland at the Venice Biennule?

I am really excited and really honoured, I am looking forward to being in Venice. It is an interesting context to represent my national identity in a time of Brexit. It will be brand new work, film work, it will be show in San Catorina which is an old church space. It is a very different place for me. It is an interesting change from designing this exhibition space in HOME to fitting in with a Venetian church.

In this world of arts cuts, what do you think the future will hold?

Places like HOME are a positive representation of art within a city and how a city supports it. HOME make art accessible to the public not just the art community. The gallery belongs to the people.

There is a danger of government cuts affect artists and the potential to make art, you have to do it because you love making art and have a compulsion to make art. The art world can be fickle.

You are a multimedia artist, what draws you to this world?

For me it is exciting. Technology that is available on a home computer is more than even 10 years ago. Kids do workshops now for green screen.

Are you nervous before an opening?

A wee bit. I am very excited about this, it is a big process pulling everything together but it is really satisfying having it complete. People’s reactions make me nervous.

What has been the best feedback you have received on your work?

I like it when people find it funny and disturbing, I like it too when I meet younger people who are inspired by my work and it might open them up to art.

It people were to take one thing away from the exhibition, what would you like it to be?

My work deals with subjects we commonly experience in everyday life such as popular culture and social media. I would like the next time someone liked something on Facebook that they think of the film and question what they are doing.

Wot u : -) about is open now until Sun 8^th January 2017. Please visit www.homemcr.org for more information.

By Chris Park for Canal St Online

Published: 3-Nov-2016: (3973)