The Future of Art According to Billy Childish

“The art world is the same as the rest of the world,” says British artist, writer, and punk-rocker Billy Childish. “What it requires is new, more, and now.” Childish has worked defiantly and prolifically outside of the mainstream since his expulsion from art school in the early 1980s. To the polymath-whose paintings, poems, novels, and music draw heavily from his autobiography-art is a deeply personal experience that should not rely on external validation, whether from critics or audiences.
From his painting studio located on a historic dockyard in Kent, United Kingdom, Childish speaks passionately about the freedom that comes with self-validation. When asked about his perspective on the future of art, he demurs. “People think we’re continually ascending a mountain to success or to enlightenment,” he says. “It’s here and now and this is it.”
Featuring
Billy Childish
Directed by
Poppy de Villeneuve
What does the future of art look like? How will the role of art evolve in an increasingly digital, global, and image-saturated world? In this series of films, each featuring one creator’s unique vision, Artsy explores where artistic output is headed. Join us as we reflect on the role of tradition in an age of rapid technological advancement, and discuss the potential impact of this new work-from intimate drawings to cutting-edge buildings-on the audiences of the future.
In the past 50 years, the BMW Group has engaged in over 100 cultural projects worldwide-focusing on contemporary and modern art, classical music and jazz, and architecture and design. Click here to learn more about our co-initiatives, including the Future of Art, the BMW Art Journey, and the BMW Art Guide, and follow along @BMWGroupCulture.