AJ: You’re right the YBA’S are kind of elitist and they are firmly part of the establishment. The Stuckists have always been on the fringe which right now is probably sexier. Yes I think if you examine both sides of the coin as it were there are undoubtedly cross over’s because we’re all Human at the end of the day, and we share the same violent, sex crazed unfathomable planet. And yeah just like the Mods and Rockers there are two distinct styles. The YBA style on the whole is more in your face like a petulant child it will use all the tricks in the book to get your attention - NOW. The Stuckists could be likened to the Mods if only for our love of soul. That’s our magic trick we have Soul the YBA’S tend to leave people a bit dead in the water. Stuckists work on the premise of the After Shock we’ll suck you gently into a painting and before you know it you can feel it. Stuckism is achingly personal and that’s why the Art is so stark in contrast and to some so unfashion. It’s because a Stuckist will consume themselves before ever thinking of the consumer. Whilst the YBA will think what’s cool what’s current what’s going to get me attention and money. It’s all a bit contrived and people are not stupid.

JL: Do you think there is a possibility that these two groups could merge or metamorphosise into something different or new at some point? Like Hegelian dialectics, thesis, antithesis, and synthesis?

AJ: I think there is already a Synthesis it’s just not been officially recognized because of the Establishment. They are the money men after all they control the market and that market would shift if people could see the importance of Stuckism in both it’s similarities (Emin, Vine) and differences to the YBA’s. You have 2 extraordinary movements running alongside each in antithesis for the best part of the 90’s and today and no one will explore or validate the Hegelian Dialectics. It’s a fucking missed opportunity but it will happen in the future and they’ll look back on the Establishment and think they were being short sighted (and the rest). However all of this Stuckism as outsiders stuff will go down well in Art history when like I said in the future the Synthesis happens and the Market extends to include Stuckist work. YBA Collectors will one day start to wake up and realise that if you have a YBA how can you not then have a Stuckist piece.

JL: Do you think there are some subjects or taboos out there that should not be transgressed in art?

AJ: Well that question reminds me of a little chat I had with Charles Thomson before embarking on my Disney inspired suicide bomber painting! – He made me aware of my Inner Policeman and the mission should I choose to accept it would be to make the decision to either listen to the cop or listen to myself.  As a stuckist I listen to myself no matter how painful or mundane that voice is – no doubt it’s spilled onto canvas at one point. I mean I have even painted a piece because I was sick at seeing these Mascara Ads claiming they were the best product and what not – only to see a little bit of text in the corner disclaiming the use of false eyelashes in the adverts! That’s how ‘The Best Fucking Mascara Ever’ painting came about which I painted on the floor of my living room whilst watching Educating Rita with my mum – I’m not sure if that will enlighten you to my practice but there you have it! – So No as artist there’s no unmapped territory anyhow – paint what you friggin’ like it’s probably been done before anyway!

JL: Do you believe in the stuckist manifesto that anything other than painting should not be considered art?

AJ: That’s difficult for me as I personally count art as beauty and yeah beauty is in the eye of the beholder so anything that doesn’t touch or inspire me I pretty much discount as a waste of space.

JL: Is there any kind of conceptual art work that you like?

AJ: Probably lots the one thing that springs instantly to mind is Rebecca Horn’s concert for Anarchy. I just love it.

JL: Which artists or kinds of shows inspire your work?

AJ: Gothic Nightmares’ at the Tate Britain a few years back was incredibly exciting and inspiring for me – The huge show exhibited a wide range of Gothic and Romantic work from Fuseli to Blake.

JL: I read about this interesting peace activist Michael Haw and this artist Mark Wallinger recreating your painting as part of his installation at the Tate. Im a bit surprised he did not create a piece on the stuckists protesting Sir Nicholas Serota and the Turner prize as well to go along with it. What did that feel like seeing your work recreated as a part of this 'State Britain? installation and wining the Turner prize for it?

AJ: The painting had a bit of a history before it eventually wound up in Wallingers Installation. As I mentioned I painted it as part of my Final Major in 2002 which nearly cost me my qualification and when I graduated I exhibited it in this Private Members club called The Wellington in Knightsbridge. It’s kinda weird the piece should end up there as Damian Hirst is good friends with the Owner Jake.

Hirsts work features heavily throughout so my work was next to his at one point which was a surreal experience apparently he liked it but more importantly the timing was crucial as a lot of wealthy Arabs patted the club on the back for putting up such an anti Government piece just weeks before the War. Eventually I took the piece back and it lived under my double bed for a longtime until I moved house. Well we had a huge white van and I admired Brian so much and thought his Peace Camp would be a perfect final resting place for my painting. Then the next I heard the Met in a Dawn Raid had chucked my Painting along with other placards and pieces including Bankys work into a Skip. 

Then a few months later a cloak and dagger email arrives in my inbox from the Tate. I thought it was a bit weird to stage Brian’s Peace Camp in a musty gallery like Tate Britain –it’s hardly an anti establishment kind of a place. Wallinger was being very YBA by looking at Brian and thinking shit that’s cool wish I’d thought of something like that, Hang on a minute I’m a totally rich and cool artist I’ll stick my name on it and whack it in the Tate. have mixed feelings about State Britain. It was good because it raised Brian’s profile and spread his message. But it was totally out of context and a bit daft as a conceptual piece. Peace Camp worked in its real life environs. That was the point; it was this shabby organic eyesore with heart and soul that was blotting the austere grounds of Parliament. It was Genius it was cult. Then Wallinger won the Turner prize and then I thought to myself so fucking what. Just one tatty bit of card from the original Camp with someone’s heart felt message of peace scrawled on to it - now that really means something.

JL: Why do you think the reason is that the stuckists have not been included in the Tate gallery yet or have "not been nominated for a Turner prize?

AJ: I kind of touched on this earlier, But basically if we were included in the Tate we would become officially validated and the market/synthesis would open. And I don’t know anyone in the Stuckist’s not even Charles who’s that well connected to get Nominated for a Turner Prize! I’d like to think any self respecting Stuckist would tell the Turner prize to do one if they were asked though.

JL: Do you think an artist has a responsibly to address social issues  with their work?  Or do you think artists are above all of that sort of thing?. What are your feelings about what's going on in the world? Things like this war in Iraq, Afghanistan. The banks and financial system going bankrupt?

AJ: I think an artist has a responsibility to him/herself to address their own truths and if they feel strongly about a particular social issue then they would be corrupt if they didn’t express that. When it comes down to my own personal view on war I can see the different angles to the plot and I sympathize with what freedom fighters from both sides of the conflict want. We’re all flirting with the devil here and it’s the lack of understanding that will see this ever widening culture gap swallow us up whole. I can’t see an end to it and that makes me frustrated but above all sad. As far as the Recession goes I just hope it doesn’t turn into a depression if it does they will have to keep the price down on Booze and Fags otherwise people will never survive it.

JL: Where do you think things are heading in the art world?  Do you think the art market is going to collapse like these corrupt insider trading banks that have been swindling people?

AJ: It won’t collapse but what’s happening at the moment means it’s a buyers market so if your committed to long term investment buy now while it’s cheaper and play the time game.

JL: Can you please tell me about your creative process and how you work? Do you primarily work from photos?

AJ: I always start with an idea if I don’t have that I don’t paint. The concept is then usually expressed through a figure or central object. I never plan paintings, I paint straight on. I’m very intuitive I let the process consume me. I just let go and see where I’m headed when I take a fag break, that’s when I come out of the storm and take stock with a fag and some form of lubricant. There’s always music to suit my mood in the background that helps the flow. ;

JL: What else are you working on these days?

AJ: I’ve just come back from Turkey and I kind of gave myself up to Love for a while. Now I’m back home I have no distractions so I’m going back to the Drawing board as it were...

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