Jasleen Kaur on her Turner Prize, education and a mural in her honour

The Herald Scotland

10 hours ago

The Glasgow-born artist won the Turner Prize last year and that is just the latest thing she has done since leaving Glasgow for London and the Royal College of Art to study for a master's degree 17 years ago.
To make things even more special for her, the Berkeley Street mural sits near the Gurdwara that she attended at least twice a week when growing up.
The mural has been completed by another GSA graduate in Molly Hankinson, who took inspiration from the Alter Altar installation that made Kaur the youngest nominee and winner of the prestigious art award.
Despite that success, the artist remained in complete disbelief of what was happening, but she admits it is providing her with an opportunity to reignite a relationship with her home city.
Jasleen Kaur and Molly Hankinson in front of the mural (Image: Robert Perry/The Herald)
She said: 'It came as a surprise. I wasn't expecting it at all but what it does is rekindle some relationship with the Glasgow School of Art, which is where I did my undergrad and therefore my connection to the city.
'I moved away 17 years ago so there's something special about those connections being maintained and being cemented in some way.
'The mural also totally came out of the blue. It is being made by an artist called Molly and I was invited to come see it in the morning and it is part of her practice and a series of murals in the city. It is quite a shock to see a massive face of yourself on a building.
'I'm not a fan of being in the spotlight so the idea makes me quite nervous actually, however when I went this morning, I didn't realise it was on Berkeley Street. That is the street where the Gurdwara I went to growing up is on. I'd have been on the street twice a week at least so there's something significant about that in the city.
'It is amazing artists are being given paid opportunities in the city and artworks can be out of galleries and institutions because it's such a barrier for people accessing art. I didn't grow up accessing art, I didn't go into galleries and museums so just seeing it in the street is really important for kids and families and communities.
'It is fun and it is nice to support other artists and what they are doing in the city.'
The Turner Prize award-winning exhibition was at Glasgow's Tramway and combined personal and cultural artefacts such as family photos, a classic Ford Escort draped in a doily, choral voices and bottles of Irn-Bru to reflect on Scottish Sikh identity and communal histories.
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But how has life changed since winning the Turner Prize and being thrust into a spotlight that she admits she is not a fan of?
'It has been such a massive whirlwind', she admitted. 'I was on maternity leave when I was nominated and just when I started installing the show is when I got a bit of childcare in place so a lot has happened in the last year.
'The things that feel really lifechanging is I have support from an amazing gallery and I can take a bit of time out from teaching because I teach part time in an Art University as well.
'Those things when you have your own family and you are working several jobs to make things make sense are fundamental. I don't take it for granted.'
With Kaur admits it has been important for her to continue her work and not worry about working multiple jobs at a time while looking after young kids, aged six and two.
The mural is also something she can show them on return visits to Glasgow, where she admits that she would love to return to on a more permanent basis one day.
She continued: 'It is really odd and that is one of the things I find the hardest to get my head around, what my kids see me doing.
'How much can change in a couple of generations? I get so emotional and sentimental about that because as someone who didn't have access to the arts or the creative industries, I'm really grateful for the education I got because that state funded education was critical for me.
'I do worry about the state of the arts in all bits of education from nursery to higher education. It is because of that education I have access to things so I have to thank.
Jasleen Kaur poses with the mural (Image: Robert Perry/The Herald)
'I moved away to London to study my masters. I was supported by the Scottish Government to study at the Royal College of Art so I moved away young and as these cities do, you build relationships and friendships and networks and you end up staying.
'I'd like to think I'd come back to Glasgow at some point.'
The state-funded education is something she remains passionate about and she insists she would not be where she is in life it was not for that.
That is why she is concerned about the rising costs in education – particularly outwith Scotland where universities remain publicly funded – and is worried it is stopping people from making their mark.
Her own story is an inspiring one and while she finds herself struggling to accept that tag, she admits her story is the perfect example of why state-funded education matters.
She continued: 'I'm not comfortable in that position when so many people are inspiring. I can make a case for what it means to have really good state funded education. I think that's my story. I don't think there is exceptionalism, I don't think it is a fluke or talent, it is being supported and being educated and having the access and there not being a financial barrier.
'Talent is part of it but it is not the whole thing. There's so many extremely talented people who can't get a shoe in and there are extremely untalented people who are at the top so it's not about talent, it's about something else.
'There is amazing alternatives. As universities become unattainable because of financial pressures, especially outside of Scotland, there has been much more alternatives art school models set up. Reach out and apply to those where you could access something for free and go for it. It is your network and your community that will keep you practicing.
'With the way things are going, they are going to be really important alternatives.'