Cultural Life: Gillian Wearing, artist
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Your support makes all the difference.Visual Arts: I saw a really great show of Wolfgang Tillmans at the Serpentine Gallery. I saw Wolfgang's first show at Maureen Paley back in 1993. It really wasn't like anything I had seen before; casual images pinned to the wall, with tenuous links between them. Wolfgang has continued being experimental without losing that lightness of touch, and always keeping that sense of humanity.
Music: Although I no longer go to concerts I still like the sound of groups who I imagine make great stadium rock. Muse are such a group who I've been listening to for six years. They give me the nostalgia I had for Radiohead who I saw at Brixton Academy in 1995, and going further back than that, Queen (below), who I still listen to. I still wish my parents had let my sister and I travel to London to be in the "We Are the Champions" pop video.
Books: 'Changing Perspectives in Literature and the Visual Arts 1650-1820', by Murray Roston. I picked it off the book shelf recently. I've been meaning to read it for many years. I have half attempted to read it, then put it down.
Television: I have seen 'The Wire' and 'Mad Men' on DVD. I like 'Come Dine with Me', 'The X Factor' and 'Strictly Come Dancing'.
Films: I confess to not have seen many this year due to work. British comedy 'In the Loop' and 'Precious', based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire, are both really good, well cast and brilliantly acted. I also had the privilege at looking at quite a few artist-made films for the Jarman Award, as I'm on the jury to select the shortlist.
Gillian Wearing's film 'Self Made' has its UK premiere tomorrow at the Abandon Normal Devices Festival (www.andfestival.org.uk) and screens on 14 & 15 October at the London Film Festival. She is on the jury of the Film London Jarman Award; winner announced on 5 October
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