Sketch-O-Matic

2011-2015

Artist

2015
Sketch-O-Matic v.III
HOME, Manchester

2012
Sketch-O-Matic v.II
Cornerhouse, Manchester

2011
Sketch-O-Matic v.I
Cornerhouse, Manchester

Sketch-O-Matic was created to trigger discussion around the financial value of a unique creative act, exchange charity with patronage and highlight the role of the citizen philanthropist. It was conceived during a period when private donation, also referred to as ‘The American Model’, was explicitly discussed within UK parliament debate as the preferred future for arts funding.

The almost-instant portrait booth mimics its photographic cousins, but where the machinery should be is a tiny artist studio, staffed on a rota across x3 ten-day residences by 150+ artists, illustrators, cartoonists, poets and wordsmiths, squashed within a literal sweatbox of creative industry.

The public were invited to sit inside the booth as if for a photograph and make a minimum donation of £1 in the symbolic exchange of gold to an artist through an anonymous slot in return for a self-portrait. Wait five minutes (give or take) and the image would appear. It could be a pencil drawing, doodle, cartoon, collage or even a word-poem. Take it, frame it, consider it. Now you are both patron and muse!

The queues became a sensation in themselves, snaking outside the building, as sitters became addicted to collecting as many portraits from as many different artists as possible.

Thank you to all those artists who took part, and especially to the couple who became engaged after the resident artist was tipped to surprise the bride-to-be (spoiler alert - she said yes) with a picture of herself and her partner in wedding attire.

Please note - this project is now retired