A That's series where we ask a Shanghai-based somebody to tell us 5 Things specific to his or her life.
Luke Brennan is the Shanghai-based artist behind the Shanghai Spectrum Exhibition running from now until April 11 at Craft, as well as the curator of the Art & Bass exhibition at Kulou on April 1. Originally from London, he got into the creative scene by doing street art as a teenager. "It was interesting, to say the least, having to dodge not only trains when doing dubs and throw ups on the track, but also the law!" he tells us. Brennan eventually got more involved with the more conventional side of art, becoming a photographer after his friends encouraged him to pick up the craft due to the high amount of images he took on his smartphone. Brennan, who moved to Shanghai last year, recently launched a WeChat channel dedicated to the Arts called CNCREATE. Each day, CNCREATE (ID: CHINAINSPIRE) highlights someone in the Creative Industry you should get to know.
We spoke with the artist and creative ahead of his presentation at MiXPACE's Madness Talk by the Shanghai Creative Collective on March 25 about his five tips for breaking into Shanghai's burgeoning creative scene.
1. Pick your medium(s) and find your story
It's very important to find a medium that suits you well, whether it's photography, art, installations — whatever it may be. Find your groove and then build a portfolio with a common theme to go along with it. Organize yourself on social media as well, and perhaps build a website or even a WeChat account. That way you can get your artwork across to the public and out there in this big bad world.
2. Meet as many people as possible
It's very important to go out there and meet people, especially in Shanghai, because you never know who you might meet or come across. That person might be someone who will give you an opportunity, or who may want to collaborate in the future. It's always good to work with people who have similar goals as yours because they'll push you by nature, and its always good to have people like that surrounding you.
3. Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate.
Following on from that, it's always recommended to collaborate with others, whether it's cross promotional works or events. Meeting people allows you to ultilize your skills in a different way, and it can also lead to a whole array of opportunites and new leads in other fields you maybe never thought you were suited for. And who knows, it might lead you into something you might have a natural talent for — one that you never realized.
4. Find creative inspiration in Shanghai
Creative inspiration is everywhere in Shanghai. This city is full of museums and art galleries and creative spaces. There are plenty of people in Shanghai who do creative things as well. (Basement 6 is a perfect example of that). If you want to find other creatives who can inspire you, that's the place to be.
5. Go for it
Whatever idea you have or whatever event you want to hold, go for it and reach out to the right people. People here can see talent and are willing to help you achieve your goals if you are willing to work hard and have a vision to build or create something. There are a lot of opportunities here — try to seize them and have a plan or goal into how to reach them. If you're honest and hard-working, people can see that from a mile away.
Brennan is running the "Shanghai Spectrum" exhibition at Craft from now until April 11, as well as the "Art & Bass" exhibition at Kulou on April 1. He'll also be speaking at the Madness Event by the Shanghai Creative Collective at MiXPACE on March 25. Follow CNCREATE on WeChat (ID: CHINAINSPIRE) for daily profiles of Creatives in Shanghai.
For more 5 Things, click here.
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