by the Artist & Creative Director, Keith Khan.
Art is more than just a thing, it is an experience, and as a dedicated artist who has been involved in numerous projects at an international level, I am reminded that my work, whether it is an opera, carnival or film, exists for the people and speaks on behalf of people. I feel passionately about the role Art plays in society and my greatest fear is that my legacy as an artist will be lost, boxed up and forgotten, when society has given me so much – I want to give back! Over the years, I have created hundreds of projects, and in that process I have accumulated many things.
Two big events happened that changed my relationship to materials, and why I think #hex is an important innovation. Firstly, about 20 years ago, I had a fire and all of my work was destroyed. Secondly, the Victoria and Albert Museum recently took a range of my materials and costumes, and they are currently assembling an archive of my work. From sketches to newspaper cuttings, design documents to funding applications, photographs promotional material and marketing… a collection like this is so much more than just a personal archive. It tracks the visibility of certain communities, it’s my legacy. It’s a treasure chest that tells my story, and the story of all the people involved in all of the projects we created together, highs and lows, the breakthroughs and turning points.
From a broader perspective it has cultural importance, my sketches and notes frame every work of art, exhibition, show or live event in a process of artistic practise, that speaks volumes about the techniques and materials we used, how people came together to create it and their common values.
I imagine using #hex to expand the meaning and content of a static archive and I expect it will bring these stories to life and share experiences with others. I can see #hex as a way people could listen or discover this archive in real-time and in a real-space and experience my work it in a much deeper way. #hex is a creative tool I could use in any new project, once you have a #hex all you need to do is the free #hexology app to get started.
It’s inspiring to see how #hex empowers independent artists to reach out to their audience and invite them on a journey into an immersive experience and what that experience is, depends on the artist and the legacy they wish to create.
#Keith Khan
#keithkhanlondon