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13
Sept
Interview: Jim Moir, aka Vic Reeves, on his Harrogate art exhibition
He may be better known as comedian Vic Reeves, but Jim Moir looked every bit the artist when he visited Harrogate yesterday to launch an exhibition of his work.
Wearing a snazzy jacket and trainers, Moir mingled with guests and talked about his Birdland exhibits on the walls at RedHouse on Cheltenham Mount.
It is the second time his work has gone on display at RedHouse, which has established a reputation for its fresh approach to showcasing contemporary art. The Beatles: Mad Day Out brought stunning photos of the Fab Four to Harrogate in spring this year.
Moir’s reputation as an artist continues to grow, and there’s nothing he likes painting more than birds. His surreal approach to comedy sometimes infuses his art, prompting a Guardian art critic to describe him as the “Warhol of bird painting”, adding his work was “technically excellent”. His passion is captured in the Sky Arts series Painting Birds with Jim and Nancy Moir.
RedHouse visitors can view and buy more than 50 original Moir signed artworks, priced between £850 and £5,000, at the Birdland exhibition.
Speaking to the Stray Ferret shortly before the launch event got underway, the Leeds-born artist said he liked the vibe at RedHouse and enjoyed exhibiting in Yorkshire — partly, he admitted, for pragmatic purposes:
People in Yorkshire like buying paintings. I’ve sold loads here already and the exhibition hasn’t even begun. Yorkshire is the best place, along with Scotland and the south-west. I tell you where they don’t like buying paintings – London. They come and have a look and go and ponce around and have their photograph taken then they clear off and don’t buy anything.
Pic: Robin Clewley
Moir described Harrogate as “the home of the cup of tea”, adding: “When I think of Harrogate I think of scones and tea and nice bricks.” Has he been to Bettys? “I’ve been in the queue.”
Brilliant Brimham Rocks
Somewhere he knows better is Brimham Rocks. And he loves it so much the National Trust could paint his endorsement on one of the rocks.
I think Brimham Rocks is one of the most brilliant places in the world. It’s like a Henry Moore sculpture everywhere you look. Because Henry Moore was from Leeds, he was probably influenced by Brimham Rocks in some way because they are just like amazing Henry Moores.
Brimham Rocks is a sculpture park. It’s a natural sculpture park. I’ve been going there ever since I was a kid. I go there maybe every 10 years now. I just go to have a look and be influenced by weathering rocks.
Jim Moir at his Birdland exhibition at RedHouse. Pic by Ernesto Rogata
Moir’s dad worked for the Yorkshire Post and when he got a job at the Northern Echo the family moved to Darlington. Moir himself moved to London in 1979 and has been based in Kent since 2004. Art, he says, has been his life:
It’s been full-time forever, really. It was a diversion going off and doing acting. It was an extension of my art arm. When I was doing comedy shows, if I had an idea that was an image I could transfer it to a TV screen. I’ve always had art in the TV shows. Now I like being at home and I like being in the studio and not being under any pressure, so I just go into my studio every morning and start working and that’s really nice.
My mum said to me ‘are you ever going to really retire?’ and I said ‘I retired at 21’. I said then I was never going to work for anyone else in my life and I haven’t. I have spent a whole lifetime of retirement and doing what I like doing.
Pic by Ernesto Rogata
Further interviews were lined up at RedHouse last night with BBC Look North and the Mirror as dozens of guests admired and snapped up his work. We asked if he had any final thoughts on Harrogate.
It has a really nice Italian. I don’t know what it’s called. It was excellent – and I’m not that fond of Italian food but this one was excellent.
The restaurant was Stuzzi. Like Brimham Rocks, it has the Moir seal of approval. Judging by the response at last night’s VIP opening, local people feel equally warmly towards him.
Birdland runs at RedHouse on Cheltenham Mount until September 28.
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