The Skinny On... Jeremy Deller
Jeremy Deller, a conceptual artist with a sharp political edge, has been getting ready to 'Meet the Gods'. Ahead of this collaborative performance in Dundee on 24 May, he took on our questions that not even University Challenge could prepare him for
What’s your favourite place to visit and why?
Dundee – you can meet the gods there.
Favourite food and why?
Marmite on toast, no explanation needed.
Favourite colour?
Pink, it’s manly.
Who was your hero growing up?
Worzel Gummidge.
Whose work inspires you now?
The ancients.
What three people would you invite to your dinner party and what are you cooking?
Worzel Gummidge, William Morris and Andrew Weatherall; Marmite on toast.
What’s your all-time favourite album?
The Kinks are the village green preservation society.
What’s the worst film you’ve ever seen?
Of late, The Brutalist.
What book would you take to a desert island?
Albert Speer: His Battle with Truth by Gitta Sereny.
Who’s the worst?
Too many to say.
When did you last cry?
Motörhead playing at the Astoria in 1999.
What are you most scared of?
Paperwork.
Tell us a secret?
Nice try.
If you could be reincarnated as an animal, which animal would it be?
A chameleon.
What’s your favourite plant?
Robert Plant.
What's the most punk thing you've ever done?
In 1975 I was a student at St Martins College studying painting and I was also the events secretary. Some friends I’d been to school with said they were in a band and could they have a go at playing a gig... I agreed as I was always looking for things to put on. They didn't have a name at this point and we sat around at a rehearsal and threw some names over cans of Special Brew, suddenly the words 'Sex Pistols' were mentioned by someone and we all erupted – the gig a week later was a glorious mess, no one had seen anything like it before. I was only nine years old but I knew it was something special even at that age.
Jeremy Deller, 'Meet the Gods', Dundee, 24 May, part of nationwide project The Triumph of Art, marking the bicentenary of the National Gallery
'Meet the Gods' offers a chance to collectively revel with the Roman deity, Bacchus (the patron of the arts and protector of the theatre) and his mythical friends. Art students will demonstrate the power of the Art School to produce collective joy with a showcase taking place in Dundee City Square and Maryatt Hall