Billy Childish

A cult figure in America, Europe and Japan, Billy Childish is by far the most prolific painter, poet, and song-writer of his generation. In a twenty year period he has published 30 collections of his poetry, recorded over100 full-length independent LP’s and produced over 1250 paintings.

Born in 1959 in Chatham, Kent. Billy Childish left Secondary education at 16 an undiagnosed dyslexic. Refused an interview at the local art school he entered the Naval Dockyard at Chatham as an apprentice stonemason. During the following six months (the artist’s only prolonged period of employment), he produced some six hundred drawings in ‘the tea huts of hell. On the basis of this work he was accepted into St Martin’s School of Art to study painting. However, his acceptance was short-lived and before completing the course he was expelled for his outspokenness and unorthodox working methods. With no qualifications and no job prospects Childish then spent some 12 years ‘painting on the dole’, developing his own highly personal writing style and producing his art independently.

Wikipedia Entry
During the 1980s, Childish was a major influence on the artist Tracey Emin, whom he met in 1982, after his expulsion from St Martin's when she was a fashion student at Medway College of Design. Emin and Childish were a couple till 1986, Emin selling his poetry books for his small press Hangman books. In 1995 she was interviewed in the Minky Manky show catalogue by Carl Freedman, who asked her, "Which person do you think has had the greatest influence on your life?" She replied:
Uhmm... It's not a person really. It was more a time, going to Maidstone College of Art, hanging around with Billy Childish, living by the River Medway.

Her famous "tent" Everyone I have Ever Slept With 1963–1995 (1995) was first exhibited in the show, and Childish's name was displayed prominently in it.

They remained on friendly terms until the formation of the Stuckists group, which offended her and caused a lasting rift. Childish left the Stuckist movement in 2001.

Other Links and Interviews

Billy Childish Web Site

Billy Childish interviewed about Jack White of White Stripes

Stuckism Web Site

Interview 3am Magazine

Interview in Heyoka Kagazine

Thee Billy Childish