For his exhibition, The Wonderful World at 28 Redchurch Street Gerard Rancinan has answered our Tools Of My Trade questions.

What tools couldn’t you live without in your work? 

I am a photographer so obviously my most important tool in my camera.  I couldn’t create my pictures without it.  It also has to be a nice, good-quality camera.  Also, I need many assistants and a large studio which is filled with lots of propos to be used on the sets of my photos.

What inspires you?

TV inspires me, radio inspires me, people in the street inspire me, magazines inspire me….  I take inspiration from daily life, from everything around me.

What motivates you?

My motivation is to make an impression on the maximum number of people and to give across the right messages that the public can relate to.  Working for so many years at the big magazines, I learned a great deal about the importance of making an immediate impact. When you turn the page of a magazine you have two seconds to explain the message to the viewer, otherwise you’ve failed. They shouldn’t need to have to sit there for 10 minutes trying to post-rationalize for themselves what your ‘high concept’ might have been. This is the essence of the work I’m producing today, yet I’m still always talking about contemporary issues. It’s still editorial work.

What would you be doing it wasn’t art?

Nothing – I can’t imagine not doing this.  I started taking photos when I was around 15 years old.  I didn’t particularly enjoy school and my father knew we needed to find something creative and challenging to engage me. I started as an apprentice at a newspaper, and straight away I knew it was for me – always outside, always able to use my imagination. It was exactly what I needed, and still today it’s what I need. I count my blessings every morning.  There is nothing else that I could do.