21. TrooRa The Special Art Issue '23 - Belfast

turned your back on it. All you’ve done to become an artist. How can someone like you turn your back on art?” That’s all it took to get Mansfield back in the world he loved so much. “She got me back into art,” he acknowledged. “Yeah, brilliant.” With Emin’s encouragement, he approached his workplace for permission to paint a massive 12x30-foot wall. This marked the rekindling of his artistic career and his return to the art world. “As a person, whenever I feel a bit embarrassed about something, my instinct is to not show it,” he admitted. “And then something inside me says, ‘No, fuck it. Go for it.’” Today, Gary Mansfield is not only an accomplished artist and curator but also the host of the “Ministry of Arts Podcast,” possibly the world’s most inclusive art podcast. He engages with artists in his unique, authentic style, breaking down the barriers of art elitism, proving that art is for everyone. His journey from prison bars to art galleries, from rejection to redemption, is a testament to the transformative power of art in reshaping one’s life. Gary Mansfield’s story is an inspiration for all, reminding us that no matter where life takes us, we have the power to change, to rediscover our passions, and to reclaim our identities.

@MIZOGART

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