1st February 2025
This week, we welcomed Icenian Alumni Max King back to Langley School to speak to our students about his career and life after Langley. He provided valuable insights into making a career in the Arts and his session was well-attended by a range of our Sixth Form students.
In the afternoon, during workshop session with our students, Max also gave each of our art scholars a miniature facade, elements from his work, and asked the pupils to respond by integrating these facades into their work, whilst making a piece about the activities that give them great pleasure. We are proud to offer unique opportunities such as this through our scholarships here at Langley School.
To see his work, Click Here.
We are pleased to include the following interview, which was conducted by Head Girl Lily-Ann H (U6), which outlines Max’s thoughts on education and his career:
Icenian Interview with Max King
Lily Ann-H
On Monday, I had the pleasure of interviewing Max King, a talented artist and Langley Icenian. Max’s work delves into how human behaviour changes and evolves within environments constructed for pleasure, such as casinos and piers. His work offers a unique perspective on escapism and self-control. His newest works, Pier #1, Pier #2, and Pier #3 dive into how these spots let us escape reality and guide our actions. Our conversation explored his journey as an artist, his creative processes, and the influences that have shaped his unique style of sculpture.
Reflecting on his time at Langley, Max shared that he did not initially envision a career as an artist. However, art remained a constant presence in his life, and he felt fortunate to have access to the school’s facilities, which provided him with a creative outlet and unwavering support. He never gravitated towards an academic subject and was surprised by the amount of writing and research needed for his degree. Initially aspiring to pursue fashion, Max undertook a foundation year after sixth form, which was instrumental in discovering his true passion. This experience led him to complete a BA in Graphic Design, followed by an MA in Sculpture at the Royal College of Art.
Max explained how his foundation year was completely portfolio-based, and his was a compilation of work from his time at Langley. He had to show what kind of artist or designer he wanted to be, something he found difficult as a young A Level student. He said that the interview for the foundation year was much harder than the one for his Master’s, as it was a group interview, which he found disconcerting. Having overcome these struggles, Max said that his foundation year set him up for his current career, as the diagnostics week led him to apply for a specialism in fashion communication, which consequently set him up for his BA in Graphic Design.
Whilst speaking on his time at Langley, Max said that whilst everything he experienced shaped his artistic journey, he cannot pinpoint any specific moments. He had not always been the most well-behaved student, but that rebellious streak carried into his work, which is designed to push boundaries and get a reaction. His pieces Peir #1, Peir #2 and Peir #3 are all taken from his personal life and are narrative-driven, often challenging institutions and ideas. One example is his critique of the National Lottery, where he uses satire to highlight its controversies.
Looking back, Max wishes he had paid more attention to A Level psychology, as the research and writing skills he overlooked back then now play a big role in his work. He also regrets dropping a language so quickly, especially since he travels frequently for work and is often surrounded by people who can speak many languages. However, these missed opportunities have made him more aware of the value of education beyond the classroom.
Max’s advice for students who want to make it in the world of art is to “go with the flow of your work and create whatever you want”. He said that you will figure out what direction your work will go in naturally, without having to overthink it. However, it takes a lot to persuade others that your work is good, so do not let it get you down if not everyone likes your projects, own it. Art is a hugely niche subject says Max, but that is what makes the industry so incredible to work in, as he has made lifelong friends and has been able to learn from mentors and experts in the field.
I asked Max how he creates his pieces and what is the creative practice behind each one. He used his recent work ‘Paradise’ as an example of his process. Thinking about how and why people are drawn to places like casinos, Max’s research led him to find out that Vegas casinos like the Flamingo pump scents into the rooms to entice people into staying and therefore spending more money. He found the specific scent that the casino used and built a machine around it using what he calls ‘found material’ and here he used an old slot machine as the main body of this piece.
Max’s aspiration for his career now he has finished his MA is to develop a new body of work that will hopefully be picked for a gallery or showing next year. He is currently focusing on building on his recent work, as he knows that the time after your MA is overwhelming for many artists as there are often people clamoring for your work to be sold or shown, whereas Max is going to focus solely on creating this year, and by doing so get people on board with his work and make friendships with people with similar mindsets and aspirations as he does.
One A Level art student asked Max “With the foundation and its intensity levels, what kept you inspired?” Max replied that it was a good form of intensity, as he was overly excited to go in every day and try new mediums and methods. There were a lot of one-day projects, which were very experimental, to keep people active and involved. One example he used was when he and five other students had to be in a room for 48 hours and had to create a piece of work together, working with each other’s different techniques and methods.
Finally, three questions for our Icenian guests:
What advice would you give 18-year-old Max before heading into the workplace?
Max said that he would tell 18-year-old him to keep your head up and just keep going. Perseverance is key, and you should not let people get you down because they do not understand or do not like your work, as you do not create for them, you create for yourself.
What skill or ability do you have (or wish you had!) that has been most valuable in your career to date?
Max believes that logical thinking is the most valuable skill he has developed throughout his career, especially in the business aspect of his work. While creativity drives his art, having a structured and strategic mindset has helped him navigate in industry, make smart decisions, and manage the more practical aspects of being an artist.
Standing where you are now, what is the most important lesson you have learned?
Max said that his most important lesson was to stay true to himself and not let others change his mind. In an industry where opinions are everywhere, he has found that staying confident in his vision and beliefs is key to creating meaningful work and maintaining artistic integrity.
We love to stay in contact with all our alumni, whether it be arranging a visit, inviting you to share your professional experience with our pupils, or hosting you at one of our events.
Mr Jon Kempton, Director of External Relations, would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact him at jkempton@langleyschool.co.uk
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