Paul Clements

As a child I had much personal trauma and later gravitated towards helping people more generally, especially those with the greatest need, working as a youth and community worker and teacher, facilitating people's creativity, thinking and writing. I have been involved in many community art and music projects. I taught myself to play musical instruments, especially the guitar and piano, and although I pursued science subjects at school as was the case for young boys, I managed to finish a degree in art history and anthropology. Only later did I teach myself to draw and paint and still paint for commission.

I have worked as an astrological consultant and taught with the Company of Astrologers. Later I was employed as an evaluator and moderator of art and social science courses before working in Higher Education at several different London universities teaching cultural, sociological and media areas. I spent many years working on the psychiatric wing of a prison whilst operating as a jobbing musician in the funk/jazz field. My focus now is on writing, researching and exploring ideas and theories and their application to the arts and culture.

I enjoy researching and writing about the arts and completed a PhD on the relationship between social and cultural inclusion and exclusion, which included primary research into prison arts projects in the UK. Professional expertise has included trustee work for The Other Side Gallery and those artists with mental health issues, as well as being on the board for Not Shut Up magazine for prisoner's writing. My writing revolves around my interests and I have written many academic journal articles and books around issues of exclusion, humour and authenticity in literature and the arts. I have also reviewed journal articles and books. You can access my research online at: Browse by Goldsmiths authors: Clements, Paul

In my spare time I spend much time enjoying the visual culture of London in all its variety and continue to follow my interest in alternative ideas and the occult. I love food whether cooking or eating, and look forward to more researching and writing, as well as travelling around the world, especially Europe.