Collaboration and creativity play an enormous part of bringing a TEDx event to life. We're really pleased to have internationally acclaimed artist Hetain Patel.
Hetain describes his work as: "I make photographs, videos, sculptures and live performances, usually for galleries and theatres. They have also appeared on the web, on television, in print, in housing estates, and behind toilet doors. Some of my works are in public and private collections in the U.K, China, India and U.S.A.
In recent years, I’ve done Bruce Lee impersonations on stage at the Royal Opera House, completed commissions for Tate Modern and Southbank Centre, London, made a working class Transformer robot from an old Ford Fiesta (with my dad), designed part of a mini golf course for the Venice Biennale, toured my live performance, TEN, internationally (in English and French), made my first dance company work for Candoco, and was invited to do a TED talk which has since had over two million hits.
I am interested in connecting marginalised identities with the mainstream in an effort to destabilise notions of authenticity and promote personal freedom. With an autobiographical starting point I use humour and the languages of popular culture to highlight familiarity within the exotic, recognition within the unknown. In my work this often involves exploring fantasy through a DIY domestic lens.
I often work collaboratively, with artists across disciplines, and with family members and non professionals. I enjoy working across multiple languages, culturally and artistically."
Find out more about Hetain at www.hetainpatel.com