John Kippin is an artist and photographer, who studied Fine Art at Brighton Polytechnic and the University of Northumbria, Newcastle. He works largely within the subject area of landscape, and also frequently uses texts with his images.

John Kippin. Courtesy the artist

Which object or artwork has inspired you to innovate or have a great idea?

The models of old ships in the Museum of Technology, Newcastle (now in the Discovery Museum) – because they are so beautifully made and had such a monumental impact on people’s lives, especially in that part of the world. I am currently developing a new project based on these models.

© Tyne & Wear Museums

I am also inspired by some advertising campaigns from the 70s and 80s. In particular the Benson & Hedges ad campaign which featured the health warning on a bed of feathers.

This way of using text and image was quite innovative at the time as was the associating of concept and life-style.

Advertising has always borrowed from art, but from this period artists began borrowing from advertising as well.

Which person has most inspired you?

Marcel Duchamp. He opened up a whole new territory for art by using objects that weren’t constructed as art.

This gave weight to the idea that objects could have multiple meanings and carry many different associations.

Marcel Duchamp, Nude Descending a Staircase, 1912. On show in the exhibition Duchamp, Man Ray, Picabia at Tate Modern, until May 26 2008. Courtesy The Philedelphia Museum © ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2008

Which idea or invention are you most proud of?

My children! I enjoy their feedback on my work, the way they make new and surprising connections that I hadn’t thought about. I appreciate their honesty.

Nationality from North and South, 2007. Courtesy the artist

Aside from that - the way in which I work with photography. My background is in fine art and painting.

I was able to reconcile working within such a representative media by concentrating on colour and scale and moving away from the documentary style that often associated with photography.

Crick and Watson’s DNA molecular model which is displayed in the Science Museum. © Science Museum, London

Which innovation will have the most impact in the future?

DNA Sequencing. For some, the temptation to play God is just too powerful.

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