Rooftop golf and flammable stationery from The Graduates 2012's Josh King

When he was a kid, Kingston University alumnus Josh King painted a cow. This singular event, we are told, is to be held responsible for his artistic career to date; although we’d argue that he’s probably gone on to produce better work in the intervening years. Take for example his Par Fore project, a fully functioning mini-golf course on the roof of a derelict building – that’s better than a cow. Similarly his pun-fuelled Olympic poster is both aesthetically pleasing and hilariously funny – also better than a cow.

When he’s not creating cow-surpassing 3D and print work, Josh can be found making completely absurd videos in which he’s either dancing (“although I’ve got dodgy knees, I will dance on request”), wielding a giant fan or dressed as an insect. Terrific work and brilliantly ambitious ideas from a (mostly) stable mind.

“Me and computers don’t get along very well so in my practice I use traditional crafts and if possible I’ll avoid all technology. That said, a scanner and YouTube have come very handy over the past three years… I pride myself on making any brief fun! I like simple ideas, executed well and my work is usually light hearted but deadly serious at the same time.”

Why or who or what made you go to art school?

When I was a kid I painted a cow. I’m still proud of that cow, I think I was destined for art school after that.

What’s the best mistake you made when you were studying?

I once made petrol scented candles. It wasn’t a mistake but it could have been. Luckily no one got hurt. 

If you could show you your work to one person, who would you choose, what would you show them?

I would love to talk to David Hockney about his work and also show him the London Olympic posters my classmates and I made earlier this year as his 1972 Munich Olympic poster is the most beautiful image I have ever seen.

Can you give us one prediction about your work for the next year?

As long as my attitude to life doesn’t change then I can only see my work getting bigger and better, or smaller and better.

What’s the best thing you saw in the last three years?

I saw my friend accidentally wee in his own mouth. Great, but disgusting.

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