S3 Episode 15 - Augiftic Mace

Mark was born in Clapham, London during the early 70’s and is the youngest of six children to Jamaican parents, later escaping the capital for Preston where he studied philosophy and politics at University.

Here he went on to create a Guardian award winning student newspaper called the Students Onion.

He was awarded a Scott Trust bursary (from the Guardian) to study post graduate journalism in 2001 and whilst on placement in 2002 he wrote several articles for them as Mark Mace and was also published by Huff Post.

However, as soon as the placement was over Mark officially dropped out from the course and also from “normal society” and became a self titled -  full time self-unemployed artist.

He became a formidable slam poet, exhibiting painter, fine art photographer, actor, model, radio broadcaster, gallerist, dancer and a percussionist in many bands including his own.

He also taught poetry, stage skills, beatbox and drumming in all types of institutions from primary schools to prisons.  On top of all this he has self published 4 books of poetry and a novella, as well as editing and publishing other poets and writers.

He was later inaugurated into the British Library Sound Archive as a “leading Black British poet”. 

Nevertheless Mark says he “was never consistently successful and failed to make the most of the opportunities available.”

In 2020 after a eight week spell being homeless (in a Manchester hostel) Mark took one bag, flew to Mallorca, spent a week with a friend there and then, through art, drumming and the right words in the right order, he found a home where he lived free and alone in exchange for providing maintenance and security.

It was this alone time when Mark recognised, understood and accepted what he terms his ‘Augiftism’.

Now in 2024, Mark is an Itinerant artist, what he calls a “Solo Boho Euro Hobo, without a single special place to call home yet with a longstanding belief that everything will work out fine in the end as it always has done, and a firm knowledge that he will not and should not be spending winter in dull, cold and rainy Northern Europe.

Mark is currently editing his autobiography - Autistic Hindsight / Augiftic Foresight - which explores the link between autism and spirituality. Follow Mark on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

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