The exhibition at R-Space Gallery in Lisburn came to an end on Saturday, and my work is travelling back to me. Toes have been dipped into the wider world, lines have been redrawn, learnings&reflections are ongoing. One splendiferous strand will go on twisting and curling: Joanne Proctor and I want to continue our collaboration, albeit at a slower pace. Yeaheah!
Robert Martin, gallery-director, had put us in touch in March. We took time exploring each other’s work on-line before we decided what we wanted to do together and how, and in-spite of feeling pressed for time – the month while the show was up – went for tactile&tangible (as opposed to mediated by the computer-screen). Snail-mail served us well.
I started us off with a photograph of two plaits and a poem about a sibyl. Mysterious parcels travelled across the Irish Sea – the unwrapping of contents suspense- and delightful. Gifts of a kind, offerings… Sometimes we made new pieces in response to what we found, sometimes we worked right into a piece. Cooperation means you have to raise your game, look with two sets of eyes, yours/hers, respect and marvel in what you receive, and find the courage to intervene in another’s work, which has an aspect of competition, even demolition. You also can’t be too precious about your own endeavours, deliver them with generosity and breath held. Egos may clash!
It’s been a gentle ride – getting to know and being attentive to each other’s processes, ideas, media, materials has been a joy; at one time though, when my trembly hands failed to comply with my very clear instructions and I felt I spoiled a delicate piece, anxious too.
Will be exciting to see where we go from here.
