20th December. Running around trying to sort out Christmas for thirteen people, but still fixated in my head on the collaboration. I send R. images of some drawings on the theme of Pampliset and a poem by Graham Greene that seems to fit the mood: ‘It was like a life photographed as it came to mind…’
21st December. Rowyda sends me some of her poems. They are stunning. 23rd December. I am still sending R. things- this time images of ‘Requiem for a Lost Language’ – my insect installation.
Obviously I am in the Christmas present – giving mode!
I also send on bits that I recall from the research I did at the time….’Have you seen a luna/moon moth? They are huge and an unearthly green…………….
The luna moth lives only about a week. It doesn’t eat, doesn’t even have a mouth. It only reproduces. And when it is exposed to daylight, its green colour slowly fades…. So sad’.
23rd December. Standing in the Christmas check out queues I stand doodling and writing in my sketchbook. On my return I write to R: ‘I have not been wasting my time in folly and idleness – even in the half hour queue for the tills! I filled a page of A4- the back of my shopping list- with spider diagrams and ideas around Diaspora and our Jewish/ Arabic divergent heritage.I am now ‘interrogating’ as they say in the best art schools- the concept of ‘diamond papers’.
I used to be a jewellery buyer and most of the diamond dealers the world over are Jewish. They carry their wealth in diamonds – in tiny, specially folded papers [with inner transparent linings].
As a race that has had to move from place to place fast they can hide these about their person or property and escape with their money. Anything paper we can of course print or emboss with poetry…………….It might be interesting to marry a Jewish diamond paper with a poem about the Arabic diaspora ……… especially as whatever is carried in the paper is usually deemed incredibly precious.Just a flash of thought at the moment……..will be good to meet up.
After Christmas and New Year I went down with flu but I had bought back with me treasures which were much on my mind. I write to R:
‘I am slobbing about feeling sorry for myself………………. The Welsh party contingent demolished two geese for supper over new year- with the result that I have come back with the most amazing bones; they look like a mask, two skulls and two bangles. I intend to bleach them and then plaster and PVA/decorate/write on them……….
We could inscribe poetry on them if anything about them fires your imagination.
I am thinking of them as imaginary objects from an imaginary museum at the moment- relics or tribal…..somehow the lost art of the Nubians keeps coming to mind’.
5th January 2010
‘Herewith the goose bones for your perusal………..!
Do tell me if you might be interested in working with them. If they don’t intrigue I will use them to produce work for an exhibition in June.
Today I was given six beautiful butterfly drawers by a neighbour. They are extraordinary. Thirty years ago they held a collection which has turned into dust.
In some of the cases there is only dust and labels left. Unfortunately in others the specimens are still being devoured by something – tiny larvae- so I have had to leave them in the shed until I can get them to my studio. I have a fantasy that if I open the box they will devour my house contents too………
I will photograph them and send the photos on- not sure if I can capture the spirit of them though.
The snow is now falling thick and fast so I guess there will be no gallivanting about for a while’.
