The plinths wre finally ready on Monday the 31st and I could begin installing gimme shelter in earnest.
In contrast to Lois’s installation, mine was really straightforward with a grid pattern of parquet floor to aid placement of the plinths it was simply a matter of finding a pleasing distribution of huts and securing both plinths and huts with blutak. About 2 hours work in total and then back to helping Lois with her more ambitious and intricate installation.
While we beavered away with pins and hammers, Martin was working behind the scenes attempting to overcome institutional inertia and get labels, statements, vinyl and catalogues organised. Everything took longer than anticipated with inertia, language difficulties and differing philosophies all playing their part. However, things slowly improved over the week with initial suspicion by the Academy staff giving way to quite a warm working relationship by the end.
Presentation was an issue. The local standard for labelling was small pieces of paper attached to frames like post-it notes, foamboard was unheard of. We made do with mount board from the framer and pritt stick.
By Wednesday, the day before the opening, with only labels to complete, we allowed ourselves a day off to explore the city and its fleamarket, meanwhile Artisterium itself had opened on the Tuesday with a two video installation by American artists Anne Elizabeth Moore and Elizabeth White at The Silk Museum, and a group Polish show of older work followed by an opening party courtesy of the Polish Embassy. Events continued throughout the week at the rate of 2 or 3 each evening.
Continued…
