6th January R. responded that she thought the bones beautiful and inspiring and that she liked the idea of an imaginary museum. She suggested we met up somewhere that might be inspiring. The British museum perhaps or the John Soanes? ‘Your butterfly drawers sound interesting, so strange that there should still be creatures living in them’ she said. It was a revelation – I hadn’t thought like that.
6th January. I receive a Facebook invitation from R. to a poetry reading. Yet again I wish I lived in London. The last train from Victoria is no fun nowadays …. 6th January
‘How about we meet at the British Museum on Monday 18th January and do a trawl around the museum and then a relaxed lunch? Talking about masks has reminded me that when I did my A level we had to do a unit on African art. My final piece was based on the Benin heads in the British Museum – around the fact that they were displaced – I felt a sadness for them that they were so far from the culture they belonged to.
Amazing how our creative core seems to be like a magnet. It just resets itself each time even though we think we are doing something quite different.
When the snows have gone I will photograph the butterfly boxes……
Until then here are some photos I took of a tethered balloon in the fog when I was in Berlin. Not sure how to use it yet. Maybe I never will find a way but I love their fragility and sadness’. 18th January We finally meet. Rowyda is just as in her e-mails: bright, sensitive, relaxed and good company. We set off to join a free tour of an Arabic gallery. It seems like something we would both be interested in and gives us something to do together.
Then lunch and chatting and more chatting and a relaxed meander around the museum taking pot luck on what we find.
And coffee and more chatting. I have bought the bones – it seems important for Rowyda to see and handle them.
We talk about the bones and the death of cultures, of museum artefacts being far from home, of turtle doves and owls and where we live and books and being vegan.
After we part I go into the museum shop and see an owl postcard. I buy it and send it to her. 21st January. R. writes to say she has just come back from the library with some books on archaeology and tombs. ‘I’m quite interested in exploring the idea of your objects as grave goods – thinking of a context and an owner ‘
Accident and Emergence organise a meeting for all the Pistols and Pollinators participants. R. and I check we can both go and I really look forward to meeting up again. 22nd January. A & E send out a call for artists wanting to perform at Fowle Hall Features [their Kent based contemporary exhibition now in its fourth year]. I wonder if R. might be interested and send her the details. She says she might well be. It is good to be able to pass her an opportunity.
