Writing parts of my dissertation recently on a crossing back from Dublin, I began to ponder the writers’ of the past. Escapism and long haul voyages to far off distant lands, the healing quality, gliding along cool calm waters…. in the style of the old fashioned writer’s dream… Ireland was a great distraction technique for my escape. I roamed Dublin for 4 days completely straight. Visited galleries, drank coffee and tried to pay attention to the now and what I was experiencing, instead of creating some great future mind movie I am so good at doing.
The Culture Box was housing Wendy Stephens and I got to briefly chat with the artist about her time spent recently in Bali where she had been practising life drawing. Certainly the colours she had used together in her work spoke of culture abroad. ‘Letting go with lines‘ is learning about how to surrender to a process and to really experience it, along with Eckhart Tolle in my ears I really was trying to remain in the now!
Something in our conversation reminded me of the poem Andre Breton had written somewhere in the middle of the surrealist manifesto. (I find myself harping back to that poem more and more of late) I disclosed my idea of an installation about a surrealist fridge and what could be inside it? Perhaps that was dangerous I thought on leaving, why did I feel the need to reveal my aching desire towards a fridge????
Another show to mention was Luke Fowlers ‘Pilgrimage from scattered points’ about the English film composer Cornelius Cardew and The Scratch Orchestra (1968-1973) his work documents the rise of anti-establishment organisations. I sat and watched the Scratch Orchestra talk about the music and relaying the struggles of that period. I noted the part about the skinheads not causing any trouble. Experimental music to this day, is a privilege to those who can appreciate it.
(Erm here comes the www.badsekta.com linkage / mass big-up!!!)
The Lab on Foley St, ‘Out on the sea was a boat full of people singing’ & other stories’ By Michelle Browne, certainly made me feel more comfortable about riding that tandem with this crazy circus dude that lives up in the mountains in Rhosgadfan – (It’s gotta be done J!)
Another quick mention, The Monster Truck Gallery – ‘Life Vividly Lived Part two’. I loved that space and how the photographs had been hung… but the best part was the last comment left in the book, which read ‘for the love of god please rub the pencil markings off the wall before opening night’ Sara Baume – whoever you are, you sold that show to me! I also note that you keep a blog about pencils! (errrrr joke!) I know of a young boy learning to talk right now, and when you hold up a pencil to him guess what he says???!!! “Peensil Peensil”
