holding down the muse by her tail…

Today has been spent organising items for the show. Borrowing projectors, ordering spare parts, seeking out a few solutions to a few glitches.. Finding a carpenter to help with the making of screens and being invited to join another small project after I conclude this part of this one.

Art is taking up a large part in my life, some friends are angry with me for not finding the time to be with them. I am a workaholic, I will die lonely..

It was mostly an art free day.
Except for Plato who snuck under my duvet, so I read a discussion on knowledge in ‘Theaetetus’.
Tomorrow I will assemble loopers, order drive belts and spare lamps for the projectors. Then it is time to panick and pull several rabbits out of hats. I want to re-shoot the film.I am not happy with what I currently have. The show opens in just over a week at the Anglican Cathedral Liverpool…

I am so grateful for the Tate online events archive! (http://www.tate.org.uk/onlineevents/archive/) Watching lectures stimulates, inspires and shakes one out of moments of nervous doubt. Other people take a shower to refresh while I listen to a lecture, read a book or a culture review… (Which could render me quite smelly… however…)

This morning I by chance had an opportunity to speak to an artist from former Yuoslavia (not saying that qualifies him in any special way, however his responses did ..); and I feel back on track, all it took were a few words with a senior artist who has accrued some wisdom that can only come with the passing of time.

And the sense of calm is restored.

I am still pushing furniture, convincing myself that the repositioning of bulky items will clarify obstacles and questions in art.. It is bank holiday, sensible people put their feet up altogether.. Perhaps I will in future make work about leasure and sloth-ness; rather than moral and identity which are slippery fish..

It started to rain outside: perfect conditions to get on with work.

Regarding Progress:

The exhibition is due to open in 9 days and it doesn’t quite feel real yet. There is a mountain of work yet to be conquered..

I am clear now that I won’t again entangle myself in another un-funded project like this. The costs have been phenomenal. I think it is hideous the way that we can be such good artists but then still find ourselves baffled by the task of fundraising. It’s a bit of a defeat for me..

But I am counting on that this project will be sufficient to raise my profile for future funding to find me (yes, I dream, but it is part of what brought me to the arts..)..
And here is a quote I found when I researched Menschlichkeit / humanness:

Wer den Hafen nicht kennt, in den er segeln möchte, für den ist kein Wind ein günstiger.
Seneca, Philosoph (um 4 v.-65 n.u.Z.)

(That is approximately:
He who doesn’t know which port he wants to sail to,
for him no wind is favourable..)

(ORIGIN of Choreography: from Greek khoreia ‘dancing in unison’ (from khoros ‘chorus’ ) + -graphy )

The catalyst for this installation is the divisive force with which I observe a great number of people responding to cultural identities that differ from the respective indigenous one.. So I am seeking out what is shared between and across cultures, unifying emblems of what make all of us equally human.. The project investigates specifically ritual movements made during devotional practices as these rituals are common to all faiths. The exact choreography differs, but like in any good performance on a stage, individual choreographies combine to a potentially holistic whole.. The grammar and composition used within dance is just as valid applied to life. For a harmonic performance a certain generosity and empathy towards fellow performers is required.

These movements and rituals will be shown as a multi screen projection which explores the aesthetics of the endlessly repeated choreography that accompanies devotional practices. I am orchestrating a dance about cultural kinship.