Holiday time reflections …
‘The malt whisky that used to be offered, the crystal wine glasses no longer used, the napkin holders, redundant in a drawer, the placemats infrequently out of their box, the jelly moulds, the cake slice – the cake frills and candles … signs of the times: ageing and a world increasingly shrinking, family gatherings and the paraphernalia associated with them no longer needed – cluttering up the cupboards. ‘I’ve got to get rid of all this stuff – I don’t want the family cursing me when I’m gone …’ (Kate Murdoch, November 2022)
As someone who’s had these conversations with family members recently, I’ve been left wondering at what point the objects in our home might start to become a burden to us, rather than something to be enjoyed. Such conversations tie in very well, of course, with the ones I so often have with myself in relation to my studio and the amount of stuff I’m continuing to hold onto …
