The dig is over and people who have worked closely together for the past 8 weeks are dispersing all over the world. The ‘goodbyes’ and ‘see you next year’ are quiet but the emotions are strong -unlike the theatre, where there is much noise but where people are already looking forward to their next job. I guess, like the activity they are engaged in, archaeologists take a long view. After all, there are still decades ahead for the Ness of Brodgar excavations, and the project will outlive most of us. It reminds me of Maurice Blanchot’s view that an artist’s work is their life’s work, not any individual piece of art work. From my point of view, my residency at the Ness is bringing together all the various interests of my past work, which emphasises the feeling of continuation, encompassing what has been achieved so far and whatever may be achieved in future.
Like the archaeologists, I will now be getting on with post excavation work, which means this blog will become intermittent.
So goodby to the Art Hut. See you later…
