Truly enjoying my Hotel Breakfast … still a ’course’ or two to go! … after a lovely evening and good night’s sleep.
It was lovely to see so many friends and colleagues at the opening last night … I am getting a goose-bumpy, and almost tearful (again), realising that I am part of the art-scene … I know people and people know me. Some I know through the Supermarket Art Fair – as both co-workers and exhibitors, some are artists that I have met in other contexts, some are ’other’ artists professionals – curators, and gallerists. It was great to meet the exhibition’s selectors and curators, as well as some of the exhibition team and the new head of the gallery.
I was very excited to hear that one of the selectors, who was also one of the curators, visits Uppsala to see his parents … and that he wants to do a studio visit. He’s very active in the art world and is really making his queer POC voice heard in what is the rather conservative Stockholm/Swedish scene.
And my work looks great! I have a whole wall to myself! The installation has been done brilliantly – by chance … coincidence … I was standing close to the pieces shortly after arriving and someone that I know walked by – he is one of the recently appointed new teachers on the foundation course just outside of Uppsala, I met him at the County Council’s Christmas dinner. We said hello and I asked if he was in the show, ’no’ he said he was one of the lighting technicians, and he asked if I was exhibiting. ’Yes’ I said and pointed to my work. ’Oh!!!!’ he said ’that was the first piece that I lit – it was my apprenticeship!’ He then apologised for not having read the label and not realising that it was my work! With nearly three hundred pieces to light in a high-profile exhibition I was not surprised that he was focussed in his task rather than seeing who had done what. And I have to say that he, with advice from the senior technician, has done a great job.
It’s going take me some time to digest all the feedback that I got – both verbally and visually … that is what people said to me but also what it is to see my work exhibited like that, in that context and given that attention. For now I will just say that I am truly thankful, and very very grateful.
(my first show with a rope/courdon!)
