It’s often when I want most … need most … to write that I have the least time to do so. Nothing collecting three new boxes of ties – seconds, nothing about the open studios, nothing about Know How, nothing about Skulpturjogging, nothing about Uppsala Open Studios, nothing about Alina Kopysta’s talk, nothing about the paper weave, nothing about visiting the Iaspis Open Studios, nothing (as yet) about the basic embroidery course at Handarbetets Vänner …
I don’t particularly want to ’play catch-up’. At the same time I am aware that I feel the desire to account for my time, to record what I have been up to, to perhaps sort through all this activity – to work through things in some kind of order … to order them.
Not one of the lgbtqi+ organisations in that I got in touch with after Uppsala Pride has responded to my email. It’s rather disappointing as the artist who proofread it for me said that it sounded like an exciting project. I will send the email again, and then follow-up with phone calls to the organisations that have phone numbers – several do not, simply Facebook pages and gmail accounts. Echos of other people’s difficulties in getting group activities ring in my ears. I thought that after making personal contact things would be easier … it seems not!
The project design is not finalised and if there is insufficient interest from potential collaborator participants then I will reduce that aspect of the project and focus more on my own research and work. I can arrange some drop-in workshops and promote those … though the current situation does not make me expect a great of enthusiasm … lgbtqi+ Uppsala malaise? Or perhaps it is the slow turning of Swedish associations’ democratic processes. Perhaps my suggestion needs to be tabled at the next scheduled management committee meeting, the pros and cons discussed, a member of the committee to draft a reply, that to be discussed with a working group before returning it to the full committee for approval, then perhaps an email to me.
I want to re-read … to find them first … the references to Eugène’s mother. And if possible to find out more about their relationship. A stern woman if I remember correctly … religious? A widower – her husband, Eugène and Adrian’s father, dying relatively young. Eugène lived with his mother much of his life – I don’t think that he ever had his own apartment, he simply moved into his studio – the studio where he invited his models to exercise and train … did he train with them? Did his mother ever visit? Did they drink tea and talk about art?
I want to read between the lines of the story that Eugène’s mother burnt his sketchbooks and correspondence – between and across the lines. Context.
The relationship between Eugéne’s mother and her gay artist son was never meant to be a part of the project and yet it seems to ask for attention. It came unbidden.
