I have been in touch with a lot of new acquaintances through eLists with which I am registered [such as Sonic Arts Network, Phonography.org, Rhizome, Fibreculture etc]. I mentioned this project and I have had a lot of interesting responses – from artists doing similar projects or who just have an interest in the ideas. I have also found out a fair amount about what is going on in Beijing in this area – mostly sound oriented. I have a subscription to Art Asia Pacific mag which is also proving very interesting.
Starting to think about the reality of negotiating the project. I have a partner and a 12 year old son who will both be coming to Beijing during September – it will be the longest time I will have been apart from my son, 5 weeks. These things cannot be underestimated, of course. My partner Cameron will come for 3 weeks, while Jake will stay on for 7 and return with me – the staggered approach. Cameron is a sculptor, and between us I am sometimes amazed that we can both maintain our practices and bring up Jake and pay off a mortgage. Mind you, living in Melbourne enables this without doubt. We could not live like this in London – which I miss a lot pretty frequently, even after all this time. Cameron is from Melbourne and we met when I first came here on a residency through Gertrude Contemporary Artist Spaces in the early 90s.
To add to everything I have a small show just before I leave, which is good timing in many ways, but challenging in others. The image here is based on a cicada common to Melbourne and Sydney suburbs, the greengrocer [cyclochila australasiae], and the image will form a frieze in the gallery following the mathematical form of traditional friezes as internal decorative architectural elements.
