Some sort of shadowy pall seems to hang over my happiness. Tomorrow I travel to Bath to converse with JJ Charlesworth. I sent him a grovelling email communicating fear and excitement, mainly fear. He in turn replied graciously telling me not to worry. So I am endeavouring to follow his advice and act, at least, with coolness. Another communication came from Bath expressing concern that no one seems willing to look through my carefully placed telescopes. I am now considering a form of words to encourage the viewers’ curiosity. I am considering bastardising a rather poetic section from Coline Milliard’s essay on the Bedford incarnation of the show: “In Roussel’s proto-surrealist book, the narrator (allegedly) first encounters the African coast through his telescope. This circular viewpoint provides a leitmotiv for Pearl’s ‘Goodbye to most of the daydreams’ series, encapsulating distance and otherness, what is both feared and craved for…”
The above has all been via electronic communication. My relationship with real post has been a little more strained as my postman seems unwilling to knock on the door and merely pops his little pre-prepared red cards through the letter box. This invariably involves a rain soaked ride to the collecting office the next day to pick up my packet, letter etc. I have been playing with one such ‘delivery’ today a little circular brass mirror compact. I have been photographing my reflection to prove I am not a vampire.
Excerpt from diary found a few days later
28th October 2009
This morning I set off from Ipswich my whole show packed into large case on wheels. I in turned crammed this (and myself) into a packed train to London. There was only one scary moment when a, I have to say heavyset, man decided to lean on my case. I imagined my work breaking and bending within but could do little about it. My journey to Bath went surprisingly well. I caught early connections and chose polite and helpful taxi drivers. Happily I arrived just as the ICIA Bath staff was about to go to lunch and was able to join them for a convivial orange juice (the “all day breakfast bap I had eaten on he train put paid to any thoughts of food). I sat back and relaxed as conversation flowed from relative office sizes to the narrative merits of Ben Elton’s “We will rock you”.
After a busy afternoon setting up my show in Space 1 I paid a visit to Space 2 to see Lucy Harrison’s new show “Remains”. This exhibition is a work in progress displaying documents from Harrison’s previous visits to East London and East Berlin and some new work from her ongoing residency investigating the pending demolition of Bath University’s Arts Barn. The former are introduced in highly personal ways as Harrison subtitles her photographs with memories of her childhood and mother’s death. The work on the Arts Barn includes photographs scans of documents and a highly involving set of interviews with some of the staff that work there. By the time I had finished watching I was feeling a definite attachment for what seemed to be an unloved building. Soon it will be knocked down and replaced by a new Arts Centre, which will host another show bringing together more memories and documents from Harrison’s investigations. I hope she will find people with more tender feelings towards the place.
I Finished the evening by watching Terence Davies’ “Of Time and The City” which was gripping and monumental although I have to say he does things with voice over and popular music that would make me blush.
Friday, 30 October 2009
Goodbye
There is a new film in my show at ICIA. It is a cut out of an old sailing ship it barely moves and appears “as idle as a painted ship on a painted sea”. This is Stoker’s description of the blighted vessel that transported Dracula to Whitby. The show is up now and all I have to fear is a visit from the university rowing club (a rambunctious lot) and my impending meeting with Mr Charlesworth. I am now travelling towards London. I spoke to my beloved before I left. She was intending to rise from her bed but I have just heard she is feeling languid and tired and slept on after.
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Hanging a show at ICIA University of Bath, Artspace 1 is an odd experience. Postgraduate students and lecturers are constantly passing through, avidly looking at half hung work and passing comment. One woman (jokingly?) accused me of cheating as I traced a large image of the Antarctic on one wall. I liked that. I also met another man who had not been to the South Pole. His department had done some work there looking for meteorites but like Moses (sort of) he had stayed home. The show is progressing satisfactorily mainly due to the inestimable qualities of my technician Charles.
Hi Sue
How’s things? This month is very busy with shows and travelling. I am on the plague train to Bath at the moment to set up said show. The train is packed I’m praying no one will sit on my bag which contains the whole show. If they do all may be in pieces. Not looking forward to the underground. As I travel I am listening to Dracula, the ship has just crashed into the harbour at Whitby. I’ve been thinking about things for the biennale and I’d like to make some films in the bingo hall there, do you think that would be possible? (I should ring them). Anyway that’s one of the ideas at the moment, the other is to do with shadows in the Whitstable streets and another to do with secret performances by a lovely assistant and another using magic tricks and others too numerous to mention. I will start tapering soon.
Glad you are enjoying the blog, me too
All the best
Alex
