(follows on from previous posting) I know visitors will get to see the piece but it has made me think I really should make a gallery specific installation if I want a wider public to be involved. I have so much more material than was ever used, and other thoughts as to how I might work with that material. So…although I am on to other projects now, I am of a mind that there is still more to explore in the Specials Project…
It’s easy to move on and forget to tie up the loose ends. I moan about this whenever I have someone to come do work on the house. The guys always seem to get to the very last hurdle and then somehow not address that last little niggle – the door knob that’s loose, the light switch that’s not straight. I know why it is – they’re off making sure the next punter is happy. But there is a definite problem with this style of chaos management.. it pisses people off and means that a good job is never a great job.. . Looking at my blog I realised I was nearly guilty of the same. ..
So here is the round up. The project is as finished as a project ever is – and I am well pleased with the result. The tower looks great and the videos do too. I was understandably nervous to see what initial reaction to the piece would be – after all it isn’t located in an anonymous gallery space – but right in the heart of the clients head office, and up to that point, I hadn’t given anyone any sneak previews.
It wasn’t what you’d call a grand launch – just me and the guys who helped erect the video tower, plus a few people who happened to be around in the office at the time. I was duly heartened by the first comment from the MD’s p.a. who after watching intently for 15mins said something along the lines of ‘ wow – that just sums up the nature of Specials perfectly’. Of course I was happy with that one. I never try to please, there would be no integrity in that approach, no honesty of purpose… but like most people I do like to think that there might be something of merit in what I have put my mind to…
.. and that was that .. the earth didn’t move.. I asked about publicity – a launch perhaps… some Press n PR. ‘Oh yes that will be in hand’ I was told… noises were made…but nothing to date has happened. I would promote the piece myself, but with a company such as Specials, they like to control the media themselves, and as it is effectively their piece now, installed in their location, I feel I have little leverage. I don’t get the impression it’s anything to do with them being negative – I just think that our two agendas are different – and that they probably are happy with the piece having a predominantly in-house viewing public.. (continues)
