jinx, prints, the RA and butterflies
I spoke too soon! Play won’t be at the entrance to Supermarket – for reasons that I haven’t questioned I’ve been offered three alternative spaces. It is disappointing and part of me wants to know what changed from that email that suggested the entrance in the first place. At the same time I know how busy the organisers must be and I don’t want to give them a hard time. I met Andreas last year and I seems like a nice man. I’m also conscious that I don’t want to get the reputation of being difficult before I arrive at the fair and more importantly before I arrive in Stockholm – that could be a very bad way to introduce myself! When I’m there I’ll ask – it could be to do with crowd flow, perhaps having a very playful installation at the entrance isn’t idea with 9000 visitors. Play will now be in an exhibition hall – I can live with that. I’m sure it will still get attention.
As Play won’t be on the stand at Supermarket – it’s on the same floor but in a separate hall – I’ve had a print made so that there is a reference to it. It’s the first time I’ve done anything like that. The print itself is from a picture I took with my little digital camera and I’m amazed how it looks. It’s not the sharpest definition but video-tape must be difficult for any auto focus lens – it’s so reflective. Getting it framed is the next question. I think I’m going to take to Stockholm unframed and get it done there. Seeing the print – a rather handsome 50cm square – has made me think about getting other photographs professionally printed.
Kim invited me to join her at the opening of Modern British Sculpure at the RA. We spent the evening wandering through the galleries, I really like the Modernist pieces – the Hepworth’s are great. We had nearly got to the end when the attendants announced the galleries would be closing. We hadn’t counted on the bar closing at the same time as the galleries so were too late for anything more than a glass of water. It being the RA we were offered still or sparkling. Kim is a freelance artist/educator there and had been around the show with Keith Wilson that afternoon. Overall I like the show – particularly the early galleries, I want to go back and see it again (at least once). I left knowing that I am a sculptor and that I really want to get back in to the studio.
I invited Kim to join me at the London Art Fair. We had a nice chat with James Payne from PayneShurvell where I’d seen Dermot O’Brien’s wonderful installation. And also with Danielle Horn of Nettie Horn, who I didn’t know but was showing an artist Kim knew from a previous RA show. I always feel a little uncomfortable talking with galleries at art fairs, they’re there to promote their artists rather than meet new ones, so I’m always very grateful when they take the time. The fair was far bigger than I remembered and we didn’t have time to do it justice, rushing along the aisles as things wound down we noticed a significant number of butterflies – paintings, prints, collages, sculptures, butterflies, butterflies, butterflies ….
