What is the importance of history ?

I think I am lucky in some respects with this medium of mosaic. It impresses people, particularly the building and construction industry. I went to a meeting with project managers a few days ago, they were impressed, the paving masons in Newcastle were impressed as well. I think because there is a craft/skill element to it, workers in various trades can understand the work and see it beyond just a picture. This helps if there is a positive vibe, contract managers are willing to help and provide support and resources for something they see as worth while. Not some crazy arts project that needs to be removed because of vandalism after several weeks.

This has helped a lot as the public also are not alienated by it. I have had many conversations on the street with people about the decline of skills and craftsmanship, the lower cost implications for mass produced kack, the need for kit form prefabrication, bolt together, money saving, off the peg low quality, corner cutting stuff that brings buildings, architecture and goods in general to a point where people dont find it acceptable. It would seem people do appreciate quality in whatever form it takes. Car repairs, building and decorating, well maintained public parks, after sales services. Is it as simple as doing things a little slower, and not needing such immediate results due to expectations from ever increasing techno developments.

So welcome:

welcome to the machine.

I have not been working on this mosaic as I been installing my mosaics and someone elses sculptures in Newcastle.

I have had a great time. Working with lead artist Charlie Carter and the paving masons on a team of construction workers in Newcastle.

The week has been a whirlwind of work and play including SWAT team raids and a hired van less than a year old with a water leek and green grocer businnes that uses the street as a open air ware house, which causes lorry mayhem in the street. And the truly most amazing reaction to a piece of public sculpture I have yet encounterd?

When I was sticking the mosaics onto a stone bench, one of the green grocers comes up and says,

‘What have we got a piece of Paki sculpture for’?

‘What makes you say that’

Because look, these are colourfull and got stripes’????????????

He said exactley the same thing when we bolted a piece of sculpture to the pavement close to the shop where he works.

He say’s, ‘Im white, he’s white, your white, so why have we got a piece of Paki Sculpture that we dont want’?

He went on to tell us his views on some of the residents of the area, using several words I had actually forgotten existed, and insisted he was’nt racist!

I really thought I had seen it all, but I was wrong, and this takes the biscuit. There is actually a more complicated issue behind these remarks, than it first appears. Even so..a real eye opener.

I am very pleased to have been involved in this project and hats off to my friend Charlie who has spent the best part of two years trying to make things better in this area of Newcastle.