The alchemy and vision of Joseph Beuys is alive and kicking in my show. 18 hours and counting of being lucky enough to talk to all sorts of people about my work, and some themes are emerging. It’s a bit like one giant tutorial, but the confidence I have in the work is a relief actually, after the frenetic energy of the build which sometimes made me feel a bit confused. My choice of what I am showing is confirmed too, as the general thinking around commodity, exchange and communicating comes across. But for some, the foundations Beuys laid for me are insurmountable. Funny how keen they are to tell me this, but all feedback is appreciated- it just goes to help my thinking to clarify about where I have taken my practice to.
As the work is discussed, and in the case of the bronzes handled, it sits quietly, absorbing it all, taking on new marks. It was these marks which concerned one visitor so much he got out his hanky, breathed on one of the bronzes and started to polish it for me. All part of how they are treated, it was certainly a unique response!
I am looking forward to the next four days, thought they will be loooooong. Need to remember to take breaks, or I’ll be no use to anyone who comes by as I garble my words due to lack of food or caffeine or both.
The volume of visitors really is impressive, and I feel really proud to be able to spend so much time with work I am falling more in love with (if I may be so bold about my own creations). I’ll actually be sorry to see some of it go. Which can only be a good thing I know. But the emotions of the experience are intense, bittersweet. It makes me excited to get back to making the next works, and finding the next place to show and the next chance to engage with how it communicates with other people.