CANAL

I have a date for Mothra vs. Godzilla which will definitely be the title for my solo at Monika Bobinska's new gallery CANAL in Haggerston

Canal

60 De Beauvoir Crescent
London N1 5SB

canalprojectsandeditions@gmail.com

0786 606 3663

1st Feb to 8 March, 

pv on Saturday 1 Feb 4-6pm

http://canalprojects.com

I quickly dashed out a mailout to special folks with the following rather unrefined text.

My father is a collector, my mother is constantly clearing things away. Recently my mother is gaining the upper hand. They have begun to discard more and more things so as not to be a burden to my brother and I when they die. My grandfather's film reels and father’s baby reins are just two of the objects I have saved from the bin. Seeing my dad when he was younger than I am now, was a strange experience for me, akin to the paradoxes of time travel. The images of him in a different era also made me aware of our vulnerability. We are at the mercy of unseen powers. The title of the show references a spate of Japanese monster movies released in the 50s and 60s. 

It speaks of a futile conflict between ridiculous forces. In addition from the jetsam of my parents’s life the show also gleaned from abandoned objects rescued from a neighbouring derelict house. Its owner, recently deceased, left a lifetime of objects which nobody wanted. 

Wading

It is slow progress here at Pearl Towers. I am putting together a proposal for a solo show. It is a process that causes immense self doubt. I regularly consider shovelling the whole lot into the road. I am blessed that I live in an area that if anything is left for more than a minute unattended I can be certain it will disappear. There is great community spirit here and a drive to recycle, upcycle or just plain steal anything that is not just screwed down but security bolted to a large concrete block. The house next door, which was being renovated, has stood quiet for a while now. Much of the materials have been carried away by hungry eyed men or my beloved who I found the other day levering up the quarry tiles.

Godzilla vs. Mothra

I often write down phrases that I think might be good titles for exhibitions. The list isn't too long but contains such classics as:

Godzilla vs. Mothra, a film I have never seen except in stills but one which, I think, is clear about its intentions and content.

Smart Casual, a phrase which embodies the absolute terror of uncertainty in two confident words.

Let's Go, I've used this, they were Yuri Gagarin's words just before he became the first human in space. He was a master of understatement.

It's all gone wrong - this is one of my own personal phrases along with "I must run a bath" and "I should get up" If one day they make an action figure of me pulling the cord in its back will certainly result in a squeaky rendition of one of these haikus of failure.

I think I may have been channelling the first title when I made this thing. Crocodile vs Hairbrush

Prerogative

I have changed my mind already. Today I have decided to look at the idea that the human is revealed in the failure of the machine. I think I am probably inspired by science fiction (again) and especially those moments when, in breaking down, machines suddenly become more human.

One of my video cameras has started filming as if it is under water. I am quite taken with it and may dress up as a frogman and wander the streets of Ipswich. Right now I am trying to do one of three things.

Write magazine article on the theme of machines helping us to give up.
Write a Phd proposal on avoiding responsibility for artistic production.
Write more blogs.

The third thing is benefitting from my unwillingness to do the first and utter self confusion at even starting the second. As avoidance techniques go, its a good one. Following on from this I am becoming more and more interested of late in self sabotage. Not long ago my gorgeous partner wrote to a number of residencies, projects and commissions for which I had been unsuccessful. The unanimous response was that I appeared in turn flippant, diffident or down right sarcastic. I found this quite shocking as it was certainly not my intention, though a little project making really bad applications does occur to me.

 Anyway, I am soon to be attending CBT classes so all this could change.