Up early - again. Off to Manchester on the 6am train. Good. Lots of time for plinth viewing. Damn. Left the dongle at home. So no live action, just reading the tweets.
Find a cafe with wifi at the airport and the waiting time passes quickly. Aide home after four weeks of travelling and working with very little 'chill' time. Know that being a plinth bore will not be the best way to welcome him home, so restrain myself. Well, as much as I can. I wait for Aide to bring the subject up.
I had thought we would stay in York and go to the cottage tomorrow morning, but Aide can't wait to see all the building work, so spends no more than 30 minutes in the flat and off we go.
So no more plinth watching for the day. Just tweckling.
On the home page of www.oneandother.co.uk, there are linls to many blogs with thousands of comments. Yet another part of the whole picture, which will make good material for the archive.
Unfortunately there are always party poopers. These party poopers tend to be rude too, although I note that there is a real childish note of, "Ya boo sucks, I'm not playing, it's a stupid game anyway." In response to one such, I left the following comment:
At 16:49, Friday, 2 October 2009 rita-i-in-art wrote:
Dear Jane
I came a little late into the project. I was aware of it, but didn't think it was relevant to me. I am not an artist per se and I have not personally seen any of Antony Gormley's work, other than the Angel of The North in passing. I have no thoughts about the man, either way.
Then I heard a bit more on The Archers, of all programmes. Yes, nicely middle class. I looked it up. I saw the 'Apply now' and pressed the key. After all, we have choice and, like you I could refuse, though I knew it was unlikey I would be chosen.
August 1st and there was an email offering me 4am in the morning, Sept 26th. The usual churning of stomach followed.
Art? Painting/sculpture et al is not an abiding love, but history is. And what history this event will provide. 2,800 personal histories. Thoughts, beliefs, wishes, music, causes, memorials and activities. What a superb snapshot for history. Personally I think the 20 minute audio interview will provide a deeper insight to the state of the human pysche in 2009 than the plinth itself.
My mother is a Londoner, who ran through Trafalgar Square on VE day. She probably ran past the plinth. Could she have ever thought that one day her daughter might be on it? She has dementia now and can't quite understand what I've done. Only five years ago, she would have been up there with me at 4am. Same with my father, now bed bound, but three years ago he would have been there. But I can't think about what could have been, I've done it for the future generations.
I saw a video on the website, with a woman artist saying what she was seeing wasn't art. I felt indimidated and thought that I was out of place putting myself on the plinth. Then I realised that the letters a r t are in my name, leaving me with an i. It seemed appropriate and provided me with the encouragement that I had as much right to stand up there as anyone else.
I love cinema and theatre. I look at the plinth as the art of street theatre. So I performed.
If we are fortunate, we are provided with five senses: sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. If we look at the plinth and use less than all five, we cannot fully appreciate the depth and perspective of what is there. We are judging on the superficial, when being up there is so, so much more.
Jane, I believe someone has hurt you and made you feel not good enough. Don't listen to them anymore. Put the ugly anger aside, step out of the prison of hate and be the you, you want to be.
Thank you for your rant. It has made me think.
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