itsstillthereasileftit

As ever - Venice was there as I left it, beautiful and other. 2 years later I'm at The Venice Biennale 2026, and it was great to see so much textile within a fine art context. To breathe in gives me the ability to breathe out. I’ve been a member of an, now renamed Artists Now, since it was called artists newsletter. It is an essential organisation that supports artists in so many important ways. I recently received assistance to attend Venice Biennale. Visiting the Biennale exposes me to an alternative creative experience to a western, male, global north art world position. This act of creative breathing in gives me the ability to breathe out. The experience of attending exhibitions is invaluable, enabling me to grow both as an artist and as an educator. As somebody who works with others I pass on this knowledge to the students I engage with. Thank you to Artists Now for recognising the need of artists to continue to grow and for your valued support over the years.

workisongoing

Work on the hospital project is going ahead; I spent a lovely afternoon at their garden party talking with a such a fabulous and supportive group of people sharing ideas and developing a feeling for what is needed. There is a cracking text based fun and serious show at the cut by Neil Hanger that is really worth a visit. Onto screens – The get out – some nice twists. Rivals – the last episode in season 2 is a wonderfully written revelation about the roles of women. Confessions of a Shopaholic – serious and/but/yes funny?

busysteaming

During a STEAM event this week a very small child came up to me and explained that "you can put all the elements in a bag and mix them to make anything. Some are bad some not so. Some will kill you and make you go to hospital. Helium is one of the good ones you can lick". I thought - well that’s about right. Science is done.

Anyway - a full week started out in Norwich, then working with the Kingfisher School Trust people at SZC, finally hanging the children’s interpretation of Energy and then two days at a STEAM event brought some great conversations within the sci-art workshops in SZC’s new visitor centre. My Saturday started out early - leaving the house at 7:20, boarding a train to London, then New Designers, then home at 9:20, a ‘usual day’.  Onto screens – The Devil wears Prada 2………………..uummmh.

walkingwalkingwalking

A week in France walking from Cassis to Toulon - stunning views and great weather. The terrain was fairly easy with beautiful calm, isolated beaches and gentle ridge walking. There were some tough climbs into and out of coves and up to ancient lookout points, initially semaphore and now hi-tech military spaces. These where bookended with the 'psychogeography' of walking into and out of towns through suburbs and areas where man has taken control and ownership of the land.

Extraordinary food and drink accompanied the views, with many plat du jours eaten. A part of France where il floatant is king but closely supported by the cafe gourmand. A particular shout out to the excellent food at Et Bon Vent in La Ciotat @etbonvent. Toulon had an exhibition of Claude Viallat's work which inspired some ideas around flags for the opera I have become involved in/with at Sizewell. The naval museum was devoid of pomp, focusing on the military opportunities connected to the sea. 

At the end a quick trip to Aubusson via train to Marseille then TGV to Crest and a 6-hour car journey to see an exhibition by Matthew Tyson. The town has an excellent tapestry museum with a conservation area where you can talk with the conservers and look closely at what they are up to.  It was fascinating to hear about the choices around materials and colour. I went out to see tapestries in situ in a small chateau out of town.

cyclesreturn

A long week in France top and tailed in Nantes. This is an amazing city that has worked out that in a post-industrial world culture is the answer to having a thriving, successful city. There are wonderful, shared spaces full of art and possibilities. Most visible is Le Grand Éléphant https://www.lesmachines-nantes.fr/en/discover/the-grand-elephant/ it is actually worth actually having a ride on it. The museums and galleries are excellent - top recommendation is le unique - a best kept local secret is the plait du jour. Over the week I ate endless moules et frits, oysters, and pastries to die for. In between got a train to Pornic then cycled to Noirmoutier-en-L'lle across a tidal causeway - I do not recommend this if the red lights are flashing. Cycling through water up to the bikes crank in the dark as the tide is making the road invisible is not fun but after the 3-mile ride you do feel alive. The landscape is brutal, controlled and organised by man to industrially farm molluscs. When cycling make sure you look at the wind direction as it will determine your level of pain. Noirmoutier-en-L'lle itself is dinky, very few cars, the area appears designed for cycling around, the most challenging part of the day is working out what to eat and what wine to match it with. Managed to get some reading in - Orbital - what a gem of a book, it reminded me of Moby Dick in that it's not a book about space travel in that Moby Dick isn't all about whales. It was good to make time for reading two books that bounced off each other - both self-help books disguised as novels - The Course of Love by Alain du Bolton about relationships and Midnight Library by Matt Haig about the choices we make. They were both a little too close to feel totally comfortable but on reflection they have a lot to offer.

kolnismyname

7 days on Cologne - living 20 mins out in a neighbourhood and cycling in along the river gives a richer understanding of place rather than living tourist like in the centre. Travelling gives interesting new perspectives, the place acting as a mirror and enabling one to see the country you live in. Returning mainly gives the feeling of embarrassed shame. The entry point to the UK is via a dirty side entrance along a sad corridor grubby with dust build up and let's not talk about toilets. Cologne appears to have no litter, very limited graffiti, full and occupied shops and a busy, thriving feeling - we stayed close to a square with 4 bakeries and 6 coffee shops and several excellent restaurants. The boat/bar/restaurants are ace and easy. Transport is clockwork, efficient and clean - cycling is a joy. Spent the time going to world class galleries and museums and the cathedral is a must see. I saw some of the most astonishing medieval work in Museee Schnutgen and Museee Ludwig but the jewel was Kolumba, the space is awesome with the overall design followed into the attention to detail of everything - even down to the amazing door handles and leather curtain. The exhibition - artist at work was sublime in it's hang and curatorial choice. Other notable spaces include, NS Documentation Centre of the City of Cologne to see Nazi’s playbook at work before we truly give our world to them, Cologne City Museum tells a great rewritten story from the perspective of residents, Museum of Applied Arts Cologne for the Bauhaus, and he signs in the Skulpturen Park Köln sculpture park are a work in themselves. 

ifnothingistrue,thenallisspectacle

 

To abandon facts is to abandon freedom. If nothing is true, then no one can criticize power, because there is no basis upon which to do so. If nothing is true, then all is spectacle.Timothy Snyder

A weekend in Tallinn - so much to see in what is a marvelous, clean and organised city – and the weather was great. Zipping around on mini-mopeds has to be the best fun ever and a gloriously child-like way to see a city which has the most fabulous cycle paths ever. Went out along the sea to see the monuments to people killed by the Soviet Union - what to say - it is overbearing - physically changing you in the space - it's really a space, an experience rather than a thing. So much extraordinary food and interesting drinks, especially cakes - some partaken whilst watching a dance and performance art battle - favourite section was where a contestant walked away and didn't come back - awesome.The end of year show at EKA was in a huge abandoned building so it felt like a real old-school art college experience rather than the corporate controlled display available in England. I love a student show – so much potential energy and there was also some good work. There are several small commercial spaces in Tallinn which I managed to check out - each containing professional, thoughtful work. The work of Alexei Gordin "Walled Up" where he breaks into abandoned buildings creates text pieces on the wall, photographs them and then works on them to create the work was challenging but also laugh out loud.The excellent maritime museum had interventions by art students and the museum itself is awesome - the objects the graphics the digital and physical interactive activities - all beautiful and thoughtful and interesting. KUMU the huge art gallery had a solo show by Ragnar Kjartansson: A Boy and a Girl and a Bush and a Bird, which was thoughtful and mesmerising but also a number of interventions into the collection, which is truly challenging in terms of cataloguing the history of Estonia through art. St. Nicholas Church has 7 meters of what was a 30m 'lifesize' painting of the dance of death - truly spectacular, as was a huge, multi-layered alter-piece. Thought about the work I intend to make for the faith room at SZC and the idea of faith and body and belief. A lecture on ai at Tallinn art school was open to all so popped in to listen - it was a good intro to some of the philosophical issues swirling around about ai - liked the thought about the idea of territory and chaos within the context of the internet, the role of art science and philosophy at the margins as outriders bringing ideas into the mainstream. 

workonatforSZCcontinues

 

work on/at/for SZC continues – Started to sew into the large-scale connection prints, really pleased with them, they are looking exactly as I wanted them or maybe even better! Archaeology pieces are coming along, I’ve solved the future archaeology idea – going to recreate a time team trait – the small piece of material that is extrapolated into a large complex thing. Thinking about SZC as an extension, an idea that relates to planning laws but also thoughts around electricity consumption. onto screens – the Replacements underdogs get to win. Mickey 17 holds up a mirror to some of our current concerns. The Gorge – a relationship is built over a ravine with duplicitous shooting. Formular 1 Drive to survive season 7 – more over the top bloated reasons why we are all going to environmental hell alongside some excellent racing. Waynes World – a rewatch and yes, it is even funnier than you thought the first time around, with some dodginess.

rethinkrehang

Work continues on Sizewell C, I've been working on a couple of 'introduction' / 'talking point' pieces from conversations I've had so far, alongside organizing visits, introductions and meetings. Slowly integrating into the systems that are established. Spent the weekend cleaning, repainting and then rehanging the art in the corridor – it’s like collecting the work all over again as the new layout enables the art to be seen as if for the first time. Onto screens – traumatised by Carry On – don’t go to the airport, moved by This brings me to you - hope and honesty and finally traumatised by Heretic – don’t go into a strange house.

extractsfromthepastandfuture

I’ve been looking again at the catalogue notes from the show – Manual for Survival in Hamburg – below some extracts…

The profound changes that we are experiencing on an everyday level, from the destruction of the environment to the age of pandemics, have already transformed human subjectivity. The prevailing sensitivity that can be discerned today is a sort of "post-apocalyptic melancholy," the sense of an ending that is unlike any other ending before, an ending that is inevitable if we continue with our current world system, an ending meaning the end of the biosphere and mass extinction, whether it is rapid or slow, the feeling that everything changes and that the only thing that's certain is extinction. This naturally creates anxiety-and leads to the difficulty, or rather impossibility, of coping with the irreversible loss.

The past is as equally contested as the future. Time itself, it seems, has become the medium of conflict; if you unearth history, if you free time from its seemingly logical and linear path, you can see beyond the realm of the real-which is always constructed by those with the power to rule over the stories that govern our societies.

Religion is a ritual invented to create meaning here and now and today and tomorrow-and God is needed to find a structure, to achieve community. Faith, as different from religion, is a practice that helps you to position yourself in time and in space.

What is human time? What is natural time? And what if the two collide? When the British in the seventeenth century made their way to what would later be called North America, many of the colonists were overwhelmed by the majestic ecosystem and abundance of wildlife. But the colonial hunger for resources quickly resulted in mass deforestation, mass extinction, and the genocide of indigenous populations. Human life had existed long before on the continent, but rather than claiming to be rulers over a plot of land, native tribes saw themselves as part of the system that surrounded them; their role was more akin to that of a steward than an owner.

Can we tell the story of suppression by using the master's tools? What is the price of education, of knowledge-or rather of knowing? Who decides which voices get to be heard? And aren't these tools in the end just perpetuating systems of hierarchy? "It's not just about what we know, but how we come to know it,"

What is the mirage of power that we are presented with? What is the way politics work? And how does it distort what we perceive as reality? How does it disfigure the people who represent politics-politicians, lobbyists, suitcase-bearers? Outside, inside? And what are the consequences of this spectacle of politics for democracy in the twenty-first century?

Or, in other words, what is power? As Europe turns itself into a fortress, the values that helped create Europe are undermined: What is the Enlightenment, if Europe allows thousands and thousands and thousands to drown, turning the Mediterranean into a mass grave?

Who owns what? First, we thought the internet was for free; then we realized that we were the product. Facebook was not free, Twitter was not free, we were not free. The idealism of the early days of the digital yonder is long gone. What remains is cold calculation and doses of disgust. But is this the right attitude? In the age of Al, can we afford to turn away and let corporations rule this emerging new world?And connected to this question: What is the passing of beauty, what is futility, vanity, decay, what is the passing of time in one's life and what is the connection to the bigger space, call it culture, civilization, the universe?

Who owns what? First, we thought the internet was for free; then we realized that we were the product. Facebook was not free, Twitter was not free, we were not free. The idealism of the early days of the digital yonder is long gone. What remains is cold calculation and doses of disgust. But is this the right attitude? In the age of Al, can we afford to turn away and let corporations rule this emerging new world?

What do we think of when we think of resistance? Is it a protest, an unruly mob, armed backlash? Finding themselves at the centre of a culture war, many trans and nonbinary persons, specifically kids, see their sheer existence questioned on a daily basis.

Crime is a stigma, but for whom? Is crime committed by a person or inflicted on a person? What is the role of society, what is the relation between power, poverty, and the rule of the law-which tends to support both power and poverty, the codified dividing chu line for civilization.

One failure of liberalism is on an anthropological level: the assumption that everything starts with the individual. The societies that we build on this assumption are limiting both our imagination and our realities. The lives we construct on this premise are poorer, less intense and happy-community is what we are made for, and community is what we need to build.

Is it an event? Or is it a process? Is it fast or slow? Is it loud or quiet? Does it announce itself? Is it something we can anticipate? Can we wait for it to happen? What is the meaning of anticipating without knowing? Can we prepare for what we don't know? Or do we know?

If a bullet crosses a border, if death is sent from nation to nation, who is to judge?

What is technology? Energy running through a system. What is knowledge? Information embedded in a system. What is intelligence? The way to read and understand that system. Then what is the difference between technological and human intelligence?

Elsewhere it's been a busy week - Hofesh Shechter's From England with Love was truly awesome - from the mournful beginning through to the tragic ending, all was superbly lit. Celebrating 25 years of Home live art at Shoreditch town hall was 'liveart interesting' 6 performances on a loop. The latest Hayward shows are worth a look - Haegue Yang has her usual material repertoire of blinds and traditional techniques to create exciting work that is both aesthetically fun through the play of light as well as the political statement that the use of blinds supports. Huang Po-Chin has a great video work of a performance involving wearing copious shirts and cutting them off, alongside photographs of a version of Erwin Wurm incorrectly wearing items of clothing. Onto screens – Will & Harper – sad yet glorious road trip. The Outrun – trauma and more trauma. Deep into Fantasmas – what to say – almost indescribably odd, yet wonderous.

rememberremember

Completed work on remember, a piece for firstlight in Lowestoft this coming weekend. 2 weeks of assessments at Norwich are over, the final show, rebranded GradFest opened last night, now it’s onto the next stage – New Designers. Meanwhile a busy weekend. At Snape, the Aldeburgh Festival - a couple of visits. Violinist Daniel Pioro joined with pianist collaborator Simon Smith to perform Brahms’s Violin Sonatas, solid, physical and professional. Then Me without You, Emily Levy and Mella Faye led a troubling experience - kids from Fame ‘do’ death. Holy Other was a new live multidisciplinary work which was full of deep noise and inspirational visuals. Brighten the Corners in Ipswich was most excellent the highlight was the glorious Lambrini Girls - a force of nature. Also saw Man Woman Chainsaw, NEONE the Wonderer - great laid-back vibe. da Googie (Deb Googe) – mad moving noise. Sluice Expo in Colchester was a mixed bag but worth the visit. There was some interesting work in the Minories and some engaging films in an upstairs space above a good Korean restaurant. Firstsite had an intriguing show by S, a whole host of inspiring micro worlds. Onto screens – The Tattooist of Auschwitz – grey dark oppressive and grey with very small moments of light but could it be anything else. 2 tickets to Greece - was sweet.

veniceisstillthereasever

So Venice was where and how I left it. I'm always surprised and stunned by it. A truly amazing vibrant place, when you are there you continue to ask how can it exist? When you are gone you ask will it be there next time? And then there was the art. After 4 days at the Biennale looking, listening, and smelling art one is left with a lot to think about. One thing is that it becomes increasingly clear why authoritarian regimes and police states try to silence art and culture - (this includes the present UK government). The arts repeatedly speak truth to power, pointing out the governments distain for any opposition to their self-interested greed. Colonialism, representation, hierarchical thinking, craft skills. Every two years my art education is expanded, along with inspiration for the teaching I do. There is so much to mention but some stand out moments include Julien Creuzet’s extraordinary films and textile pieces in the French Pavilion. The oddly compelling opera by Wael Shawky in the Egyptian pavilion. The image of a young dead man created by using their own blood by Theresa Margolles. The haunting organ pipes held in a forest of scaffolding in the Italian Pavilion, the delicate blown glass of Michael Joo in the Korean Pavilion that celebrated their involvement in the Biennale. The beautifully slight interplay of fruit and water power generated sound, in the Japanese Pavilion. The glorious, excess of the German Pavilion. The stoic, thoughtful professionalism displayed in John Akomfrah’s work in the British Pavilion. Giant puppets displayed unconventionally with a drumming soundtrack in the Belgium Pavilion. A truly sensual dance for two people and a conjoined shirt by Kang Seung Lee. Other dance pieces one by Isaac Chong Wai about falling and a work exploring queer histories by Ahmed Umar were mesmerizing. The beautiful dialogue between Tintoretto and dyed cloth in Uruguay Pavilion by Eduardo Cardozo. The use of repetitive mark making, weaving and knit to celebrate cultures otherwise underrepresented was everywhere. Away from the Biennale the extraordinary show by Pierre Huyghe at the Punta della Dogana is full of wait-what-how moments. He has to be one of the most interesting artists making highly relevant work at the moment. The video Untitled (Human Mask) of the monkey/human abandoned in a deserted town has to be seen to be believed and let's not forget a crab 'wearing' Brancusi's head in a fish tank with floating rocks. Then there was the joining in of the mass celebration with football fans on Sunday night after their win - flares, fireworks, drums, giant flags, chanting, megaphones, utter madness. Getting boats in the dark out to Saint Helena just because you can, and of course the boat taxi from the airport channelling James Bond, quite possibly the coolest journey I ever make. The food..........can't wait to return. 

exploringscientificgesturesthroughcardboardstructures

Exploring Scientific Gestures through Cardboard Structures

In the realm of scientific exploration, innovation often stems from the unlikeliest of sources. One such avenue of inspiration has been found in the use of cardboard structures. This intriguing collaboration between scientists and humble cardboard has led to a fascinating world of discovery, demonstrating the boundless ingenuity of the human mind.

At first glance, cardboard might seem unassuming and perhaps even inconsequential in the grand scheme of scientific progress. Yet, when coupled with creative minds, it transforms into a medium of exploration that transcends its basic form. I have embarked with scientists on a creative journey, designing intricate cardboard structures that mirror complex scientific phenomena. These structures serve as tangible, visual representations of abstract concepts, enabling researchers to communicate intricate ideas in a universally understandable manner. In the making of cardboard structures we set out to go beyond mere visual representation it extended into the realm of hands-on experimentation. Learning through observing and touching.

Whilst observing the work undertaken in the laboratory I created a specific body of work. I began by closely observing the scientists explaining their processes, drawing inspiration from the intricacies of human hand movements undertaken by demonstrators in the role of science communication. This tangible interaction with cardboard brought forth an intuitive understanding of scientific concepts that might otherwise remain confined to complex equations and theories. The cardboard structures I created were more than static models; they became dynamic representations of articulation. We introduced basic concepts of bio mechanics, considering the range of motion, and joint limitations. Geometry played a pivotal role in this endeavor. Crafting shapes that mirrored hand gestures, we engaged with angular measurements, spatial relationships, and symmetry. By manipulating these cardboard shapes, we illustrated geometric transformations, connecting the abstract world of mathematics to tangible creations.

The cardboard structures were often painted or marked to visually convey the relevant elements of the scientific concept. Color-coded sections, labels, and symbols aid in highlighting crucial features and facilitate better understanding. The visual cues enhanced the engagement of learners and made the abstract ideas more accessible. Interactive Learning is key. One of the key advantages of this method is its interactive nature. The cardboard structures act as hands-on teaching tools, encouraging participants to manipulate the structures themselves. By physically engaging with the structures, learners gain a deeper comprehension of the scientific concept, as the connection between the hand movements and the underlying principles becomes more understandable. As with any creative endeavor, refinement is an ongoing process. By sharing the work I gathered feedback from participants and peers, seeking ways to improve the clarity and effectiveness of the cardboard structures. This iterative approach ensures that the final product is not only scientifically accurate but also optimally engaging.

The experiment also delved into the realm of materials science. Selecting the right cardboard thickness and flexibility alongside the materials used to create the joints. This allowed us to understand how structural integrity and flexibility are essential for proper movement. This practical application of materials science deepened our appreciation for the balance between strength and flexibility in biological structures. We explored the principles of feedback and control systems. By introducing simple mechanisms to alter the cardboard structures motion, we tackled the intricacies of closed-loop control systems, mirroring the body's ability to adjust movements based on sensory feedback. We were able to feel scientific concepts.

The combination of scientific curiosity and cardboard ingenuity has given rise to a world of exploration that transcends the boundaries of traditional methodologies. Using cardboard structures, we unveiled the hidden and revealed the elegance of complex theories with simple gestures. These tangible representations foster a deeper understanding of intricate scientific concepts, engaging scientists, researchers, and students. Cardboard can be used to simulate and study phenomena that are otherwise inaccessible due to scale, danger, or complexity. Cardboard offers a safe, cheap, and interactive platform for scientists to test hypotheses, refine theories, and educate aspiring minds. As we continue to push the boundaries of knowledge, it’s important not to forget that even the most unassuming materials can serve as powerful catalysts for discovery.

everythingyouthoughtwasatruthwasalie

Spending 7 days in what was East Germany was an eye opener in so many ways. There is something about the history of East Germany that results in two modes of what feels opposing behaviour – walking the streets holding bottles of beer feels de-rigour. As does waiting endlessly at pedestrian crossings for the walking man to turn green even if there is no traffic. Something about control and release! A full 7 days of art, museums, cycling and walking - first up was Dresden – there was a Biennale that centred on the Robotron Kantine a space occupied by artists promoting it as an art space with other work in the OSTRALE – Center for Contemporary Art, which itself is a statement of intention, a place just outside the city where artists have created a collective vibe. Every piece in the show was underpinned by political positioning. Old Dresden is spectacularly excessive, the architecture category is fairy tale on acid, great use of gold leaf and Baroque doesn’t cover it. The Zwinger a totally over the top excessive experience of a building in the center of old Dresden has a beautiful display of old technical instruments including globes, maps, telescopes and tools for measuring space, stars and even melting metal. Another highlight was The German Hygiene Museum, especially the excellent cafe. There were some extraordinary objects, including a see-through woman, sculptures of defecated baby’s nappies and lots of unusual cross sections of bodies. The revelation that hygiene in this context has its roots in cultural cleansing rather than cleaning was a little shocking. The formal parks are stunning and endless, cycling through them joyous. On the way to the station, I popped into see the Folk Art collection at the Museum for Saxon Puppet Theatre Collection. It houses some of the most bizarre objects which have echoes in my childhood tv watching. The train to Leipzig was with all European trains exemplary. Leipzig has Forum Leipzig Contemporary History, a museum that starts with a newspaper detailing the death of Hitler. What we know of this part of the world is shockingly slim. The shifting politics and contextual existence are mind blowing. The contents of the museum should have been shown to every potential voter thinking about Brexit. There is a huge out of town space called Spinnerei. It was once a cotton spinning mill but is now home to Contemporary art spaces and galleries. Again, the politics of the artists were to the fore, and again another great space to eat. The Monument to the Battle of the Nations is so big. It’s difficult to document the immensity of the thing itself. A monument to the defeat of Napoleon against Germany who were supported by Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Sweden built 100 years after the event and 2 years before Germany went to war against the world. To say there is a real complexity to the history of this area of Europe is an understatement. A Museum of printing is housed in an old printing works and has so many machines. Its collection has some very old examples but focuses mainly on ones that I have worked on as a student at LCP! Ones own lived experience becomes history. There is so much to see – other highlights include Panometer GmbH is a huge gasometer that has a 360 experience, this one focused on 911 but was really an antiwar protest piece, widening its focus to all acts of terrorism. GRASSI Museum for Applied Arts is huge, and I only managed to spend time in the musical instrument rooms, truly excellent. G 2 K U N S T H A L L E: has a fantastic contemporary collection alongside temporary shows. Finally, I highly recommend cycling everywhere, German cities enable and seem to celebrate easy movement on two wheels, again lessons to learn.

walkingandlookingandoing

a great day on Saturday working on the art path with the Norfolk and Norwich Festival – as part of my workshop participants were asked what they would create a monument to. The results were generous and thoughtful.  I created several temporary interventions which were sited alongside the ones I ‘found’. The map is of the walk and the images some of my favourite answers to questions.  onto screens – The Mother – we may have been here before. Guy Richie’s The Covenant – a video game. Best Man – oh dear. To Catch a Killer – disturbing comment on why it’s like it is. One Ranger – great to spot local sights, the docks in Ipswich, Suffolk CC offices and a space at Bentwaters, Martlesham. Return to Seoul – a tragic stillness, beautifully shot and so sad. Inside – a biblical parable makes for a strange, distant film, the most fun is identifying the art.