So - my dad died..........whilst was re-reading David Sedaris
I came across this quote by Saul Bellow, “Losing a parent is something like
driving through a plateglass window. You didn't know it was there until it
shattered, and then for years to come you're picking up the pieces.” Life goes on – the Summer ‘break’ felt both huge and long
and blisteringly short. Closing a life appears to be mostly about being totally
sad whilst undertaking a mountain of bureaucracy. A list of activity apart from the death thing - Premadonna
festival Some great panels – Bee Rowlatt so good I bought the book
- really enjoyed reading One Woman Crime Wave.
Latitude - What to say that hasn't already been said
- it's a washed up mainstream commercial venture, trading on past glories,
peopled by angry old people decamped on large rungs sitting in folding chairs
in front of the main stage, but its down the road and it would feel odd not to
turn up. The sad - Duran Duran - The good - Lankum was dark and brooding - The
excellent – The Darkness was like a metal tribute band (in a good way) - The
most fantastic - Chic with Nile Rodgers was awesome.
6 days in Hamburg - what an easy city to live in - so
green with water everywhere - we cycled all weeks on bikes hired from Happy
Bikes, the bike lanes are fantastic, although waiting for lights to turn green
when there is no traffic is challenging. Art - saw so much, highlights include the show Manual for
Survival at Deichtor Hallen, an amazing exhibition that asks deeply searching
questions about where we are today. Had to buy the catalogue. Museums - after
the art, the lens you look at stuff is in relationship to issues around waste,
the environmental impact of humans and displaced energy. I loved the whole of
the Museum Der Arbeit, the museum of work, fantastic exhibits which are
obviously still used, especially the print room. Hamburger Kunsthalle has a beautiful installation based
on Casper David Friedrich, whose work is also on display. Also got to see
Serra's measurement of time/seeing is believing. The Spiegel canteen in
the MK is gloriously trippy. MARKK is a glorious space, and it has a 'take no
prisoners' approach to the truth. A show about lithium mining, relating this to
salt Peter mining, a show about Benin bronzes the museum is repatriating, erotization
of The Tirol region, alongside displays which celebrate Korean culture,
including a yurt, a Maori meeting building and some of the oddest masks ever. The Maritime Museum down by the truly extraordinary
harbour buildings has a whole floor of mini models of boats which will blow
your mind, remember for each model there is at least one full sized example out
there. The odd - you must go to mini world, it will disturb and engage in
equal measure, sometimes at the same time. The silencing - a visit to Neuengamme, a WW2 work camp,
built to make bricks for the German war effort was so insightful. From the
individual, personal stories to the disturbing diagrams. It led to an
overpowering understanding of the extensive bureaucratic systems set up by the
Germans to control and destroy a culture, something akin to our role in
Colonialism. This was especially pertinent as race riots were going on in England
at the same time, no learning seems to have taken place. The space enabled my ability
to reflect on the concept of a 'war effort' for all sides.
The show at Solid Haus was interesting – each year the
work chosen is thoughtful and the people nice. Highlight was rewatching The
Girl Chewing Gum, 1976 by John Smith, wonderful and laugh out loud Tom, 2007 by
Jack Strange. Summer meals outside with old friends has been a wonderfully
supportive activity and we have had some lovely days and evening (we did have
some good weather.
Tattoos have been a physical marking of the metal turmoil.
I have some new ones and existing lines have been joined up in a very symbolic recognition.
Thanks again to @jim_skins for the skilful, understanding and care.
A weak(ish)
in Croatia for a wedding gave respite and acted as a bookend to the Summer.
Whilst there we checked out a bay where all the huge hotels were destroyed and
abandoned. It was odd to be in these spaces of pleasure, I felt that I understood
the activities that took place here, unlike say a castle. I have walked in these
types of spaces, and it was truly disturbing to see them in such a state. The
wedding was a Bosnian/English affair with great/odd music and fantastic
conversations – I loved the photographer’s choreography at the ceremony.
It was nice to be invited by Rebecca Riess and
Alexander Costello to be part of For Folk Sake https://thecut.org.uk/events/for-folks-sake-2/
and a spending afternoon was spent talking art whilst choices were made.
