Blogs

U We Claus continues our dialogue between the Lower Rhine and the Clydeside.

I received wonderful letters and flux-post which are shown along with U We’s fascinating drawings ‘detail from > In Case of Bod (-> Fluxus) Heraufsteigen Lassen Hinabsteigen Lassen Lassen Frei< at the D.I. Y. Show @ 261 High Street, Glasgow.

I am reminded of the constant flux and piece of reality that exists every time someone enters the space at either the Drumchapel Community Centre or 261 High Street to interact with the art works on show and with our project.

Our opening’s were particular realities that I will continue to treasure. The Drumchapel Community Centre opening combined a presentation by Hanna Tuulikki and Nicola Atkinson Does Fly that stirred some interesting discussion between artists and participants.

This was followed by a social gathering that meant a great deal to me by the thanks which I received from Drumchapel people.

The 261 High Street opening was a different event that brought together an interesting gathering of people. As well as Drumchapel folk, we attracted Drygate and High Street locals and the generally mixed crowd enjoyed an evening of art and became a ‘social sculpture’ in the truest sense.

One piece of reality cannot pass without comment when Michelle Letowska’s ‘Visual Order:It’s Limitations and Possibilities’ was first knocked over by an enthuisiastic student and then again by a wee lass running equally enthuisiastically from front space to back to see Trish Gibson’s ‘Easter Dice Game for 2-4 Players with Music’ (another story).

An impromtu performative re-installation of Michelle’s work took place. Unfortunately, the immaculate white paper piece did indeed ask us to consider Michelle Letowska’s text ‘I Came To Realise That Looking Out Required Looking In’ and this particular Piece of Reality caused us all to consider the material and value of art.

The next day, a Drygate local named John (a lovely genuine man of the people and now D.I.Y. Show regular to 261 High Street) brought along a friend named Bobby and Michelle’s delicate structure once again took a knock. Bobby, without ‘glasses’ had stepped too close to read the small text.

Despite the curatorial responsibilities that I seriously uphold, there is something of the reality of the engagement betwen viewer – object – artist and vice-versa that is not predictable.

Following Michelle’s instructions, I arranged re-installation once more. The piece is not fixed down (as intended by the artist) and I may offer only tentative guidance not wishing to overstep the reality that the artist created for the piece.

As with life, art is unpredictable and despite best care and attention possesses a mortality just as all things do. Our human mortality exists as we view the D.I.Y. Show and U We Claus and Trish Gibson in their work ask us to consider our Piece of Reality.