Another Opening...

but, for me, not any old show, but the first show I've taken part in in Cambridge. 'Another Brick In The Wall?' is a show of Outsider Art. It's interesting that at this point in my life, where I really don't feel like an outsider, much, at all, I seem to qualify as one by dint of my mental health (or lack of it...). It is an interesting show, nonetheless, mainly paintings. You can find more information about the exhibit, and the thinking behind it, here.

I submitted two pieces, one of which, a textile, was selected. Those of you who are familiar with my work over a period of years may possibly realise that in fact, this piece, Cracking Up/Pulling Myself Together, is an amalgam of two works. The two pieces, combined, seemed to say much more than they did apart. And so they are, now, one. Synergy is a wonderful thing. Mysterious, but wonderful. The first, Cracking Up, I have spoken about in previous posts. Its inspiration was drawn in part from Hunstanton Cliffs, which I find fascinating. They are made of chalk, and constantly changing, cracking up, reforming... a bit like me. The second, 'Pulling Myself Together', was made much earlier, from silks and cottons which were hand dyed and painted. So many depressed people are told to 'pull themselves together', often by professionals, who ought to know better (but clearly don't). It's difficult to pull yourself together when there are parts of your memory missing; which bits do you pull first, and how would you make a complete picture without the missing bits?

I find myself working more and more with these ideas. What does it mean to be well, to be ill, to change? I've talked on the blog before about scars; seen as negative things, they are, to me at least, signs of positive change, healing and growth. The same goes for erosion; you can see it as a loss, or as a gain. Certainly, it is a sign of change. And change is a good thing. If nothing else, it means we're not dead yet...