WALKING DIAGRAM (FINAL ACT)

The final act I performed in the space, after washing the windows, was to draw a diagram which detailed various walks I have undertaken over the course of the three weeks. Some were recurring, like going next door for coffee, others were related to specific events, such as planting pips. I've been undecided about whether this is a satisfactory way to leave the project; however, in coming back to the space now after a short break I've come to the conclusion that it is somehow appropriate.

WASHING THE WINDOW

LAST DAY OF WINDOW NOTATION

A WEEK'S WORTH OF WINDOW NOTATIONS

Notating my comings and goings every day on the window of Alterations, has prompted some questions about what it means to be ‘in residence’.

At this point, the only things to be seen in the gallery space are the notes on the window, marking my attendance - or lack thereof, and, when I am in the space, my physical presence as well as the video camera which is occasionally recording.

Is to be a resident to inhabit a space? Is being visibly present important? Or rather is being present, in this case, a stand in for the production of an object? Where the time spent being ‘in residence’ becomes the product? This seems to link in with the idea of an artistic product taking the form of (a process of) research, as you, Andrea, alluded to with reference to Simon Sheikh’s essay. Or in this case perhaps also the process of observation (which may in itself be a kind of research).

YESTERDAY'S SIGNAGE AND OTHER SMALL ACTIVITIES

After I wrote up “coffee next door”, and sat by the window in the café, many passers by would glance back between the two windows.

SLOW BEGINNINGS

Over dinner, on the first night I arrived in Wellington, we had a brief conversation about the difficulty in designating the beginning to a process orientated project, a topic that seems to be recurring. Did this project begin when I got off the plane to be picked up by Andrea and Steven? Or did it begin with the dinner we had in the gallery on Friday night? Or the next day, after we cleaned up, and Laura and Amit (metaphorically) handed the space over to me? Or is it only now as I finally get around to posting this on the blog? Maybe it was when I resumed reading Conversations with Art/Space/Nature on the flight over here (more on that later). It seems that the beginning of this project has come on slowly, with many potential starting points, that may only become clear when looking back from the end of it.