our lady of

While I was in Tokyo the Emporer had his birthday, one of only two days a year the Imperial Palace is open to visitors. We went along with all the crowds and indulged in a frenzy of flag waving. Strange as I am not the kind of person to go out of my way to wave at monarchs.

You can see the royals behind the glass in the background. The palace is huge but on a horizonal plane, and with lots of windows and beautiful iron chain drainpipes as opposed to the vertical stone castle type of thing. The communist party of Japan were out in force with flags, blue overalls and megaphones protesting the day.

i think i should say a little something about the CCA, that is the Centre for Contemporary Art Kitakyushu. It is a strange serious institution, founded by two independant curators, and mainly hosting international residencies and producing artist books. There is a link to their excellent site in my blogroll.

Along side 6 other artists from Canada, Denmark, Japan, Greece, America and Sweden, I will be working here for 7 months. I have two studios, both large and airy with a shared kitchen and relaxing area.

this week i received my visa for Japan in the post. it is a lovely elaborate lavender colour with a picture of me tattooed in dots.

The visa is for ‘cultural activities’ . i can’t wait.

the suspected bus of doom has hit in the form of my digital camera being stolen from my house, along with a box set of Jonathan Creek DVDs  and a large bright blue cloth bag of ALL MY KNEE HIGH STOCKINGS!

it would make a dead dog cry tears of nacre

the died in the wool BASTARDS

Yesterday, while I was writing out students marks over a cup of coffee in the Adelaide central markets I recieved a phone call. I thought it was my friend lucy and so answered with a brief ‘hey’ , it turned out to be someone from the National Association for the Visual Arts, ringing to say that I have been awarded a Freedman Foundation Travelling scholarship to go to Japan. I was silent for a few moments…

hello!

hello?

Hello are you there…

Now I am walking around hoping I won’t be hit by a bus as a pay back for my incredible good fortune.

Yesterday I recieved the most welcome news that I got my Arts SA grant to go to Japan! The full amount too. For a few weeks now I have been visiting the post box with a knot of mild panic in my stomach. The relief is absolute. Now I can go on my seven month art/travelling jaunt without putting myself into a deep hole of debt.

In September 2007 I will be off to do a residency at the CCA Kitakyushu in southern Japan. There is a link to their site from my blogroll.

this is a video i made for no through road. matt banham and phil elvrum sing on it.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=v35ByEQ_nnQ&mode=related&search=

sorry for the messy link

on wednesday i arrived in Sydney for an exhibition ‘publicity’, that Reuben Keehan is curating at artspace. the show is taking a look at public space and perhaps, small, lame, weird and gentle ways of engaging with that big topic.

so i am staying at the gunnery residential studios - which is opposite the fingerwharf at woolloomooloo.

which is pretty nice.

this work needs me to photograph people on horses with these flags i have made - public huh?
feel so nervous, my skin is too thin for this kind of thing.
horse outing tomorrow.