Cutting-edge Art today, as the society from which it is derived, is for the most part blatantly self-seeking, bawdy and cynical. Since this is the only era I have lived in, I honestly do not know if things have ever been different….or better. However, I do feel out of sync with my peers and at odds with their world views on more than one occasion. If I would have to be a Cress or Gosper or Min Mae or Madonna to become noticed, I would not compete. By the way, I will not link their websites…if you are interested, you can find them yourself.

The Stumpf family in Canada Circa 1956. I am the youngest with Cuddles.

I was asked at the Launch if the progression in size in walls held any significance. Here is the text as found in the catalogue.

The shortest design of nine (9) is based on my birth home, from which the houses progressively rise in height, like kitchen canisters. Each having a wooden letter on its front which when all are set out in order, spell ‘container’. On the inside are the same letters, except for one, thus spelling out ‘contained’. This seems to amplify the theme of community splace. – linking the sacred of the home to the sacred of the cathedral.

Creating Community Ties

The Launch at Maryborough was the site of a brief public performance of art. Participants were handed blue ‘aprons’ to wear during the artist’s talk. Later I explained that the aprons were suggestive of community relationships and ‘the ties that bind’. Each person could take one of the ties on the apron they were wearing and tie themselves to each other or the installation HAUSTAFELN [a German word meaning ‘household duties’]. This signaled joining society and being part of the essential culture at hand. People enjoyed this hands-on aspect and it seemed to make the art come alive for many. Besides that, it was fun!

The aprons allowed eight ways to connect to each other, thus accounting for ‘Eightprons’ as coined by my sons on the day.

I think Robert Owen’s work entitled Untitled (breath) in Spill at ARC ONE GALLERY in Melbourne also references community and he must be fond of blue as well. I am flattered to think that this work looks much like one I could have created….if you are familiar with my interest in text, acrylic sheeting cut outs and blue.