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Artspace show
Working Title: Ruefully, Yours.
As you are about to enter the gallery, a woman’s voice surprises you from your left, saying excitedly "Hello,
Babe, it’s so good to see you again, come in". Just as you think she might be referring to you, another
woman’s voice responds and their voices, plus footsteps, move into the gallery. At the same time a
man’s voice comes from the right of the entrance and in a polite and friendly manner says "Hello, glad you
came, help yourself to drink and nibbles". At this point, just as you are entering the gallery proper, a
twitter of laughs is audible from the opposite end of the gallery and then the entire gallery becomes filled
with a myriad of conversations emitted from seemingly invisible people (but actually from unobtrusive
speakers dotted around the gallery). As you wander around the gallery you can easily eaves drop on the
variously intense, humorous, and diverse conversations ranging from the latest purchase of designer dresses
to heated discussion on the relevance of James Joyce's Odyssey to the 21st century. Visually the gallery is
bare, apart from a video projection of a door diagonally opposite the gallery entrance. When
you approach the door, it swings open to reveal two
people, a man and a woman, sitting uncomfortably, in deep conversation. When the door opens, the man looks
up to see who is standing at the door-way, and then walks up to the door, looking irritated, and closes
it.
Ruefully, Yours. is about love; a small analogy to love; a love that is faceless; seductive; isolating; full;
provocative; frustrating.
Ruefully, Yours. runs parallel to the unending curiosity that humans, throughout the history of time,
have had in love which continually seduces us; entwining us in desire and emotional need, forcing us
to succumb or struggle. Entering the gallery, we put ourselves in a social setting where we are familiar
with the social mores, but not with the characters. We have an idea of how to behave, but we are still filled
with a sense of trepidation (will we know anybody, will we be accepted and wanted).
Despite this, we enter, enticed in with the allure of hope and desire. Will we leave feeling satisfied; or empty?
The beauty of Ruefully, Yours. is that it is staged. It is not our own hearts we are investing; it is not
ourselves that we are putting on show. On the contrary, whilst the gallery is full, it is empty. We
can watch and eaves drop and judge with no fear of being watched, listened to or judged ourselves. It is
a near perfect social gathering with the one major flaw that we can never join in the intercourse. We
protect our hearts and our pride, but leave unable to reach a pinnacle of ecstasy. Ultimately
we leave, having been entertained, feeling provoked, but being followed by a lingering sense of frustration. This
social situation was something we could not control, and where we have minimal input. But in a strange way,
and despite the augmented sense of loneliness that we are left with, we have had fun and given another
opportunity, our curiosity would draw us in to do it all over again.
Very simply, this is how Ruefully, Yours. acts as an analogy to love. The audience enter curious, have some
good moments, have some bad moments, and then leave feeling slightly frustrated and confused, but willing
to do it all over again.
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