Finding a way

I wasn't planning to work this afternoon but true to form curiosity got the better of me. How are the public experiencing Pierre Yves work? And why am i not there? I felt i really needed to observe today to get a sense of the general human traffic. I wanted to make myself visible at the beginning of the project to, by implication, attach my self to the exhibition.

Introduced the work to a family member. "No wonder you feel strongly about these photos, its frustration, they are pissing you of " "what do you mean" laughing at me he carried on "well their ignoring you aren't they, you hate it when people don't include you, you either go all anxious and insecure or more than likely completely the other way'

I hadn't thought of it like that.

Was reassuring to see an old friend. D. an old college, who works with the YMCA young people at Atina House over the road. She wanted to know what i was up to. Had a long chat. Positive responses to the work and the use of the space as a gallery. "its great to have something new to look at, we can see the gallery from our office". . She was keen to know about the gallery how Dover Pride and DAD have worked together. She spoke of her son, an artist who is away at uni. She would have liked a card to pass on. We talked about the project being european, as she pointed out the flag on the window. We chatted about the immediate community and how i hope to become familiar face to the people who use this walkway regularly. Trust. 'You'll have people bringing you tea and cake before to long'. I hope so!

She teachers art classes for 13-16yr olds. Going to pop in and have a chat as she may bring down some of the young people.

Felt awkward. Both invisible and conspicuous. Inhibited.

Just watched. Some glanced, some stayed for a while, some were not distracted from their conversation, inquisitive stares, always on the move.

How to join them? Really conscious of just popping up from no-where with an in your face cheesy "Hi, welcome My name is..." the kind of approach usually adopted by sales. Would this put pressure on them to talk to me, probably.

Chalks: toyed with what to write. Thought about how no-body seemed to be reading Pierre notes and if they did it was a quick scan. "oh i didn't see that" "not very noticeable as the text is bit small" "its a bit to long". Read the text again. The silence of the images disturbs our own silence. The whole series contains hint of suspicion. I chalked it on the pavement in large letters. It spoke about how i was feeling as a mediator, how i was the one looking and the one being looked at. It was a self reflexive action and also a tool to help me mediate the works ideas confidently. People were intrigued to what was being written and stopped. Some read before they saw the work, some as they passed it. Most passers bye read. Without being in their face eves dropping I could hear comments as they stood above me reading. If they stopped I told them it was the words of the artist. I wrote it again at the top of subway. I will think about this some more. I may take some time with the text, pull some questions/prompts/provocations out of it.

Spoke to a few passersbye and residents of the B&B. Didn't push conversation to much today

'lovely curiosity about them'

'they seem Fresh'

'are they all english, i've walked past'

'The only face that is looking is the bust in that photo'

'its good to see the shops being used for something other than storage'

'i prefer it at dusk'

'i think its beautiful'

-need to start recording my conversations.