Love and resilience in Camden amidst Covid

Standing in my Luscious Fruiting Forest of Dreams

Details of Vanessa’s previous work are as in email Here below are brief details of some of my relevant pieces : Upcoming is: Lest we forget: a five minute two-hander live performance – is going to be shown in Cockpit Theatre in January 2022. Before that, chronologically: I made an intimate performance about my dad’s …

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The Cycle of Life

Watered by the warm water I used to wash my dad's dead body, the little black and white forest grows and greens. As it starts fruiting., the cycle of life becomes obvious

I’ve produced a series of artworks sharing some of what I learnt about the Cycle of Life whilst my dad was dying. My dad wisely didn’t stop living just because the doctors told him that he was terminally ill. Like many doctors, I had thought I was something of an expert at dying. But then …

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Memory Palace

In the Mind of the Beholder. Gilbert and George. Seen in White Cube Memory Palace 2018

I was in Bermondsey and so grabbed the chance to have a look at the Memory Palace in the White Cube. The accompanying booklet tells me that “memory defines us”. And that art is “a powerful medium for stories missing from history’s official record”. Three of the items felt especially relevant to my current work …

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3. Heartbeat: digital collage

Heartbeat: This image shows what happened when my dad took his last breath

This digital collage is about what happened to my dad’s heartbeat when he took his last breath. I’m showing the sound and light and movement during the multimedia performance in the Showroom gallery. The image shows a colleague clapping my dad’s heartbeat (on the left) and me talking (on the right). On either edge are (white on …

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2. Deathbed Skiing: a digital collage

When my dad was so near death that he’d stopped talking, he got out of his bed to stand as though he was deathbed skiing his last Black Run.

This digital collage of Deathbed Skiing shows me talking into, walking and standing alongside one of the Showroom Korean ‘machines’ that underpinned ‘Dawn Breaks’ (the ‘story bus’). The words I said are here. When my dad was so near death that he’d stopped talking, he got out of his bed. People that close to death don’t get out of …

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Praxis Forum submission

The Cycle of Life. This 'forest' grew from the acorn heart in 'Heartbeat', watered by my tears into a sprout. Then the warm water used to wash my dad's body 'grew' it into a forest, with more and more fruit

This is a very brief summary of my Praxis Forum submission. Praxis Forum put out an open call for visual artists who are interested in collaboration and in pushing the boundaries of their artistic practice. Applications from disabled artists were especially welcome. There is to be a year-long programme of monthly peer mentoring forums, including peer crits, discussions, …

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4. Ultimate Living: the words

Watered by the warm water I used to wash my dad's dead body, the little black and white forest grows and greens. As it starts fruiting., the cycle of life becomes obvious

These are the words I used in the multimedia performance of Ultimate Living, with some of the images: Ultimate Living: Often. in the hospice. I washed my dad. Freshening him up through the day.  Just because he has died, I’m not going to stop. He must have washed me ALL OVER like this when I was a small baby. …

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3. Heartbeat: the words

Heartbeat: This image shows what happened when my dad took his last breath

Here are the words I said at the multimedia performance of Last Breath / Heartbeat at the Showroom gallery   Heartbeat: I knew Straight away When my dad took  His LAST BREATH.  I stood up. Put my hand on his chest. And now. I’m confused. Cos his Heart. Is Beating. Fast. And Strong.  Keeping going. Keeping going. …

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2. Deathbed Skiing: the words

Talking into the Story Bus

Here are the words I said at the multimedia performance of Deathbed Skiing at the Showroom gallery, along with a few images:   Deathbed Skiing Later on my dad stops talking. Gets less responsive. More restless restless restless.  I want to freshen him up. Put his arms. Around my neck  Sit him. Forward. And He. Tries. to get out of …

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