Phyllida Barlow, Untitled: Stacked Chairs, 2014
Oh no, someone didn’t properly close the shed door and all of the chairs have fallen out! Who’s going to tidy this mess up! Who abandoned this!
OF COURSE I am only KIDDING, this is art by the incredibly cool Phyllida Barlow. Barlow made what could be described as slightly chaotic work. She apparently never planned any works or exhibitions in advance, so part of her process was a kind of improvisation. It’s not usually very pretty (sorry, but they’re NOT). Her sculptures are always a little strange and often make me feel like something is about to happen. my favourite ones look like they’re on the precipice, literally hanging, teetering, about to fall. She slaps on layers, making it difficult to understand her materials. I’m always trying to guess how heavy they are. She paints with shape and colour and material.
Sometimes art can make you feel anxious and small. Sometimes that’s the fun in it.
I don’t want to have to keep apologising. But I can’t help it. I last wrote to you in FEBRUARY. I have finally accepted that I’ve got pretty bad time blindness. I have zero idea of how long it might take me to do something or go somewhere. Even when google maps literally tells me I’m 30 minutes away I tell myself 20 will do it. I’m constantly trying to fit in 12 different tasks into an hour and then beat myself up for not being able to do everything on my list. Why am I like this? We’ll actually NEVER KNOW. But if I am late meeting you, just remember that I feel worse about it than you ever will.
Congrats you’ve made it to the end! Todah Rabah.
Eleanor x