The Office Assistant - In the Portland Tribune
WOW - the impact of the Tribune article is startling. My sincerest thanks go to Joseph Gallivan for the story and Jim Clark for the images. :-) And also to everyone that came to visit because of reading the article. The 'good' news is that there was no crochet accomplished today - and the conversations were incredibly interesting. There is also a link on the website to the Tribune article, under Media, print media. Given the rapid speed of change to the site at the moment, always hit your browser refresh button with each visit.
Adrienne visited again, telling me how she began working here as an Americorp volunteer. 
Barbara came in as the Bearer of Great News. 
Then Bill came by - he practices Zen. Half way through that chat Channel 8 as Tim Jacobs arrived. Like all good media coverage, I haven't seen the spot on the news - if I owned a tv, the chances would be better! 
Alex and Carolyn from Standard Insurance came by to check out my authenticity because they are both Office Assistants. We had fun! despite the look on Alexs' face as she tries to crochet. 
Then Christine came by to chat Artist to Artist - to be joined by Connie, who was in a Tai Chi class with Christine more than ten years ago and hadn't seen each other since then. 
Lorena took on a Ceremonial robe, and 
Joyce brought her entire Ceremonial Art class by. 
Mick the Amex Musician snuggled under the rug, while 
Andreas went Corporate with his cell phone in repose mode.
Thank-you to everyone that take the time to check in each day, have a chat, and peruse the quilt. (Al and Bonnie are keeping my nutrition levels up!) Also thank-you to the person that made a point of telling me that she LOVES her job, but doesn't think much of the Tribune article or care much my art work either. I was thrilled that she made the effort to tell me. Now I hope she is able to read the premise on the project and can follow the dialogue on the blog.
Adrienne visited again, telling me how she began working here as an Americorp volunteer. 
Barbara came in as the Bearer of Great News. 
Then Bill came by - he practices Zen. Half way through that chat Channel 8 as Tim Jacobs arrived. Like all good media coverage, I haven't seen the spot on the news - if I owned a tv, the chances would be better! 
Alex and Carolyn from Standard Insurance came by to check out my authenticity because they are both Office Assistants. We had fun! despite the look on Alexs' face as she tries to crochet. 
Then Christine came by to chat Artist to Artist - to be joined by Connie, who was in a Tai Chi class with Christine more than ten years ago and hadn't seen each other since then. 
Lorena took on a Ceremonial robe, and 
Joyce brought her entire Ceremonial Art class by. 
Mick the Amex Musician snuggled under the rug, while 
Andreas went Corporate with his cell phone in repose mode.Thank-you to everyone that take the time to check in each day, have a chat, and peruse the quilt. (Al and Bonnie are keeping my nutrition levels up!) Also thank-you to the person that made a point of telling me that she LOVES her job, but doesn't think much of the Tribune article or care much my art work either. I was thrilled that she made the effort to tell me. Now I hope she is able to read the premise on the project and can follow the dialogue on the blog.
posted by zen at 7:15 AM
4 Comments:
I think your installation works only because you are performing it in an office building. The quilt / job analogy would otherwise be contrived.
I actually find the imagary of the quilt to be much more effective as applied to the internet and concept of online community (message boards, blogs, groups, etc). They give us a feeling of safety and support, but it is ultimately hollow, cold as the web of wires that transfer the bits and bytes. And the "web / quilt" analogy is a natural one... but I digress.
I applaud the installation, but I do levy one piece of criticism, and it is that I feel you know something that most others don't know (the emptiness of most work, the joy of doing what you want to do), but you might come across as sometimes smug about it rather than humble. Knowledge is like wealth, it should be shared with the poor but never flaunted.
Excellent work though, I hope you keep it up. And it would be beyond cool to spend a second month deconstructing the quilt, but alas we must only imagine.
Hi Zen,
Boy, I wish you weren't so popular so I could have more time to chat with you.
The Tribune article prompted me to look up the artist Ann Hamilton. She's fascinating and I'd never heard of her despite sharing two things in common with her. (the Hamilton family name and University of Kansas) I'd like to know more about her beyond what the few sites I found on the web had to say.
I also want to say that I love reading your stories. I only skimmed a few from your Japan pilgrimage, but but reading your chronicle of a long walk, trek, journey, pilgrimage is refreshing and reminds me there is more to life than what is right in front of me, and the instantaneous response, gratification and results expected in todays work world is a recent human imposition and not a real need. Your work tells me to pay attention to the things that are most important.
Thanks.
Hi to Anonymous and Barbara,
Thanks for commenting in, and thanks for keeping me on my toes too - it is appreciated. Happiness is a disconcerting thing to have. And I like being disconcerted. Most of all, thanks for getting involved. I am seriously playing with the idea of deconstructing the project in total - after December though. There is this 'little' pilgrimage that I want to fit in before winter hits hard in Eastern Europe....
zen
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