Stuff it

Seriously, all I want is my stuff back, finish a few projects and go home. Sounds simple, right? Especially the getting my stuff back part. Apparently it’s not.

I stored 4 prints and 10 A2 sized framed images at Museum Gallery in Cape Town at the end of 2010, with the promise to get them back when I was next in town.  I was part of their opening show ‘The New Landscape’ and had a good working relationship with them. I blogged about the show here. When I left CT,  I asked if I could store some of my work at the gallery while I was in Europe. They said yes, no problem. Fast forward 15 months. I am back. And I have been *trying* to get my work back since April 5th and obviously still haven’t got it.

First thing I did was to simply go to the gallery. There was no one there. In fact, half the gallery seems to have been closed. So I wrote an email instead, asking for an appointment to come fetch my prints & frames. I got a swift reply from the owner/manager saying that he was out of town, but that he would look for my prints and get back to me as soon as he returned to town. That’s cool. I did not hear from him again. So I sent another email. And another one and another one. And, in fact, another one. I phoned and left a voicemail message. Finally, an email reply. He was on holiday, but he would get back to me a.s.a.p. “Asap” again, eh? I am sensing a theme here.

As to be expected, nothing happens. I phone again, I email again. I went down there again. We speak on the phone, again. I offer to come help look for the prints. “No no, you don’t want to be down there”. He will look for it, and will get back to me tomorrow morning, or this afternoon or whenever.

Anyway, you get the idea. There is always an excuse; he’s out of town, the electricity is out and he can’t see anything, they are taking down one exhibition and building the next, but once that’s done, sure ‘I’ll get to the archive’. Best of all was when he suggested it was my fault because it took me more than a year. What are we, in high school?

You are running a business, I made a deal with you guys that it was ok to store my stuff there, now I want it back. All you have to do is set up an appointment and keep your word. I am not your ex-girlfriend asking for an old t-shirt back. This is my work and frankly, returning it is your work.

Anyway, you get the idea. I am being strung along, given the run around, lied to. But, I still want my work back.
And this sucks.

Pills ‘n Thrills and Bellyaches

And just like that things change. I wrote an entire blog post on how I was a bit worried. Not exactly stressed yet but worried as a lot of emails seem to be floating in space and no one is replying. And there are 3 shoots left to do and am having a hard time getting hold of people. I have some time left but slowly getting a bit anxious. Yeah, anxious is the right word. I even have a stomach ache…  

Then I got a Facebook message from a friend saying a photo of mine made it into the Cape Times this morning. At the same time an email popped in asking when I would like to do the shoot. Then another email with the pdf file with the article/photo. 

 

And then I checked www.overtone.co.za and there’s the banner that my friends at www.taluut.nl made for my project. Invitations should be ready soon as well. Wow. It almost seems real:-) I am going to have an exhibition. A solo exhibition. A solo exhibition in Cape Town. Cape Town as in South Africa as in not my home country. Nice. I am almost inclined to say that it is a happy Monday. If I was an optimist or even a realist that would be true.

The photo in the Cape Times is a photo that is currently on show at the Museum Gallery. It was taken for the Swimming Upstream project but didn’t make the selection. It’s a portrait of fashion designer Hendrik Vermeulen and we shot it in Tokai a while back. I will post more on that later.

 They’re playing Live on the radio. I hate Live. So I’ll just play something I do like… The Sonics, ‘The Witch’… Maybe some Jon Spencer Blues Explosion next… Now that will get my Monday started properly:-)

And yes, of course, the title is from the Happy Monday’s third album.

But you knew that already:-)  

 

 

 

The New Landscape opening Sept 30th

I’ve been asked (lucky fish:-)) to take part in the opening exhibition of the brand new gallery Museum. It’s a group exhibition featuring national and international artists. It would be awesome if you could come check it out and perhaps even see you on the opening night.

Museum Gallery, Upper Eastside, at the top of Brickfield Road, Salt River

www.museum-gallery.co.za

See you there I’m sure:-)