Artistic Motivation - Beware

The Dissertation Series continues with a birthday celebration and a knife attack in the main square of Belgium's capital city; in and among the excitement a chance to take in and respond to the Ancient and Modern Exhibition featuring Various Artists at the Musee Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, May 2007


Beware

Dubois, perhaps of De Beauvoir
Shadows; encounters that play with light
Travellers of the world unite as fragments
In the underground concrete departments

Be aware
Meet my friend; he is the one with the knife
Who desires, due to the affair with his wife
To end your life

Sad to have descended
The evening's gaiety upended
Anger lies beside the selfless bonds of consolation
As we delve into your darker nation

Ambient explanations to still the ruffled mind
Silent conversations to view the uneasy interior
Hazily ordained deportations cram the adventurer

Less plain
The particular exploitations to hustle
The all alone, after dark street walker

Artistic Motivation - On Leaving the Exhibition

The Dissertation Series joins the graduating art students with the Degree Show Open Exhibition featuring Various Artists on the BA (Hons) Fine Arts Course at the University of Lincoln, Greestone Center, Lindum Hill, Lincoln, May 2007


On leaving the exhibition

I strode up the Greestone steps
In the pouring rain
At the top I caught my breath

In the Cathedral Garden
I thought of the depth
And was perplexed

As before
On another ceremonious occasion

Opening drawers
Watching butterflies take to the sky

Artistic Motivation - Gaudier-Brzeska Line

The Dissertation Series continues with a response to the WE THE MODERNS Exhibition featuring Henri Gaudier-Brzeska at a fairly overcrowded Graves Art Gallery - Sheffield, April 2007


Gaudier-Brzeska Line

Cut it straight
Point out the detail
Turn the corner
Sharp
The war is upon us

Artistic Motivation - Million Dollar Collar

The Dissertation Series turns to Craft as Art with the response to the Seeing Dragons Exhibition featuring Nora Fok at the Harley Gallery, Worksop, March 2007


A million dollar collar

Safety pins and tweezers
The parachutes of artichoke seed heads

If ever one thing confirmed the beauty of art and craft
If ever one exposition showed the complement of art and craft
If ever doubt was mistaken in the search for truth
If ever life for youth

Don't go there
For you are art; however here we see you

Artistic Motivation - Separatists

The Dissertation Series continue, this time from Spain with The Curve of Destiny Exhibition featuring Jesûs Mari Lazkano at the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, March 2007


Separatists

Abando
Leave your shadows underground
Let life
Bring your light to the surface