Invigilating the MA Show

Its been a lot cooler of late weather-wise in the South East of England. The Private View felt like vegetables in a boiling stew, and the first day I invigilated I thought I was going to pass out from the heat. The Gallery, being as it is fully glazed and facing West, pulls in the sun, from the afternoon especially. Now, this is all very useful for my work, which, from 3pm takes on some real life as all its coloured shadows extend, but for someone who has to sit by the window and watch the public to make sure they dont damage anything (including themselves) its the equivalent of sitting in a greenhouse!



However, being in Brighton was a joy rather than a chore on Saturday. No oppressive heat and sweltering people. I could've easily spent the day outside! Walking to Grand Parade, surrounded by shoppers and tourists of every description, in their summer pastels and colours, pinks and blues and cut-off denims (the boys AND the girls!), with the sun gently warming and the air fresher and cooler than it had been in weeks; I felt invigorated and energetic. The train down to the coast was packed with a gaudy rainbow of bodies and happy voices, loud in their abandonment of responsibilty; the windows were open - it was like a fairground ride where the air whips you and you are surrounded by noise and colour. It made me excited too, it was catching, even though all I had to look forward to was sitting in one spot all afternoon, and getting warmer and more uncomfortable. Compared to Tuesday when I had to invigilate, the little drop in temperature caused a great deal of relief and happiness. Even when the full heat of the sun had not yet flooded into the Gallery, I still felt confident that the heat inside would be actually bearable. And, as I said before, it needs to be sunny! The sun needs to shine! Not just because my coloured transparent work inside "depends" on it (although I did make it have more interest than merely shadows), but to also lift the spirits of everyone under the canopy of the blue and add sparkle to the surfaces and faces of this dense and busy seaside city.