A series of Conversations. One from 1/4/16: curating/gathering…

1/4/16, Transcript from skype conversation …

R to H: ‘I am wondering how we go about getting the pieces and the stories, there are a few options like, would it all come from one family? different generations of one family? Or could it be completely random? Or cover a cross section of the community?’

H to R: ‘I think it could go a number of different ways, like a single family sounds kind of interesting, a cross section of people could be good, it could also just be one person with multiple pieces / stories; it could go any of those ways. It could also be some building that is in relationship to the gallery, so if there was a school and you just asked teachers and administrators … or a factory and its factory workers. It could be anything like that. Or should it have a broader Auckland connection?

5`/4/16, Reflecting back on and channelling advice during Handshake2, Email from H to R, 1/7/15….

‘R, … Any of your versions seem like they will work. I wouldn’t worry about it too much, select an approach and see how it goes. H.’

13/4/16, Email R to H…

‘Regarding the selection of actual pieces … At the last skype we talked through a range of different/possible scenarios/approaches but yesterday I through why choose one, why not look at them all/a number of these? – ie using jewellery from the petrol station attendant across street, and also a handshaker or two, and also from an athlete, from a church member across the street etc…) … in my head this feels representative of a range of community and also a range of different functions jewellery/object has in our lives. I also wondered about including a few small objects (ie an ornament, pen, objects you might carry in your pocket etc…) as these too though not jewellery share a similar intimacy/connection/function in similar ways etc….’

And so unsure where exactly to begin I decided to just begin and see where it lead; the first request made on the 20/4/16, the last in the final week leading up to this exhibition. ‘Curating’ was not the right term … there was little ‘curating’ and control at all … I think it might have been more a gathering of sorts.