Dear,/Hello? – the project

Dear,/Hello? is a project born out of a desire for direct engagement with other people’s work. I want to create a dialogue, or at least to catalogue, my responses to art.

Sounds wanky – it’s not meant to be. I just want a place to put all the things I think and feel when I respond to something.

Often there’s a strange disjuncture when I see a movie, or a play, or an exhibition, or read something – I want to tell the maker what I think but either they are not present, or it is difficult to have an in-depth discussion with them about their work at the opening/space/whatever – and besides, who is this strange woman telling you all the things she thinks about your work anyway?

Letters allow you to reach out from some relative cover of anonymity and the distance is enough to allow some depth, to say the things that would sound weird in person.

 

Although I may very well go ahead and break them, these are the suggested guidelines I’ve given myself to get the ball rolling:

The aim is to encourage dialogue between the viewer and the artists.
Responses could be:

• Collaborative – extending upon the ideas the works put forth
• Responsive – giving feedback, critical evaluation or opinion
• Conversational – addressing the artist or the work directly
• Format does not need to be uniform

 

In short, I want to keep a record of my responses, and send them on to the makers. To thank them, or challenge them, or build upon what I think they’re getting at. Some kind of reaching, tiny little hands bridging the gap between the viewer and the creator. Whatever this is or may be…let it begin!