listening lines (for Faye)
This poem, in five parts, was created as a response piece to Faye HeavyShield’s New Work that was on exhibition at the Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver, British Columbia from September 17th, 2021 until January 2nd, 2022.
The beaded line of her piece titled the red line and the drawings on paper in her piece I’ll know you when I see you, felt kind of like a letter – a personal, generous offering – perhaps to herself, as well as to anyone who might slow down to spend time with and within the space of her installation.
While I was in the gallery, I kept coming back to the feeling that my process needed to be one of listening – to simply be present and to listen.
listening lines isn’t necessarily what I think Faye’s work is about but it’s what I heard, coming from the pieces and from within myself as I sat, and stood, and walked in conversation with her quiet, yet powerful work.
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Many thanks to Matthew Hyland, the Executive Director at the Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver, and to Faye HeavyShield, for their invitation to create a response piece to Faye’s exhibition. It’s been an honour and a delight to spend time with work by an artist and person, and dear friend, who I deeply respect.
Saying hi as we all struggle to stay kind and caring and keeping the world cool and alive.
I always love seeing what you are doing. With Goddard’s complete closure I moved to a fantastic farm community call Heartbeet Lifesharing built by a former Goddard student who worked with Suzanne Richman. (just google Heartbeet Lifesharing to get a small glimpse). I do simple carpentry and wood projects here.
Hmmmm I told a friend I would send her 150
postcards from a recent trip to Ireland–and I remember something (???) you did with postcards–cut them in half???? Nah…Cut the storyline…? I think
Hi Bobby, what a nice surprise to hear from you and to hear about the Heartbeat Lifesharing community. It sounds like you’ve found a wonderful place to share your caring energy.
Wow, did you really send your friend 150 postcards from Ireland?
About your memory of my postcard projects … I don’t remember ever cutting them in half. I did write a couple of short stories though (that fit on the front side of a postcard), back in 2014 – “SLIPPING UNDERWATER” & “BLEACHED STORIES”. I wonder if that’s what you’re remembering.