Note to self: 100th post – pardon?
I’m quite chuffed that I have managed to share 100 posts on art, history, heritage and culture from my travels. I’ve got to thank my day one cheerleaders ( Gail, Goldie, Beth, Jazz and Dan). To all the artists, creatives, curators, institutions and countries I’ve mentioned who make the content of my writing possible. To all the people who have found this space on the internet and are on this journey with me. To all the people I’ve never met before but we’ve connected because of this blog. And to people I haven’t spoken to in years but still show support, thank you ❤️
I can’t deny the pandemic has forced a slowing to my usual pace of life. And I’ve thought deeply about the why behind the content I produce. And challenging myself to be intentional with my consistency. So much of my practice stems from history which is in the making every day. But the pandemic essentially heightened this notion. I thought about how our motivation was being impacted by the various implications of the pandemic? How the closure of space accelerated our reliance on technology? How issues long facing communities sparked global protest movements? Who had decided to document and archive life over the past year? What would this documentation tell us? How would this time be remembered? It has felt almost like a duality of being present but also viewing life from the early vantage point of hindsight.
In whatever way you’re reflecting on this moment of history, keep going. The information we create and the stories we share has so much power to inform us now, as well as in the future. Context is key to understanding.
Many questions remain unanswered because there isn’t always available information to draw from. Not everyone will see life through the same lens as you. That’s a strength. Use it to build a wider context for understanding. I’m not sure when I decided this 100th post was a mini argument in favour of documenting histories but I guess it’s just a part of this mini reflection…
In many ways, this is what my blog and posting on Instagram has enabled me to embrace consciously pausing and reflecting on the art, history and heritage out in the world. I’m looking forward to the future encounters…
