Regina De Rozario: Notes, pictures, and other fragments

These last couple of weeks have not been good. Granted my work has been getting a lot of views and compliments, but I've only come to realise the size of the headache...nay, migraine, that comes with getting a work seen.

The thing with video installation is that it's not as simple as hanging a painting or drawing or photograph. You cannot stick it in a frame and leave it to your gallery folks to hang. There are equipment considerations, which means you would have to keep checking with the site and curators on what's available or can be provided, and making sure that what they have will fit the vision of your work.

This is my take on exhibiting: It is not enough to 'make do' with what is available if it does not fit. Time and money spent on making an artwork demands that more time and money be spent on ensuring that the artwork is seen the way it's supposed to.

My frustrations over the last few weeks stem from not having the right equipment, and more so budget to ensure the ideal setting for these works. It feels, in some part, like building a plane for months, and then not having total control of flying it.

Alas, the artist's perennial lament: Budget

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Aside from the various prep work for the various exhibitions, I've been busy with my teaching work. The actual teaching is fine - the groups are beginning to perk up and participate more in class, which is a good sign. The prep for lessons takes a lot longer than I expected. Because there's no precursor for the course, I have no manual to refer to which leads to lots of mulling on how I could make the lessons less 'lecturey' and more interactive. So far, the groups have had very little good things to say about their history classes, which makes me curious to the point of wanting to join them there one day.

I've also been asked to be contributing editor to a new web and print publication on young contemporary artists in Singapore. It's shaping up quite well, but lots of proofreading and re-writing to get done.

What of my own MA work? Honestly, I'm a bit stuck there and am trying to fit in time to do my readings and literature review. I haven't found the angle that I want to work on (public art being a very broad topic) and this is quite frustrating. I wish my ideas would come to me in my sleep, but the trouble is, I haven't been sleeping very much, so no help from dreams or the subconscious.

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Not to end on a stressed out, negative note: So, how about that Olympic Opening Ceremony? Honestly, I thought it was fab, and some parts of the ceremony, like the tai qi demonstration and dancers painting and they moved over the large scroll, took my breath away. Zhang Yimou's overall art direction really imbued me with a deep sense of awe. Such grace, and power.I was overwhelmed, but this time in a good way.