A Milestone
Today we began cataloguing Barry’s work, what an undertaking! We have put the work into some order and in safe storage. There is lot, and some is in very poor condition, including woodworm in some frames/stretchers, a lot of pigeon mess, broken frames, damaged canvases etc. Much of the work has been abandoned for many years, even in the later years of his life Barry had simply placed many canvases against walls and continued to create new works. There are several works unfinished; the pieces he was working on over the last few years of his practice. They have chalk lines where he would later have added permanent marks, a theme in many of his works, grids, geometry and equations. We now need to work to ensure every piece is clean, some will need re-stretching and decision will need to be reached regarding others that are damaged or simply rolled up. We have learned quite a lot about light restoration in terms of getting dints out of canvases, cleaning pigeon poo off works etc…. I now have the task of tidying up each piece, creating the images that will allow us to catalogue and share the work and get each piece recorded in a digital file and on the site. That is going to take some time and money.
What the process has allowed us to do is to become fully acquainted with each and every piece, our appreciation of his work has grown manyfold through the process of viewing, evaluating and organising the works; cleaning, photographing and labelling them. A labour of love that will further familiarise us with his work; no doubt we will grow in admiration of his talent and skill as an artist. We feel it is a privilege to be in the position we are, surrounded by years of his work, thought and skill. Now we are ready to get them exhibited and out in the world on walls and in conversations. While I have loved spending the past 4 years with these works, they have a different destiny. We will need all the good fortune we can muster, the support and patronage of some influential individuals and financial support from art lovers wherever we can find it.
Barry with one of the pieces now with The Forgotten Gallery
