saliva

Today I met some people at the exhibition to talk to them on the work and I caught myself telling them that I'm not sure building the show was worthwhile.
That's not like me at all normally, I'm usually very positive about it all. But I've been over-hassled all week with contractors threatening us, Swire giving me a $60k bill for cigarette burns in the carpet where people had been smoking at the opening party, contractors refusing to change broken lightbulbs unless we pay them more and on and on....

When I started the ball rolling on this whole thing it was with such a spirit of adventure and courage. I felt a wave of idealism and that this monster of an art project would only have positive repercussions...and not for me, more for Hong Kong, it's artists and cultural environment. And many people shared and collaborated in that energy, it felt like a crusade.

I guess the story of the show really has matched the concept of the show, the hero-myth, triumph over adversity. The story isn't over yet so we still have hurdles to cross, enemies to vanquish and victories to achieve. I'm sure in retrospect this will all add up to be a fascinating journey. And as with any other hero-myth, you have to go through the dark stuff to get to the good stuff. Bizarrely we actually have real villains on our story.

The reaction to the show from the audience has been amazing. People seem genuinely moved and engaged by it all.


SB