Twinning and the Lost Spider

When i was in art college i became fascinated by Jung's idea of the 'Collective Unconscious'

While there were many different people and artists in the college and round about the place in general, there were many common threads of work and ideas that sprang up at that time - and indeed still occur. Of course some would argue that one person started a trend which was spotted, or even just glimpsed by another who either purposely or inadvertently 'copied' that idea. And then someone else spotted it and copied it and so on until these threads wove themselves into a sort of commonly understood visual language.

Well that may be the case, but i prefer to believe that we are all linked somewhere way back by common experiences and developments (as Jung wrote about) which have led us to create works around these ancient ideas.

Now, I realise that I am limiting the collective unconscious to visual art and artists, but that is how I came to understand it and dwell on it in the first place. I think it is very apt because the artist demonstrates this idea very clearly. When an artist works he often does so unconsciously allowing ideas to flow in and flow out. What better way to tap into ancient programmed memories.

oh! i have a funny little red spider running around my keyboard! He would appear to be lost!

This drawing that i did was my way of showing the mind connection between two people - who are twins. In this instance they are making a further physical connection - hand to hand which shows their deeper commitment to one another.

I like the immediacy in this little doodle. It is not worked up into a large or full scale 'piece of art' but it is a little work of art that is more like a doodle in my sketch book. It is a nice way of getting ideas dealt with quickly as they come flooding in - if they are flooding in - and I was at that time inundated with ideas upon ideas. Very fruitful is the college life!

Other news - Last week saw a huge scaffolding going up around our building and this morning various men came and walked around, poking things and looking up and down the length and breadth of the building. And now they have just begun the powerwashing! Very noisy I must say, especially when they are working right against your window.

The whole block is getting an overhaul and a facelift. Cracks will be filled, gutters, lintels and sills will be replaced and obviously the whole thing is being washed down as i write. Finally, when everything has been attended to there will be a new coat of paint applied to the whole thing - and then we will be living in a very smart apartment both inside and out!