Aaaargh. So little time so much to do.

I have been slow in updated the blog lately and a few things have happened since the last entry. First there was a meting with Nathalie down at The Three Guineas, the reading station pub. Then there was the artists talk in one of the waiting rooms. I missed my appointment with the elusive Nathania last week and feel quite bad about it. Mistimed, misplaced mistaken identity.

First Nathalie, it was good to meet one of my fellow countrymen. Inevitably the topic of conversation moved towards the political and the state of French society. Presidential elections are coming up very soon and the French people are wondering who to turn to for a leader. Our political institutions seem in disarray and some are talking about necessary reforms in the face of growing unease and division. Liberté Egalité, Fraternité, the motto of the republic appears more than ever to be just a veneer glossing over the reality of a deeply divided society. Still, most French people would disagree with the statement that there is no such thing as society. Social Darwinism anyone?

Then there was the artist talk in the waiting room. Hats off to Erica Burton for organising this project, dealing with a train company is difficult at the best of times (if you travel by train you’ll know what I mean), but to try and organise an art project in that specific context was asking for difficulty. She did it and I would not be writing this blog here otherwise. I really enjoyed meeting Jo one of the other artist involved, her son is at art college in his last year at Wimbledon school of Art and we had a good talk about the state of art education amongst other things.
What is art’s proper place? Not somewhere it becomes invisible as if part of the furniture. Some people got quite surprised as they walked in that waiting room expecting nothing -the quite of nothingness where you can while some time away until your train comes- and finding not only an audience but some inviduals making a display of themselves talking art animatedly. You should have seen this.

And finally,
Nathania I am very sorry about missing our appointment. How can I make it up to you?

Artist's talk at Reading station saturday feb 24th

I'll begin this by mentionning the talk at reading station next saturday in one of the waiting rooms. Drinks afterwards as per normal for an opening. Be warned there will be no art, or maybe just a bit here and there. Performance anyone? It starts at 2 o'clock and should be signed for wandering souls.
I read recently about the death of Emmett Williams the american poet and fluxus editor extraordinaire of Something Else Press. The man has published and helped publish many great books and will be remembered for it, at least by me.
Last friday was spent running around like a headless frenchman (something on the guillotine at a later date) with my daughter in tow. First to meet Erica the organiser and curator of this transient project to catch up on things and talk for a while. When you have things to say, half an hour is not enough, even less when constantly interrupted by an attention grabing four and a half years old human being. Then it was on to being interviewed by William English on his Resonnce FM show, his slot is Friday afternoon so that was live from Paddington. I haven't heard it yet but I believe it is archived. The show is called Wavelength, tune in to Resonance on 104.4 fm or visit www.resonance.com
This radio station is the best aural experience you'll ever have on the FM. Other worldly and truly fantastic.
Then it was on to the opening of a group show in which I have some works. The show is called Salon, it s on Old Bethnal Green road, london E2 at the 1000000mph. project space (read a million miles per hour). Art, Fashion, say no more except it is of course worth a visit.

Nadja

I was reading Andre Breton s novel Nadja on the train today. It is a vaguely autobiographical account of his encounter with a beautiful and fascinating stranger who has in effect lost her mind. The descriptions of their wandering around in 1920 s Paris is quite vivid. Interested that he was in all things circumstancial and the nature of reality as a lived-in dream Breton finds his match in this woman who seem to have develloped an extra sensory capacity for dealing with a world that does not make sense any more. Surrealism was originaly concerned with the transformation of everyday reality (the revolution) through the encovering of the veneer that calls itself normal reality. The novel was considered scandalous at the time, mainly for the intimation that he had had a relationship with a mad woman for the sake of her madness or something along those lines.
One can think of the distance travelled since then by considering how surrealism has merely turned into an advertising technique in visual puns.
Today I recorded the sound of Paddington and the beautiful snowy landscape outside. Hopefully the images will load up on the blog otherwise I will have to go onto plan B for the images and sound to be accessible.

Second Hand Bookshops in Reading.

I have a book habit, this is first my confession for the day. Upon arriving at reading I couldn t help but seek the second hand bookshops in town. As far as I could gather there seem to be only three, two of which are charity shops specialising in books. The Oxfam bookshop had a good selection of fiction. The art section was pretty thin and somewhat overpriced. I found a French comic book that I use to really like as a child, its called Idée Noire or Dark Thoughts by Franquin and relates some dark fantasies of a twisted mind. The cartoon I included speaks for itself. Another bookshop is the British Heart Foundation that didn’t seem to have any art, when I asked for the art shelve someone lead me to the back of the shop where voluntary staff was clearly struggling to manage with the mountain of books that were arriving at the shop and accumulating at the back. The second confession for the day would be to say what book I got there but I will leave that sensitive information for later.
Patrick the French book is for you.
Sally I am sorry I missed the 10.54 from Reading yesterday I was engrossed in an intense browsing session in reading bookshop. Let s make it same time next week or send me a mail to let me know when you re travelling.

Today was a real slog

Today was a real slog to get to Paddington. The tube is a nightmare, I usually cycle everywhere. That train residency is rather a blessing as I can find time to do some work on the trains. I have to confess that I avoid the rush hour completely otherwise my experience of travelling might not be quite so pleasant.
I grew up commuting between Paris and its suburb and it feels very familiar to be on the train day dreaming, looking at the scenery and being in that strange meditative state train travelling puts you in.
What does an artist do on a train? Well the same thing as other people I guess. The question of whether art is a socially engaged practice is a bit like wondering what a fish does in water. Well they move around don t they?
I got some pretty criptic text today:
"Read at loud?what? 'ten 30'is a beautiful hour.i shouldchange my rythm so that i don't sleep t that time. ill be on the wind at 3pm, possibly maybe. f." Would someone care to translate that one for me. Thanks

In the Beginning

So here we are at the beginning of another year and I am about to embark on a new project. Stranger on the Train is an artist residency on the trains between Reading and Paddington. I will be travelling on Fridays going back and forth between the two for a few hours, meeting people who contacted me and arranged a rendez vous. When on the fast trains I will be seated in coach C, and around the middle of the slow trains. You will find me easily because a poster will be placed next to my seat on the window. The poster says “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom (Lost in Reading Station)”.
I will be on the train tomorrow morning, see you there. You can text me on 07804174962 or email me arnaud.desjardin@betweenthespace.org.uk

basic information

Hello and welcome to my 'blog'!
arnaud.desjardin@betweenthespace.org.uk
text 07804174962
If you wish to join me on one of my jorneys you can email me on the email address provided. More details on how to participate and which trains I will be taking are provided on the participation page.