Walking the Gray Area

Dear Eduardo,
Nice to read how my Pi strands got your imagination going with contrasting thoughts. I also think the Pi-sign contrasts strongly with the rhythm of the skulls, which makes them less monotone. It really breaks the rhythm, and meditation if you wish. And are you saying there is also a contrast in the number of Pi itself, becoming smaller and smaller at the same time in a never ending sequence. At the same time making the number after the dot, longer and longer. I like to think with all our ancestors gone before us we just add and add and pass on valuable experience and thoughts to that enormous tank of knowledge and wisdom, bringing humanity further and further in its development and its understanding of the world around us. Bit by bit.

I like the two layers of weaving you put over one another, bringing depth into your work. And the idea they could be working like different filters, structures from different periods in time. I share your admiration for something as common as weaving and basketry. That such in themselves very simple techniques have brought practical solutions all over the world is incredible. May they be disdained or not, because of their plainness and commonness. I love to see those rhythms, mesmerizing, especially in a contemporary piece of jewellery.

It is getting quiet in the blog. This part of the project is coming to an end. We are among the last ones here. Let me tell you, that I really enjoyed our talks here that certainly inspired me and pushed me forward towards the work I just completed. The Mexico you showed me by telling me about your history and your views upon religion, folklore and geography led to the opposing elements in the necklaces I made. Urban/Folklore, Science/Religion, Personal/Regional/Universal, Reason/Magic. Here are three final photos of the Pi collar.

Thank you very much for your friendly, sensible and inspiring posts to me. Have a wonderful time during the WGA symposium that’s in your city very soon now. Lets keep in touch through e-mail. Hope to hear from you soon here or by e-mail. In the meantime I wish you success and all best in your work, personal life, art and all you do and undertake. Best wishes and warm greetings, Peter

   Hola Peter por aquí otra vez, es fuerte el  contraste que tiene tu pieza con el número  de Pi

   Cuando vi  el símbolo del  número Pi cerrando la secuencia de cráneos me llevo a pensar en que el número Pi es como un símbolo religioso relacionado con algún  martirio tal vez,  un mandala cuya geometría provoca un viaje para la meditación. La  reflexión de  como se comportan estos  números es especial. Imagino a su potador meditando en las fracciones que se mueven al infinito cada vez mas pequeñas o, como si cada calavera fuera una raya del principio y el infinito.   Es también como la sección áurea. Ideas que abren puertas desde  razonamientos a otra lógica sin razón.

  Una bonita idea el integrar este número con las calaveras en la circunferencia.

   Con el tejido he decidido mejor  no ponerle en este caso los coches. Realice algunas pruebas que  me gustaron, serán para futuros trabajos, aquí te las muestro.

   Me pareció mejor colocar el tejido anterior dentro de este último, dos capas tejidas con  tramas distintas y dinámica  diferente , ambas concéntricas influyendo en diferentes aspectos al desenvolvimiento y carácter especifico a este objeto, espacio, tubo, tripa  

    Como bien decías antes  los tejidos y la cerámica siempre han estado presentes desde mucho tiempo atrás en todos los pueblos sobre la tierra. Formalmente  son demasiado comunes y remiten a un esfuerzo colectivo que elimina las diferencias y homogeneiza, Me parece  que por eso han provocando desdén, tedio.  En lo personal me gusta apreciar los tejidos  por las soluciones estructurales que resuelven  a partir de sus  elementos muy simples, endebles  y básicos, también por su permeabilidad  como filtros entre lo de afuera y lo de adentro permitiendo que ambos puedan ser lo mismo

    El poner estas dos tramas una dentro de otra con diferentes dinámicas separadas pero sumadas al mismo tiempo, me gusto porque en la conversación que hemos tenido ha sido muy agradable  encontrar coincidencias que  traemos  de épocas pasada en la historia, mas haya de  las fronteras  en las que hoy hemos vivido, en donde  la red  que le daba forma a esos lugares y momentos era otra diferente a la de hoy.

                                                                   Greetings  and good luck for all there.

     Hello Peter, again here. 

 Is strong the contrast that made the Pi number   with the object.

   When I saw the symbol of the number Pi, closing the sequence of skulls, takes me to think that number Pi is like a religious symbol related with martyrdom maybe, a mandala witch geometry cause the trip to meditate. The reflection of how is the behavior of this numbers is especial. I imagine the carrier of this necklace, meditating on the continuous fractions that move to the infinite in a very small place, or every skull is the limit of the beginning and the infinite. Is also like de golden section, ideas that open doors from reasoning to a no reason logic.

   Nice idea, this number with the skulls in a circumference

 With the weave I decide better not to put in this case the cars, I made some proves that I like, they will be for future works. Here they are. 

I think it was better to put the weave done before, inside the space of the last one, two layers weaved with distinct welt and different dynamic, both concentric having influence on  many aspects to the development and   specific character to this object, space, tube, gut.

   As you well said before weaving and ceramics always have been seen a long time ago in every town on earth. They are very common formally and remit to a collective effort that eliminate and uniform differences. I think this is the reason that they provoke disdain, tedium.  Personally I like to value the weaves because of there structural solutions that belong from there very simple, frail and basic elements, also because of its permeability, as filters between the outside and the inside, Letting be both the same

    To put this two fabrics one inside the other, each one with different dynamic separated but sum up at the same time, likes me, because in the conversation we have is very pleasant find coincidences that we bring from past periods in history, far away from the actual frontiers where we live today, where the net that gives form to that places and moments, was different of the one today.

                                                              Saludos y buena suerte para todos por alla

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Hi Eduardo. Finished the multiples yesterday, those went quickly. Began to work on the large collar. First I had to figure out what would be the most practical way to knot, connecting not only the skulls next to each other, but also the ring under/above it. Had to do a similar thing in making cuffs many years ago, so I knew it should be possible. In the outer two rings knotting with two threads, kind of zigzagging with one of them.
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I wanted to work in a spiral this time, so was a bit worried about how it would work out in the area where a next ring should be added. But it worked out fine. No problems with the number of threads or with connections that had to be skipped. Here the third inner ring is developing.
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I am glad I chose to use the colours you sent me, I like the look of it. In one colour would have been less interesting to look at, I think. Well, a few more knots to go. See you at the finish and success with your last steps. Take care, Peter

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Hi Eduardo,
A quick return to show you two strands of skulls I just finished knotting. Here I just started one. For the stringing of the skullies I use a knotting tool used in beading pearls. I can direct the knot with it to exactly the right position. This is nice work to do. The results show instantly.
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Knotting goes quickly. Here at the end of the strand. The skulls are the size of large pearls, so it looks quite elegant and bold at the same time. And they’re long: about the same length as a rosary.
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What do you think? Don’t they look like the perfect necklaces for urban high priests?

Dear Eduardo,
Yes, to me working with ceramics is exciting and there are so many things for me to explore there still. Glad those old Chinese inspired us to have our own ceramic industry in the low countries. And I like to organize my work like that little industry you mention. I see some similarity in the organized and well planned way you work. It has been a bit quiet in the WGA part of the factory last week, because I had a deadline for some other works. That has been finished now and I can continue with the last part of my jewellery for WGA. Which will be knotting all elements in place to form the necklaces.

I like the new photos you sent of your weaved tube. I like the connection with the weaved fabric. Also I think your decision not to have the rhythm of the weaved wires interrupted by elements put on the tube is a good one. What keeps me curious about your next steps. And very right: it is a kind of magic, many of our creative processes just are irrational. And about your remark to make photos of the in between steps is a very good way to store moments where you had to make a decision to go this way or to go that way. I do the same. These moments are stored till there is time and space to work on something new and to start following that other path you had to leave in favour of that other direction. But that’s also worth exploring. Making digital photos is perfect for that, a method I use too.

I am glad the boring part of applying the decals has been done and now the real fun part starts here. So no more hearts out of guts like a week ago . Now the pieces of jewellery will really start to come into existence in this last phase after all the different steps of preparation.

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Here still some photos of a week ago.
All heads on their stakes had to get their final decal firing in two go’s.
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Here I am sawing large Pi symbols out of alpaca. I want them as pendants on the little skulls string as an urban bling bling element out of the world of science. Forgot to take pictures of that, but I have gilded them also.

Will keep you posted about the last steps these days. And looking forward seeing your final steps.
Success and best wishes, Peter