Portrait (I)
The Image
Inspired by the work of Christoffer Relander and his superposition of people and nature, this image starts with a natural, softly-focussed photograph of ornamental grasses and combines it with the statue of ‘Even(ing)’ – one of eight bronze nymphs by Alfred Drury, located in City Square, Leeds.
A Self-Portrait?
The Story
When I first came to Leeds in the 1970s, the City Council had a policy of erecting modesty screens around the Nymphs whenever they were being cleaned. And this had the effect of making me more aware of them. Otherwise, I sure I would simply walk past them without a second glance, as I do their male counterparts who stand on their nearby pedestals – James Watt, John Harrison, Joseph Priestley and Dr. Hook (sadly, the Victorian churchman, not the lead singer of ‘Sylvia’s Mother’ fame!)
Instead, they’ve been sitting quietly in my consciousness for all my adult life.
I know she’s a statue, but I want to be like her! Not, I assure you in the way of standing stark naked in City Square, holding a bottle of Newcastle Brown triumphantly in the air after a night on the tiles, but in her confidence, her resilience. One can discuss all the issues associated with ‘the male gaze’ but she doesn’t seem to care – she’s not victimised by it, or aggressively defiant, simply insouciant – it doesn’t affect her self-confidence, self-belief, or self-direction.
She’s inspiring, a role model, particularly relevant in current times. And arguably a better self-portrait of me than I could ever be.
So, this is (almost) a self-portrait! – a wanna-be self-portrait.
In Retrospect
Looking back, several months on, I’m no closer to making a more obvious self-portrait than I was at the time of the course, but I continue to be inspired by the Nymphs. Currently, ‘Even’ holds centre-stage in my latest project (entitled ‘Spring Beyond the Ring Road’) about the impact of returning to ‘normal-ish’ life after nearly a year of shielding. This new image is based on a painting by Marcel Duchamp from 1912, 'Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2)'. And this is, in fact, the fourth time, that she’s helped me make a positive (self) statement. A more conventional version of her (in black and white; 15in x 21in, mounted and framed) hangs tall and proud in my workroom, greeting me every time I walk along the landing and in through the door.
Spring Beyond the Ring Road (I)
After 'Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2)'
by Marcel Duchamp (1912)
On a wider platform, the Nymphs and the statuary around the city also reflect my sense of positivity (and ease) about Leeds, its history and its direction. By a stroke of good fortune, the wealth of the city and its civic foundation is based on wool (not cotton) and the recent review of local statues showed that none of the historical figures was directly associated with the slave trade (although there are heavy-handed references to ‘empire’ on the frieze at Abtech House in Park Row). And more recent statuary includes a large bronze called ‘Both Arms’ which is sited in Mandela Gardens (in front of the Civic Hall) as a monument to friendship and a reminder of Nelson Mandela’s visit to the city in 2001, receiving Freedom of the City.
A quick glance at the number of different places of worship around the city also attests to decades of immigration and (reasonably good) racial tolerance. As a report by Simon Thurley from English Heritage in 2007 states:
In the past, the strength of its nonconformist, Anglican, Catholic and Jewish communities has been fundamental to the city’s success. Today, a vibrant mix of cultures and faiths further enriches this legacy. Religious and cultural diversity has been a key feature of the city stretching back almost 200 years and has resulted in the building of many fine churches, chapels and synagogues; these are now being joined by striking mosques, Sikh gurdwaras and [now several] Hindu mandir.
So, all in all, I’m surrounded by reminders that Leeds is a fairly confident city, comfortable with itself, easy within its own skin and, in turn, it’s a self-belief I can aspire to. But whether this means I’ll ever create a self-portrait based on me (and me alone) remains to be seen!!
P.S. The house is now ringing to the sound of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. I bet the neighbours are glad to be out.