I went to Globe Arts today, courtesy of Ruth and John, and visited the studio space that Dave used there - as one of the artists that make this such an interesting artists studio.
Because of his illness Dave hadn't really worked much in the studio for several years, although he paid rent on the space until his death. The studio, kindly, has waived rent since then, but I've been aware that the Trust needed to deal with these pieces of work.
What first hits you approaching Dave's old space are the string and nail assemblages that are gathered together to create a kind of installation (see above). They hark back to Dave's illness, and several of the pieces contain medical items. The overall effect is powerful, almost violent. I fear most of this will have to be discarded - the pieces are going to be very hard to store and stack; and there simply won't be enough space in the studio. Any ideas out there?
There was also about a hundred canvases, including many of the Bestiary series, painted between 1988 and 2000. These I'll collect together and take back to the studio once the big paintings have been moved out of the store. Finally there's the detritus of Dave's presence - his old jacket, coffee pot and cups - none of this has been moved, out of a kind of respect. I said to Ruth and John to use any of the materials they find useful, and to throw away the other everyday items.
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