damn!
I open the washing machine and water pours out on the white tile floor. The drain and centrifuge does not work. I clean up, squeeze the water out of my clothes, put them in a plastic bag and take the bus to Platform where I burn the water DVD and go upstairs to check on the shoemaker. He is almost finished with the tent. I make some more adjustments, and get a call that the frame maker has arrived with the pictures. I am excited. They unpack the crate and I cannot believe what I see: The photographs are bulky and reflect the light in rings and lines - you cannot really see the picture. He explains this is the only way unless they spray mount the photographs onto foam board, a process that will ruin the prints in a few months. The frame looks good but the picture is unacceptable. I call Kathinka who translates my frustration and Danwen who tells me she never mounts photographs in China. They don't have the technology to do it... After much discussion she suggests to put rice paper between the frame and photo to hopefully put more pressure and reduce the folds. I go back to the frame shop with the workers. On the way I find a solution: glass is flat and if they sandwich the prints between two sheets of glass the problem might be solved. We try and it works! The amazing thing is that the guy who does framing for a living never thought about it. Kathinka is an angel: she comes in a taxi to translate.
The curtain worker has been waiting for some time when we get back to Platform. He looks at the transparent water series and does not really want to do the job. He says he is too busy and has to put off other work if he agrees. He asks a high price and walks out when I try to negotiate. I make Kathinka run after him - I don't really have a choice, the opening is tomorrow. He returns later and hangs the prints in the windows. They don't fit properly so he makes some crude adjustments and the result is rather bad. I am disappointed and exhausted by the lack of skills, attention to detail and care that makes everything look crappy. The metal worker comes and drills some holes in the wall to hang the photographs that have returned from the frame shop. I won't unpack them until the space is clean. The floor is still full of bird shit and feathers and dust. I have to argue to have it cleaned - nothing comes easy today. Tomorrow is full moon.
The curtain worker has been waiting for some time when we get back to Platform. He looks at the transparent water series and does not really want to do the job. He says he is too busy and has to put off other work if he agrees. He asks a high price and walks out when I try to negotiate. I make Kathinka run after him - I don't really have a choice, the opening is tomorrow. He returns later and hangs the prints in the windows. They don't fit properly so he makes some crude adjustments and the result is rather bad. I am disappointed and exhausted by the lack of skills, attention to detail and care that makes everything look crappy. The metal worker comes and drills some holes in the wall to hang the photographs that have returned from the frame shop. I won't unpack them until the space is clean. The floor is still full of bird shit and feathers and dust. I have to argue to have it cleaned - nothing comes easy today. Tomorrow is full moon.
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