olliebetts: November 2006

Duchampian meals&spoon

http://www.toutfait.com/

Hello, my name is Ollie Betts. I am a Library Assistant, I have been now for about three years. I am not on the minimum wage. I may have worked the minimum wage in the past, I can't quite remember. Please find attached a low resolution image that I made the other day. The piece is called meals & spoon, and although I have a feeling that this image will be perfect for your first show, I am a bit confused regarding a number of things. For instance, do I know you? Have we met? Do you know me? How did you get my email? why did I read your email just after I had finished meals & spoon (literally) and get the feeling that it would be great for your show? Although meals & spoon is obviously not a response to the theme of your show, it is an appropriation to the theme, does this make a difference? Could you appropriate anything to the theme “The minimum wage”? What makes a response better than an appropriation? Does the spectator need to know its a response or an appropriation? What does the spectator know or need to know? I would like to know some of the answers to these questions. If you have time in your busy schedule to think about this, or even to let me know what you think , I would be most grateful. I am more interested to know why you felt this image wasn't or was “right”, I will not be upset or offended with your thoughts or opinions, give it to me straight, I can take it. I don't know myself, why it feels right, its strange don't you think? If you feel it to, I would send you up a nice little print out for the show, heck, I could even make an edition!! I used to do an M.A in printmaking you see, I would print it out with archival inks and everything so that its top notch. For the wall I would put one in a nice frame to make it really shine. I am uncertain about price, perhaps you are better with that sort of thing? maybe you would be willing to let me know what its worth?. I know that its worth what you can get, but I really don't know?. What I do know, is that with a theme like the “minimum wage” and a title like “meals & spoon” and an image like the one I have made (well doctored really) and a cafe like yours ( I haven't seen it, but I can imagine) I really feel it could be great for everybody. I apologise for landing in your inbox at this late hour, but I just couldn't let the opportunity go. I think I could get the framed print to you for Friday? yes, its doable, so don't worry about that, leave it to me. Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to make it in person on Friday because I am working in the Library Saturday morning.
One last thought, if you don't feel it, you know the “minimum wage/meals & spoon” thing, then maybe we could appropriate the next months show.
Let me know
Oily Beds