Installation Day

Installation day was another stressful day, made even more challenging by the fact that it was my daughter's 10th birthday. Knowing that I only had a limited amount of time to get my work installed added extra pressure to an already busy day.

Receiving a message from James first thing in the morning to tell me that Halo would fit in the van was a huge relief. After worrying about it the night before, it was a happy moment and one less thing to think about. I had to wait for the first load of everyone's work to be transported before Halo could travel in the second load due to its size.

Once we arrived at the exhibition space, the installation process brought its own challenges. I quickly realised that I could not physically install Halo by myself because of its size and weight, so I needed help from others to position it safely. Unfortunately, more obstacles arose when James, our technician, explained that the piece could not be mounted on the wall as originally planned because of health and safety regulations. There were concerns that it could fall and potentially injure someone.

This decision had a significant impact on how the work was displayed. The stairwell location created a number of visual obstructions, making it difficult to view the piece clearly and almost impossible to photograph properly. I had hoped that the work could at least be raised slightly above the skirting board so that it was not resting directly on the floor, but unfortunately this was not possible.

At the time, I felt frustrated because I had spent so much time making the work and carefully considering how it would be experienced by an audience. It was disappointing to have limited control over the final display. However, this experience reminded me that exhibiting artwork often involves compromises and unexpected challenges. While the installation was not exactly as I had envisioned, I was still proud to see Halo displayed as part of the exhibition and relieved that it had made it there safely.