Ok, the whole thing is beginning to sink in, now that Jensen’s hour has been and gone. We’ve got train tickets to go back down on the 13th for the closing of the event (aka last man standing… !) which is 8-9am Wednesday 14th. We’re planning to be in Trafalgar Square, or ts as the twitterverse have now christened it, all night, so plenty of warm clothes will be in order.
I’m still at a loss to try to describe the experience in any meaningful way, but I’m at the point where I think it would probably be a good idea to get some things archived before they’re perhaps gone. So, I’m going to start with the comments I wrote on my participants page.
After frantically returning the phonecall I’d had from one and other, and Simon confirming my place, I was conscious that this was Rob’s night on the plinth, so was trying very hard not to talk about it too much. Unsuccessfully, I fear, but I did try my best. Anyway, it became apparant that I’d not recieved the email confirming my place, and so hadn’t had the code that would unlock my plinther user area and let me create my profile. Once I’d got passports and other id documents mailed to me, and then got across London for Rob’s slot, I used the time Rob was in his interview to chat with Karen about my email, and after some complicated cancelling of offers and re-issuing of emails, I finally was able to log on and type ‘coming soon!’ into my profile!
The next morning (I am conscious I have yet to write about Rob’s amazing hour… this is not an oversight, I am doing things in the order I can handle them!) I sat at my computer and wrote my profile. Really with no absolute idea of what I was going to do, still, although the idea of just reading a story kept coming back to me- something I was good at, something that would make me feel calm. And anyway, I’d always held Winnie the Pooh in high esteem, so it seemed appropriate. I just dropped a hint on my profile, which is reproduced below. More to follow.
Even for a writer, words are impossible to describe the feelings I have about taking part in this project. Those who know me will perhaps understand more… I’ve been registered since the opening day, telling everyone I know about it, and I’ve watched two of my friends be selected for the plinth- @thespyglass, who did an amazing job as I watched online in the first week, and @robbelaw yesterday (Friday 25th) evening, standing at the foot of the plinth watching his supremely confident presence entertain the world. One of my other friends, @jensenwilder has also been selected for the 3rd October, and I’m immensely looking forward to his particular take on the event.
Four ‘not been selected’ emails later, I was resigned to being an admiring supporter, but chance put me onto the reserve list, and now here I am… Sarah… @smont… preparing to take her place.
Not having weeks to plan what I’m going to do is remarkably liberating for someone who usually likes to organise things to the nth degree. I was already in London when I heard, so I only have the clothes, the shoes, the props and the words I’ve already brought with me.
I will declare right away though, that I am in the ‘it is art from the point you interact with it’ group; my being there is part of the vision, other people turning down places is part of the vision, people promoting charities, causes, businesses, themselves are part of the vision, and people who stand and say nothing are equal participants. In short, I feel no pressure or obligation to perform, or to entertain. Which is a good thing as I am just not that entertaining!
And to be honest with you, anyone who has stood alongside the statues on Crosby beach, the Antony Gormley installation ‘Another Place’, watching the ships sail out of the mouth of the Mersey, seeing the sunlight on the Wirral shoreline, will know that in reality, it’s all neither here nor there anyway…
Perhaps I’ll just read my nephew, Oliver, a story. He’ll be awake, I’m sure!
