BAD HAIR DAY LEADERS EXPRESS SHOW
27 January 2019, Pepino
I did the Bad Hair Day Leaders painting series ten months ago in Benin and I was already getting worried - the work depicting the most powerful presidents, prime minister, chancellors and religious leaders is like yesterday's newspaper when some of them are not anymore in power. Later the work will be again interesting when a few years pass and it becomes a historic document of our times. I had talked about the work to all gallerists and curators I work with but hadn't got any feasible proposal to show the project.
Friday, 18th January
Pertti phones me and asks is the series still available for a show. He has one of Himmelblaus' spaces free until the end of February.
Sunday, 20th January
We talk again and decide that there's no reason to wait. Theresa May can fall any time with the Brexit. We plan that if it happens during the show, her portrait is taken down to the floor. Pertti says he has to check some things with his team before setting the opening day.
Monday, 21st January
Pertti says that we can do it on Thursday. I buy the flights to Tampere, Finland, for Tuesday. I pack the paintings, two pieces of baggage.
Tuesday, 22nd January
I drive to Madrid Airport and fly to Tampere via Helsinki. Unfortunately, the paintings don't arrive. I go to the sauna in Grand Hotel Tammer. It's too cold to go outside, fortunately the gallery is only three hundred meters from the hotel.
Wednesday, 23rd January
The paintings arrive. We install the show. I go to the sauna of the hotel with Maco, who was my neighbor in Grand-Popo, Benin. Oulu Museum of Art contacts us and asks to show the series in May (Is Theresa still in?).
Thurday, 24th January
Opening of the show. Maco plays the two songs he composed in Benin. Not too many people attends the opening but two museum directors arrive when the others have left. A great blini and vodka dinner with them in Grand Hotel Tammer. One of the directors is interested in acquiring the work.
Friday, 25th January
I fly back home. Exhausted.