The sea was not as rough as predicted, I watched the water swell up around us, making my stomach leave my abdomen which gave me slight pleasure. I watched the landscape change though my ferry window, focusing past the salt crystals and water droplets. Dusk had begun and the lighthouses began to light the path along the fjord back home to the mainland, blinking and waving until the land disappeared.

I went back to the valley at dusk. I wanted to check if it was still there and if insides of the abandoned house were no longer exposed. The colours flattened into each other as the light disappeared behind the horizon line, it all was a even grey now. I could see two ships floating out there, they moved past west every evening around this time, silhouettes hovering just above the water line. The Nightjar started to call as I made my way back, I had recently read that the Nightjar is sometimes referred to as “goatsuckers” some ancient folklore. I made my way back home past the wall of trees. The lighthouse was now on and it light up the valley in short bursts.

Today I got ready to leave the house early. I wanted to cover some ground so I packed light and only took the essentials, compass, camera, sound recorder and sample bags. I headed west, the temperature and light were just right. Within the first fifteen minutes I was confronted with a bog and wet feet, I followed the animal path down to the shoreline as far as it could take me. It got quite tricky from there, a landscape I did not expect from my lookout point and map this morning. Grey black boulders surrounded me in an apocalyptic view, I was in it and had to follow the sound of the ocean to find my way out. I played tetris as I choose my steps over and down and around. Nothing but the occasional bird crossed my path. Shoreline ponds and ecosystems changed as I got nearer to the ocean, debris of shipwrecks lay hidden in the rock crevasses. I did come across a treasure while collecting some yellow moss it was, yes and to my surprise a message in a bottle from a Erik Pedersen. I put it in my backpack. I kept checking my watch as time had not moved again and nor had I.

I heard they have many eyes. We will have to find the antidote to their sting, if we are to swim again.
(a rare image of the "burning fish" found in the dark, right at the bottom of the sink hole).

Your doppelgänger perhaps? I think I found mine.

I found an inverted island. Our prints make sense now.

Did you hear about the Sinkhole in Florida? Spent all Sunday googling sinkholes. They seem to be similar to black holes funneling in what surrounds them. They are fascinating…they seem to make me just as anxious and excited as the Black holes, yes the darkness the void the magnet and the terror!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/04/what-causes-sinkholes-florid...

Yes you did. At the moment we both seem to be interested in the above and bellow, which is incredible dont you think?
Watch this Trevor Paglen - The Last Pictures Project Video http://vimeo.com/53655801#, I am so glad you pulled me into Metro Pictures that day, his work is incredible.

Image above (A famous depiction of the 1833 meteor storm, produced in 1889 for the Seventh-day Adventist book Bible Readings for the Home Circle)

I remember you quoting this book and telling me to read it, it has now fallen into my hands at the right time it seems.

“Marco Polo imagined answering (or Kublai Khan imagined his answer) that the more one was lost in unfamiliar quarters of distant cities, the more one understood the other cities he had crossed to arrive there, and he retraced the stages of his journeys, and he came to know the port from which he had set sail, and the familiar places of his youth, and the surroundings of his home, and a little square in Venice where he gamboled as a child “ (Calvino 1972:28) - Invisible cities

Sometimes it all makes sense while walking around, but as soon as I stop to write it all down, it fragments and I have to try to piece it all together again.

I thought of you again just now, while walking around the Tacita Dean show, I could picture you analysing her marks, they were beautiful Nina, so simple. http://www.mariangoodman.com/exhibitions/2013-02-01_tacita-dean/#/images/8/

They said she returned to the blackboard after a ten year gap, our time is coming up soon. Oh and also a nice little anecdote, her new 35 mm film, JG (inspired by JG Ballard)! See here http://gallery.arcadia.edu/jg-tacita-dean-film/

My head is full of things I want to tell you and I have lists and lists of artworks to share.
Heading to the library tomorrow, let me know if you want to meet there.

You may just need to clean your window? I think I have finally found mine. I only see you once in a while but you are very far away. Today was particularly difficult as the rain has begun to fall.

http://vimeo.com/30130943

After seeing you, I went home and looked for a hole. I looked into it for awhile trying to find your light.
I then wrote a song about the hole and the light, which maybe one day I will send it to you.

Drove past the Goodman yesterday on my way home, and took this picture for you. It's Rosenclaire's new exhibition which opens tomorrow. What does it remind you of? Maybe you can't see, the picture quality is rubbish but I couldn't wait to show you...

I have been thinking about this a lot lately, how one divides ones roles and identities within the different fields one has to perform in. At the moment I have been finding it hard to distinguish my self as the ‘artist’ Robyn Nesbitt, ‘the 9-5 curator’ Robyn Nesbitt and Robyn Nesbitt the ‘collaborator with you’.

I brought up some of these issues at Portia Malatjie 24 hour residency at the sober&lonely house this weekend.

These were my notes

Some interesting things were said, what I found quite interesting was the role of the artist as a 'double agent'. In a South African context were the artist performs many roles. How does one define what one is, and whether those definitions are needed ARTIST/CURATOR/COLLABORATOR in terms of branding one's own image.
Solution = Do we employ alias's or embrace the 'avant garde'?
(this probably does not make sense to you but wanted to share)

Following on from 'The three person show' – the last time we met up I was quite intrigued in how our work separately has become quite similar in ways, despite our private nature of not sharing our individual practices with each other. Collaboratively I think we are more in tune now even with our vast distance and what I am quite enjoying is how my solo work is becoming increasingly influenced by our collaborative projects. Maybe it’s about balance, and the shift in where you are now and where I am.

Basically what I am saying is YES to a three person show, I think it will work beautifully!

Louisa Fairclough
www.ucl.ac.uk

Remember that mission we made across Paris trying to find the art shop that sold chalk? I think I still have the box we bought. We were going to write to each other from opposite sides of a building until we met up in the middle or something like that?

I like his work. http://www.kontakt-collection.net/artists/Tibor+Hajas/

Rope

Secure

Safe

Indoor

Light

White

Noise

Static

Itchy

Sea

Storm

Lightning

Cover

Island

Quite

Summer night, garden crickets

I know... Lauren tracked it down, will take it to Outlet on Thursday. Cant wait to compare notes.
Also we must talk soon, there are a few upcoming projects we need to work through.

Love the green parrot, can I add that to out list of telepathic occurrences?

Telepathic occurrences

11th july 6:25 Nina thought light went dim, Robyn Blinked
11th july 6:20 Robyn and Nina both looked up at the same time to check the time
8:30 Robyn Said Bless you, Nina Sneezed
12th july 10:15 Robyn has sympathetic pain in big toes because of Nina’s cold
13th july 1:40 Robyn got up and left the table, nina said salt
5:55 Robyn says its her handwriting, Nina says the same
13th – 14th night Robyn dreams of Nina on Grandfathers farm, Nina dreams of Robyn at a party in the bedroom
15th July 9:10 Nina and Robyn both wore blue top with white vest
16th 6:20 Nina had right hand in pocket robyn had left hand in pocket, then robyn touched nina and shocked her
6:30 Nina Blogged about cosmos, so did robyn
17th 7:00 am Nina and Robyn dream of running away and hiding
18th 8:45 Robyn turned off phone at 11:15 Nina texed Robyn at 11:15
19th 12:30 Robyn and Nina both went for the salt at the same time
21st 12:05 Nina said save document when Robyn was already saving
24th July 12:05 am Nina pre empted Robyn’s need to draw on nice paper
11th August Nina see's the green parrots in New York Robyn has been talking about

Look what I found in Aunt's book case before going to bed last night... coincidence I think not.
Setting up tonight, will send you some pics to see what you think.

Yeah, I really like that work, did you see it on your adventures in New York? It's so great reading these stories again, been reading them aloud to my mother while I edit. I am however finding it hard to correct (mark up), my stories are mine and so are yours.

walking up and down the passage, feeling a bit out of place, not sure what to do next.

The First Glimpse

We do. I remember stopping with my Gran and Mom on the way to Durban. The flowers would sit next to me in the car...they never made it to their destination, which always made me feel sad.

starting to feel like home.

Dreamt about water last night, streams that I could float down. Our sleep stories have started to take effect.

It didn't take us long to start mimicking each other words and patterns. Syncing in, I thought it would have taken us longer with all the time that had past.

First night in residency, heard strange noises last night not sure if it was you? Trying not to be nervous in my new surroundings. We are not speaking this morning, its hard, but quite comforting knowing you are near me.

George Shaw shortlisted for this year's Turner prize. This news put a big smile on my face after our conversation on Sunday.
Glad to have you back for awhile friend.

Been playing in the studio diligently for the last few days now. Its been nice to be in my head from 9-5. Took a moment to warm my feet in the sun and recorded some sound from you.

Brilliant, it has a life of its own now.

http://www.thisistomorrow.info/viewArticle.aspx?artId=711&Title=Anri%20S...

Reminds me of our time spent selecting the perfect music box.

http://www.g-m.as/

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Umberto-Eco-master-of-the-list/1...

Stumbled across this today.
Read it.
http://www.e-flux.com/shows/view/6496

The exercise that you have to do for class reminds me of james turrell's work called Bindu Shards (2010) at the Gagosian. We couldn't go in cause you had to book in advance to experience the work, But we enjoyed watching the visitors come out of the capsule peaceful but slightly disorientated. I can only image it might be similar to your flotation experience just with light and sound. We did however get to experience this work above Spread (2003), we have to remove our shoes and walk slowly into the light, it made me very happy.

"Through light, space can be formed without physical material like concrete or steel. We can actually stop the penetration of vision with where light is and where it isn't. Like the atmosphere, we can't see through it to the stars that are there during the day. But as soon as that light is dimmed around the self, then this penetration of vision goes out. So I'm very interested in this feeling, using the eyes to penetrate the space".
--James Turrell

http://www.preview-art.com/features/turrell.html

Thank you for this.
I love her comparison of seeing death, as if looking through a viewmaster when its not working properly.

You know when you just about to go to sleep, you tend to get these brilliant idea’s. Well I had one last night, and it was brilliant enough to remember this morning. It has to do with a fictional audio book for Norway. Which we can start, while we are far apart.

In response to : sometimes you're with me in my studio

saw this at the tate in liverpool made me think of 'walk apart from you 2008'

http://www.creativeafricanetwork.com/person/26357/en

Saw this amazing show in Manchester (my second favorite city after Glasgow) at the Whitworth "The Land Between Us".

"Taking a radical approach to landscape art, The Land Between Us presents historic and modern as works together and on equal terms. The exhibition focuses on the imagery of landscape, the places it depicts, the cultural and political power invested in the land and how meaning is found between art and the viewer."

"The Land Between Us imagines a place where art, artist and viewer confront each other beyond the limits of their individual frontiers".
http://www.thelandbetweenus.com/

o Black Audio Film Collective
o Vija Celmins
o Chen Qiulin
o Nikhil Chopra
o John Robert Cozens
o Willie Doherty
o Albrecht Dürer
o Olafur Eliasson
o Cyprien Gaillard
o Romuald Hazoumè
o Thomas Hearne
o William Holman Hunt
o Li Yuan-chia
o Erkan Ozgen
o Samuel Palmer
o Rembrandt
o Larissa Sansour
o JMW Turner
o Vincent Van Gogh
o Francis Wheatley
o James McNeill Whistler
o Rachel Whiteread
o Thomas Whittle
o Donovan Wylie

There are some works I want to talk to you about this weekend.

So back at the airport, spent a overnight in London Gatwick. It’s seven o’clock in the morning. The bodies have removed themselves from obscure position around the seating area. I feel slightly bonded to the people that surround me. I know the shops back to front, finished my book and I am counting my pennies for some morning tea. I am coming back broke, but I guess that is how it goes. I saw a lot of work which sparked some ideas for you and me, it just needs some time to soak in, will tell you all about it when I get a moment to myself. One more night of airport hopping, back to Dubia tonight and then I will be home tomorrow morning. Joburg home. I’m exhausted a little teary and apprehensive of what is yet to come.

I saw some his works at the Liverpool Biennial in this very cool space called the A foundation, it makes me think of your boat.

http://www.anttilaitinen.com/

My parents dog died today (the big black one), she had to be put down. They put her on a bed and let my mom hold her head while she got anesthetised. It’s strange. To think that she no longer exists. Just like that.

"I felt as if part of my life was absorbed by this apartment".

That experience for me, exists in a dream space. When I came across the image, I had to question myself, did that exist outside of my head?

It will be scary in the beginning, but stick to your gut and you will be fine, plus remember i am here on the other side.

I know where you live now, I got a map.

2 in 1.

To see closer.

It took me all day to find this photo. Its blurry but I remember.

To sit on.

We will need these to light the candles, not so good at the survivor thing.

so we have light to read at night.

To listen to the air waves.

In case we get thirsty.

If you send me a map of where you are will it get to me in time?

Sending radio messages...listen

Jessica Rankin...I really like these.

http://www.whitecube.com/artists/jessica_rankin/worksii/

He affirmed our idea's, personalities, and rules of chance and play, together as we sat in admiration.

I got up early this morning to catch the postman. Was standing by the door looking at the rain hitting the glass. I waited till about half past eight he didn’t come, its probably the rain I say to myself. I walked back to my flat scuffing the ground in my oversized sheepskin slippers.

So I see our telepathic abilities are not far off once again. We seem to be existing on our island together unconsciously anyway. We already have our next work, between your dream and my proposal we have an exciting adventure to go on.
I was going to psychoanalysis your dream bit by bit, but I realised I like the world it exists in and that I am apart of it makes me feel like ‘Wendy’ escaping to your ‘Neverland’. So for the moment I’d like to stay on the island of Neverland if that’s okay with you?

Looking forward to tomorrow.

I confess I forgot my recorder too. But I did think of you as the lighting flashed and the rain started to fall. In brief moment of relief, after week long heat wave it passed us by in silent thunder, to most unnoticed.

Reading to you from the Pillow book of Sei Shonagon.
No 29 Elegant Things.

We walked through the night harbour, there was a chill in the air that caught the back our necks making us walk faster. The Sea gulls where restless, as they circled night above us surveying our movements. The boats where rearing to go as the tugged against there ropes and moaned.

We moved towards the darkness and sat huddled at the edge of the pier, nothing was said we just stared at the red warning light at the end of the horizon. Boats came in and out, we slowly rocked in unison mimicking the boys while listening to the lulling sound of the foghorn.

Two dark men approach, our heartbeat accelerates out of time, they say hi and move towards the shadows of the dock into a lover’s retreat. We glance towards the pier clock…time seems to have stopped. The oily black water catches our attention as it moves beneath us… seals we both say in a sigh of relief. We sit there in silence watching the night, until time starts to move again.

Went sailing yesterday and thought about your new obsession with the ocean. I think I understand now how affects you. The lulling sound of nothingness being far away from land helpless in your ability to move or escape, your forced to recon with your thoughts emptying them away in the vast ocean. I have been watching this documentary called Into Great Silence by Phillip Groning, it’s about the Carthusian monks who take a vowel of silence. It’s a slightly frustrating watch of 164 min of silence, which makes it unbearably beautiful. The film is completely ‘silent’ except for the occasional atmospheric sounds. I have been dealing with the notion of ‘silence’ in my work of late. The idea that silence gives space to what matters, this idea seem to be shaping my paper at the moment. My point being before I drifted into my own thought process is that the ‘silence’ of the ocean allowed me that feeling. It made me think we might have take a trip to cape point during your visit and watch the two ocean’s meet it could possibly be quite poetic for both of us.

Fiona Tan - Disorient
Catalogue Publication
Dutch Pavilion, La Biennale di Venezia. Ed. Marente Bloemheuvel
With texts by Saskia Bos, Thomas Elsaesser, Doris von Drathen, Dominic van den Boogerd and Bruce Grenville
Design by Gabriele Franziska Götz
Soft cover, 134 pages. Illustrated in color.
Published by Kehrer, Heidelberg, 2009.
ISBN 978-3-86828-068-5

www.elisabethlecourt.com

Sitting in the back of his old Mercedes, I felt about five again. Children were seen but not heard, we were told. Nicholas sat beside me, holding a pink egg shaped birthday cake. We didn’t speak we just stared at the tar glinting in the night headlights. We were driving somewhere, somewhere fast must have been late for something. She was upset and looked uncomfortable I wasn’t sure why and couldn’t ask, I was afraid to speak. I haven’t dream't about him in a long time, he never speaks in my dreams, but his presence is frightfully heavy.

Tuesday

It was 5 o’clock in the morning, I could hear her coming closer. She was singing on the top of her voice, meandering down the street. First it sounded like a Brenda Fassie song, but that could have just been her accent. She got closer and closer, louder and louder. I started to giggle in my bed, as the man below shouted from outside his window in utter frustration. He said, “shut up”. She promptly replied, “No! I don’t want to shut up, its morning time and its time to get up”. She continued to sing down the road her voice slowly faded into the distance, and I went back to sleep.

I thought about you lots this weekend across the sea faraway over there.

Marjectica Potre – Maps and dreams (you will love her)
Susan Hefuna – Drawing poems (look at her drawings of ny)
Ulla von Brandenburg – Staging (my favourite)
Ceal Floyer – Slide projector tree (cause we love slide projectors)
Chu Yun – Appliances (made me think of your I live here work)
Grazia Toderi – Stadium (epic apocalyptic cityscapes)
Nathalie Djurberg – Clay (she makes these crazy clay animations)
Simon Starling - Film strip (Reminds me of your technical side)
Hans Peter Feldman – Shadow (Reminds us to keep it simple)
Yoko Ono – Paper works (experience the everyday)
Toba Khedoori – Paper drawings (drawings of paper)
Rosa Barba – Old film projectors (installation)
Steve Mc Queen – Giardini (my other favourite)
Silvia Bachli – Painting (simple clean honest)
Shaun Gladwell – Australian landscape mad max (boy video art)
Fiona Tan – Video simple (double screen)
Peter Greenway – The marriage (not my favourite greenway but glad I saw it anyway)
Fortuny – In Finitum show (my new dead boyfriends house)
Rebbeca Horn – Fata Morgan (blue parrot wings mechanical, you would approve)
Giovanni Bellini – The angel of the annunciation and the virgin (Accademia !)

Went to go see your show today, but they changed the opening date for this Monday. So I will be there representing at the opening to take pictures for you, I am very excited to see your new work. Was going to keep it a surprise and just send you the pictures but am bad at keeping secrets.

One year ago, I thought I would take a walk done memory lane and see where we were.

8th August 2008
Friday

People making out passionately by the river side, a old women stands next to them and fishes. I enjoyed getting lost today…I liked having some time by myself, especially the conversation in my head. I felt safe there, I wanted to stay there all day. Its familiar it’s my childhood, in a foreign place with golden light shinning through the windows. The smell is the same. I don’t mind if I make this up either it’s a reality, I’d like to think I am familiar with it.

Wow… just came out of the one of the first seminars of this semester, it was tense. Palms got all sweaty just thinking about mine, public speaking terrifies me. I guess it is something you just have to practice; it just doesn’t seem to get easier. Showed my new work to someone today, I never really know how to take someone response I sit with it for hours picking it apart from all angles, I suppose that’s normal after all I have invested so much emotion in a single frame.
Sorry I missed you the other day got caught up in my paper, I am better if you know what I mean, I wanted to say thank-you, I took your advice.

Here is a still from one of my new video’s

me: Hey friend, I havent forgotten you, just been hiding out.
nina: I felt that. me too
are you still in jhb?
me: good, yes. and I am sick its freezing here.
Saw your sister on saturday. she is looking beautiful.
how are you?
Sent at 3:58 PM on Wednesday
nina: a little exhausted - I'm doing some freelance editing. I get so pleased and a little jealous of my beautiful sister...
me: Oh I love that artist you sent me. She reminds me also of the one we saw at the paris exhibtion. Who collected her grandmothers lists or something flip I wish I could rember the name of that show.
yeah the youth
nina: yes, I was thinking about that. You should look at her other work too, she deals with her family alot
me: Yeah I did. is it art editing?
oh someone else has done something with the gchat conversations I will send you the link.
Sent at 4:03 PM on Wednesday
nina: no, its editing for this documetry makers kids school musical. So I have to try make something out of lots of shaky, handheld footage, and have the songs stuck in my head all the time
me: oi
Sent at 4:04 PM on Wednesday
me: how you otherwise yours sister says your inbetween. Decistion making? Mitch looking for work, your job etc?
Sent at 4:06 PM on Wednesday
me: http://seshee.blogspot.com/2008/07/its-celebration-bitches-conversation....
Dineo Bopape, south african artist studing in ny.
nina: mitch is looking yes, which is tough.
I met Dineo, she goes to columbia and is a friend of lawrences
she's seriously intimidating
Sent at 4:10 PM on Wednesday
me: ah I thought you would have. Yeah she looks it. Must be confusing my friend, it will come right, just do what you must do to be happy. k
I miss you when I am here in jhb.
nina: I'm trying to be happy, sometimes I am.
me: When is you mom, leaving for ny?
I have the t shirts.
They are not as cool as I hoped. a bit shiny. But i think I will just wash em lots before I send them to you.
nina: I dont think they're coming for a while, my family. But I'll let you know as soon as someone decides to make the trek over
me: k. I will drop them off at your house before I go.
Sent at 4:16 PM on Wednesday
me: I am booking all my equipment and lighting for my shot next weekend. Scary!!!
So when you come back sometime I hope I will know of all the places and connection we can use. x
Sent at 4:19 PM on Wednesday
nina: wow, good luck! will you write to me about how it goes? I'd really like to talk sometime soon. Are you around friday?
me: Yeah friday is good my evening?
what time
Sent at 4:23 PM on Wednesday
nina: your afternoon of you can, so my morning - like 4pm or so?
Sent at 4:27 PM on Wednesday
me: should be cool, if not will let you know. speak then my friend.
nina: cant wait x
Sent at 4:28 PM on Wednesday

Name?

Went to Cape 09 on Saturday. The show was called 'Do you know where Brenda Fassie is?' at Brenda Fassie's old school in Langa. This picture was from the Swiss artist's work I cant remember the title, but the kids loved it. They got perform on a little stage hidden in a class room where their performance was screened live on the outside on one of those old black and white tv radios that we like very much.

Sitting in the gallery, its cold we have to monitor the space so know steals my projector. I am up first seeing though I am the only one displaying a digital work its only fair. I thought this would be a good opportunity to tell you about it. We haven’t spoken for while, been caught up in our own business. So the Masters show ‘in principle’ opening was last night. Oh I showed the sketch version of Act I - Introduction (sketch) that was the title. I displayed the small rough projected version of the image on a loop no sound. Next to the projector, on the same low plinth was a typewriter with the shooting script I typed out. It was inspired by the show we saw in Paris together, the one I wanted to know if remembered what the name was. I will send some pictures tomorrow.

Connected knowing dialogue based on personal experience.
Just came back from lecture by a visiting researcher Carole Gray on issues of research in Fine Art.

“She will give a presentation on her current research (a collaboration with colleague Gordon Burnett) - 'Making Sense' In this research the question - 'what can be known by making that could not be known by any other means?' is posed. For further information see
www.makingsenseresearch.net

It made me think a lot about the work that we are making at the moment. The process that we use governed by our distance and relationship, and how by working collaboratively we use it as a way and means to aid ourselves and question our own work. I hope that makes sense but it seems that our new work is almost a experience of our own personal concerns and insecurities supported by one another in order to act as protective almost nurturing realm for us to make work. Through the whole lecture I was thinking about the conversation we recorded about what we thought our work and relationship was about, and I think that is a key work that might be the starting point or anchor for the work that has come after that conversation. I think the relationship that we have with its distance and delayed time allows us both the space to process what has happened and what is yet to come…And this is a really good thing, there is no need to rush this process and get the work out because the process seems to be a this bigger than the work. For me that is and I think it is the same for you?

I had a dream about you that made me worry, we need to do a skype chat soon how is Friday?

Treasure Hunt

There are many different types of treasure hunt games which can have one or more players who try to find hidden articles, locations or places by using a series of clues. This is a fictional activity; treasure hunting can also be a real life activity. Treasure hunt games may be an indoor or outdoor activity. Outdoors they can be played in a garden or the treasure could be located anywhere around the world.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

check your mail, my friend and get back to me.

I made you a calendar

Look what I found. Up for a challenge.