Flow [balance].

Like the world of flow and balance, does everything need to be in a state of homeostasis, even part of the time?

Does everything not flow; in the way Heaney liked.

I was introduced to Heaney while at University, by one of the tutors there. They must have thought it could play a role in my artistic development, so I gave it a read.

His work was best listened to on an old cassette player I had. I loved every word.

Partly because I sensed/understood that this is what the tutor would have wanted, I became immersed in listening to his work and reading it also. More importantly I began to write.

In the past, and around the same time period, I began to read Heraclitus, the pre-socratic philosopher who’s also mentioned a number of influential time in Nietzsche’s work.

Back then I was keen to learn everything I could about Philosophy in general and language philosophy in particular; Heraclitus’ work is fundamental to a lot of contemporary philosophy I found. ‘The complete Fragments’, is a book I have come across regarding Heraclitus’ collected surviving/extant writings.

Heraclitus:

Section #20;20. They do not step into the same rivers . It is other and still other waters that are flowing.

Or, [you can not step into the same rivers twice]. This I had discovered was a direct reference to his original ideas about a life-continuum, or better stated a continuum of nature.

While certainly being vague at times and ambiguous in other ways, Heraclitus’ writing was a central influence on the second year of my degree. Along side: Joyce, and Vico, (Heraclitus influenced both), the idea of continuum in philosophy and writing interested me.

During my final year degree-show photo-exhibit, in Fine Art, a key to its’ formulation was the conception of a continuum of influence and information flowing from one piece to the next, through to the whole exhibit in all its overall design.

What I will say is that one of the defining elements of my work for my exhibition in 2003, was the idea of flow and continuum. Even to this day I find that this aspect of my work is one of the defining aspects of my younger working practice which ties me to a sense of myself as an Artist; everything is/can be joined up!