Henry at the very same quarry in Carrara, Italy, that supplied the marble for most of the classical marble sculptures such as by Michelangelo
As life flows on in its natural rhythm, changes inevitably happen over which we have little or no control at all. As persons and artists, we have to adapt and dance to the new tunes that the world decides to play at us.
The year 2022 proved to be a big melody changer, and more are expected in the coming years. War and pestilence are galloping among us, as are inflation and other social constraints. In this climate, I, as a full-time artist, had a rethink on my modus operandi, and surely I made a list of adaptations and outright changes that I need to make. It's a tough but exciting path ahead.
Staying on the current course, which proved so successful in the past few years, is now looking foolish.
The heady days of the recent past years made me realise how distant I was from others, being fellow artists, collectors, collaborators, and anyone else in the art loop. I put a heavy bias on social media, a strategy that worked fine then. My long studio days filled with full-time art-making were the norm in my diary. My art, which always had a soft commercial underpinning, was loved by collectors and pieces were homed in no time. I shunned traditional exhibitions because I literally had no ‘collections’ to hang.
In a way, I feel that the clocks are being taken back to the 80s. Travel is chaotic and costly. Shipping bits and bobs of internet-bought stuff isn't as flowing as it used to be. Prices of materials and services make you think twice. Societies and democracies are fast eroding... We're back to the 80s but with the internet.
It's time to cut out all forms of expectations and live by the week…
I have decided to change the format as an artist. I also decided to massively cut back on my Facebook displays. I’m changing some aspects of my art, and certainly on a reduced volume of artwork output…
What has not changed is my appetite for creating. I will be trying to fine-tune my concise work output. Better and bolder… I will be venturing more into figure work… I will be inviting people to visit my studio for the sake of browsing my work and chatting, collaborating and sharing ideas. I want to kinda shrink my circle and yet make it way better and more direct. In addition to pastels and printmaking, I will also be playing with Black and White film photography. I will be doing more play and less work - that is artwise.
Keep an eye on Instagram, and my website. Message me and email me as much as you like. Most of all come visit me at my Naxxar studio.
Email: henfalz@gmail.com