Page 83 - Antennae Issue #52

Paul Harfleet Paul Paul Harfleet Harfleet getting ready to to plant pansies at Spencer Museum of Art Lawrence Kansas 2018 Photo: Nick Krug © Paul Paul Harfleet Harfleet perience and set in in in motion by an an an an an an action—the planting planting of a a a a a a a a a a a a pansy How did you you arrive at planting planting pansies as your response to homophobic abuse?
PH: Fifteen years ago I graduated with an an MA in in in in in Fine Art (Equivalent to to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a postgrad) in in in in in in in in Manchester My practice had developed away from painting to to to sculpture and and installation I was interested in in in in in in in The Poetics of of Space by Gaston Bachelard the the the the notion of of the the the the uncanny memory and and and and the the the the domestic in in in in in general I was drawn to to the the the the the the potential for horror and and and fear in in mundane locations and and and wanted to to make work that explored these themes I I I began collecting dead insects particularly flies I I I mounted a a a a a a a a a a fly on on a a a a a a a a a a piece of paper on on on which which I I I had previously typed with the the word “flew ” which which was was was then framed This This small work was was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a punch line to to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a non-existent joke and appealed to to my my my gallows sense of humour This This was was was my my my disposition at at the the time These three homophobic attacks occurred in in one day and I believe it’s my my my my sense of humour that ultimately influenced my response I I I began thinking about how how I I I remembered the the the locations of of these inci- dences and and how how complex my emotions were were were when I I I walked past them Mon- uments and and and public sculptures were were were of interest as as as they were were were designed to to re- member and and and are sanctioned by by the the the local council I was especially drawn to to the the the guerrilla nature of roadside memorials and and how each intervention inspired by by grief grief altered its immediate environment in in in in an an an emotional way They’re man- ifested by the the the grief-stricken though they also serve the the the purpose of alerting authorities to potential road safety issues 83