Its really happening!! Sorry if it seems that I have been a bit quiet, but things have been moving at quite a pace behind the scenes. I've been working really hard on the proposal to request exhibition space for the project.
I have decided to tailor the proposal (initially) towards Kettle's Yard in Cambridge .. as this is my NUMBER ONE choice of venue. I'm sending the proposal off tomorrow, (eeek!). Fingers crossed! The worst that can happen is that they say 'no', but I have to aim for my ultimate goal!
The other part of the project which is now well underway is the collaboration with The Stitchbook Collective to actually make the 12m long soft sculpture installation representing a DNA strand.
I need at least 100 people to help make the sculpture. I will be putting together 'Nucleotide Kits' in the next couple of weeks to send out in the post. Everything which is needed will be in the kit, and there is a free choice of which type of base people would like to make.
Thymine, Adenine, Cytosine or Guanine.
The final construction of the work will take place once the returned nucleotides have been matched into base pairs. Any which do not ultimately have a match, will form the 'unzipped' part of the structure. I know that this sounds complicated, but there is actually a real joy in its simplicity.
Your donations have made this project possible so far. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to put some of my thoughts into reality, and I couldn't do it without you.
There is still a long way to go, but I've come so far. The exhibition, wherever it takes place, will be dedicated to my father Roy H Barter (1932-2022).
This is a picture of my father (taken in 2007) with Sir Alec Jeffreys (the scientist who discovered DNA genetic fingerprinting). My father was his A Level biology teacher.
'I had the most fantastic teachers, particularly my biology teacher, Mr Barter. He was enormously encouraging, going out of his way to help me in my studies and give me access to weird and wonderful specimens.'
Wish me luck with the proposal. I'll let you know how it goes!!
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