Public Artwork
Journal
Alternate title:
«Personals»; «Personal Messages»
Artwork creator(s):
Koh, Germaine
Text author(s):
Koh, Germaine
Installation year:
1995 Description:
A terse personal journal entry appearing daily in the classified ads and, in more recent versions, on LED message boards and roadside signs.
Text of the artwork:
[Ottawa Citizen, 1995]
Bird called from overseas. She’s living with that family again. I should do some work this evening.
[Ottawa Citizen, 1996?]
96.2.7 Things went smoothly in Halifax. I tried to be outgoing. I’m getting a bit better, I think.
96.2.28 Mom’s birthday. She hasn’t even called since we moved. I guess I’ll have to call her, as usual.
96.3.25 I bleached the tips of my hair blonde yesterday. It looks fabulous. I feel lovely.
96.4.8 I picked another fight last night. Why do I do it? I’ve been forgiven, as always.
96.4.15 E is in mad love and G wants to buy a house. We are all settling down, except Dad.
96.4.22 M is back on the May project. Relief – I thought she disapproved of me. Drink wine tonight.
96.10.23 Cut off my hair yesterday. It’s lopsided, but lighter. Auntie L died this week last year.
26 September, Montreal. Worked late last night. Geo is coming «if I want». He’s always testing me, still.
11 OCTOBER, Toronto. Geo’s birthday. He’s upset because I’m not there. G and T are separating. She seems certain. Makes me sad.
13 OCTOBER, Friday. Read «A Suitable Boy» all day. Sleeping a lot, finally. Another open day today. I should fix my tire.
[re:Cycle, October 3 to November 16 2003, McMaster University, Hamilton. billboard version]
5 OCT BERLIN
BAD DINNER SPENT
THE NIGHT PUKING
NOW I NEED FLUIDS
AND A DAY OFF
NOW TRYING TO
SET UP APPTS
---
8 OCT BERLIN
WENT TO HAMMAM
IT WAS GROSS HOW
MUCH SKIN THEY
SCRUBBED OFF ME
RAINING AGAIN
I JUST WANT
TO GO HOME
8/9 NOV FROZEN
WENT TO SQAUT
PHILS BRO IN LAW
DIED OF A HEART
---
ATTACK
MAXS BARMITZVAH
PARTY TONIGHT
Text theme:
Life
History:
Exhibition:
•RE:Cycle, Oct 6-Nov 16, 2003, McMaster Museum of Art, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario. Billboard version.
•Urban Textures Urbaines, Gallery 101, Ottawa, August 6-September 4, 1998. The artwork appears in The Ottawa Citizen throughout the exhibition. Copies of the Citizen were available at the gallery time of exhibition.
•YYZ Artist’s Outlet, Toronto, 1998. The artwork appears in The Toronto Star.
•Every Day: 11th Biennale of Sydney, Biennale of Sydney (Australia), 1998. The artwork appears in The Sydney Morning Herald throughout the exhibition.
•Germaine Koh: Personal, Agnes Etherington Art Centre, July 5-August 24, 1997. The work appears in The Kingston Whig-Standard June 28-July 5. Curator: Jan Allen.
•Other appearances:
1995-1999 Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa, Ontario.
2000 Detroit
2000 Le Devoir (Montreal), Montréal, Québec
2000 Edmonton Journal, Edmonton, Alberta
2001-2002 Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Note(s):
Personal messages printed in many Canadian newspapers, and an Australian newspaper.
"[...] the artist inserts anonymous journal entries in the Personal section of classified ads in the daily newspaper [...]" (Allen and Baerwaldt 1997, p.11)
Artist's biography:
Germaine Koh Document(s):
Syndicate
