A slow gentle and poetic hour listening to Kevin Henderson talk about several decades of making art work whilst teaching at DJCAD. His careful noticing of life around him and how he interacts through making artwork. Afterwards, it was touching to hear from my peers who had been taught and inspired by him in first year. Also curious to hear reflections from people who were not touched by his work. For some his teaching and influence was clearly a gift and hugely valuable. I felt the wind blowing around my ankles with regards to how completely alone we can be in life. We can never truly know how significant our contact with others will be. Kevin appeared to be telling us that he has been quite insular although he has spent a great deal of time with others, particularly through mountain biking. He has thought deeply and sensitively and sounded happy to be looking to a future with more making and fewer people in it. A poignant look back with a sense of quiet optimism for the future. Maybe that is all that any of us can truly aspire to. It is certainly an ambition to be content in this circumstance. His painting and poetry echoed a Zen like approach to appreciating everything but holding on lightly if at all.
A thousand lives ago … once,
sometime, lost to the world,
reaching modernity a thousand times over,
colour was a skin,
and only shimmering skin could distinguish,
the sweet cap of meltwater around our naked bodies
from darkness.
From Ice Works
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