Empty space: 1, Me: 0

Today I started installing the show. My empty corner of the gallery's general emptiness was both exciting and rather daunting, considering the fact that I had no idea how on earth I was going to hang this damned thing.

You see, installation of the show is as important as the work itself. I can't just hang it up and walk out with a smile on my face. I have to make sure the work is displayed in a way that helps viewers access it the way I need them to. Every pedestal, hook, and nail has to be carefully considered. I totally understand why this is the case. However, right now I absolutely, completely, and totally hate this.

Why do I hate this? Perhaps this series of images from today will help you understand:

The empty space. It thinks its so cool, being all empty and safe-looking. Look how smug it is. 

This Ikea bag houses the quilt so perfectly it's as if it were designed solely for this purpose. Yes, I am aware of the irony.

This is when I noticed that there was a unusual amount of loose glitter on the floor. Oh well. If there's any quilt on which random glitter wouldn't appear out of place, it's this one.

This was the fun part. I'd never seen it unrolled in a large enough space to actually view it all together. It's either been in pieces, or draped over furniture. 

Three hours later, I'd figured out how to hang it. I was so proud that I didn't get killed while balancing on one foot and using my free leg to pin the quilt to the ladder, thus keeping too much weight from causing the clips to slide. Notice how high up that ladder is? 

It's, like, really high.

Really, seriously high. Scary high. Did I mention how much I hate this?

OMG OMG OMG I DID IT ALL BY MYSELF AND I'M STILL ALIVE!!!! Mom! Look what I did mom! Damn... it's a little low.... it should really be up about six inches higher. Hmm... I have ten minutes until I need to meet Suzie to go to the Cambridge HR office and turn in some paperwork. I can totally finish this in five minutes all by myself and have time to get a soda on the way. 

Empty space: How's the heat up there, Icarus?

The sound effect is really all I have to share with you here. Snap......... snap...... SNAP SNAP SNAP!!! Thud.

For about thirty seconds after that, I'm sure people wondered if the Arnheim Gallery was demon posessed. I don't know if I uttered actual words, and may have instead invented new swears in my own fake language.