Dear Marlene Dumas,
I am writing you to propose a type of apprenticeship. I am an ardent admirer of your work. In fact, I consider you one of the most exciting contemporary artists of our time. It would be a dream come true to work with you for a given period of time. In writing this, I acknowledge the sheer ridiculousness in this very idea, however as of late I have been encouraging myself to indulge in these whims as a way of freeing myself from doubt and the plague of overthought.
I am aware of your affiliation with De Ateliers and plan to apply in February, however I am currently in residence in Norway, then Russia and then had a vision of coming to the Netherlands to implore you to take me under your wing. I will be your Mignon- will run errands, get you coffee, anything really. In other words, short of sleeping on your doorstep, I will entertain any activity that would afford me the opportunity to be in your presence. You see, I am at a crossroads in my art practice, fueled by a conflict between gut and intellect. You seemingly work from both platforms with ease and grace.
I do not paint, but I would love to learn. I am trained as a photographer and similar to you, it was Diane Arbus who inspired me to pursue a life in the visual arts. My practice currently consists of photography, video and chart/map/diary making. Influenced by sociology and psychology, I am forever fascinated with the notion of "the stranger" and continually work with people I do not know in my projects. I study communication and how people connect to one another as living feeling beings. The possibility of seeking wisdom, knowledge and understanding of the human condition propels me to continue making art. My practice allows me to explore outside my milieu, while nourishing a desire to enter the depths of my psyche. By entering these depths I am able to empathize with "my strangers" and respond in a methodological format that incorporates personal interpretation and impulse.
The raw, honest, genuine emotion that emanates from your work balanced with refined intelligence is spell bounding. I often get caught up in trying to imbue my work with theory in order to "legitimize" and provide increased depth, but fall short. I find it a challenge to marry the two into a seamless interwoven web. Your work does just that with astounding levels of insight and viscera. Viewers can access your projects on many levels and appreciate each entry for its nuanced offerings. Your work compels me to feel and think simultaneously and it is from this rare place that I respect you so much.
I recognize that I sound like a naive school girl for writing this and hoping for a response. I know that you are very busy and most likely don't have time to even entertain such an outlandish request, however on the off chance that you need a hand in your studio I would be overjoyed to assist you in whatever you need. Or if you know of anyone who is looking for someone to assist them, in anything at all, I would be happy to help in exchange for room, board and a studio visit with you. I have an affinity for elders, maybe I could provide care for an elderly person that you know.
P.S.
I have provided a photograph of my family so you can see that we are nice loving people. (We are all older now of course, but these are the photos that I carry with me on my travels) As you may infer, I am the small one on the bottom left. My sister, behind left, has always taken great care of me and continues to provide laughter and wisdom in my life. My mother, right, is full of curiosity, life and exuberance. She helps remind me not to take life too seriously. They are both very supportive and have helped me become the multi-faceted person that I am today.
Sincerely,
Lindsay Foster
(+47) 93 60 31 58
www.lindsayfoster.com
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