MMAM（FTP） Coursework Module Assignment Five Tutor’s Report, 22 April 2024

MMAM ( FTP ) Coursework Module: Assignment Five Tutor’s Report, 22 April 2024

Brief: Think of something in your own past that is now gone, lost or over, and explore it with an abstract or impressionistic piece. This is a free assignment designed to keep you thinking creatively while engaged in the more mundane tasks of construction and manufacture.

Overview: In the students’ work for Assignment Five I hope to see their emotional engagement with themes of loss, memory and nostalgia while they are superficially preoccupied with the dry, mechanical tasks at hand. They are free to work in any medium, so I expect all will revert to their favoured patterns. I will be looking for, and marking them on, the heart of whatever piece they devise.

Jemisha Badhuri

For her lost item, Jem chose her father. He is in fact very much alive, but she imagined he had passed away and the result was most extraordinary. For someone who has so far skirted around deep emotions, Jem went the extra mile for this assignment. In her introduction she said, ‘I usually love my imagination and the awesome places it can take me, but when it conjures up feelings of my dad dying, I wish I could just switch it off. Because that place is worse than hollow and empty. It feels like I’ve had my own heart torn away.’ Her soundscape was beautiful and haunting. She had recorded a series of domestic sounds, a soft male voice, talking and chuckling. It very much evoked a sense of family, warmth and home. This faded to a lonely silence, something Jem has created in her soundscapes before. Not silence exactly, but a quiet, contemplative void edged with tiny personal sounds: breathing, sighing, the scratch of a pen on paper, the tap of fingers on a smartphone. Jem is a master of sound. Grade: A

Patrick Bright

Choosing to create a pencil sketch on paper, Patrick introduced his piece as a general expression of loss that he’s experienced during his life. It’s the most detailed work I’ve ever seen from him. A male figure with its head bowed is strongly drawn on its left side, but the pencil strokes become fainter and the image fragmented as it stretches across the paper, giving the impression that with each loss something of one’s inner strength and resilience is eroded, the spirit is worn thin and floats away from the core being. As if what Patrick grieves for most is his loss of self. Strangely, one could place the sketch alongside Jem’s soundscape for a very effective installation. Grade: A

Jonathan Danners

Jonathan’s photography project, mounted on PowerPoint, depicted a series of images designed to represent the women he has lost in his life. His mother and sister have both passed away. Photographs include discarded flowers, smashed wine glasses and smeared lipstick. It made for uncomfortable viewing, but more because the images seemed to mourn the loss of a romantic relationship rather than the heart of a family. Still his presentation, which included a musical score, was entertaining and demonstrated how far Jonathan has come since his first disastrous assignment when his paper cube on a stick met a fiery end. Grade: A–

Alyson Lang

Working in digital animation for Assignment Four must have fired Alyson’s enthusiasm for this medium, because she chose it to illustrate the loss of a beloved pet dog. The simple cartoon followed a stick-figure person and their stick-figure dog, from puppyhood through to old age, when the owner becomes the now-paralysed dog’s carer. Strangely, when the dog dies, the owner has the animal stuffed and placed at their feet by the fire, in a macabre re-creation of their relationship. A bittersweet happiness is restored, and the film ends on a note of beautiful ambiguity as the bereaved owner settles into a state of denial that his or her faithful companion has gone. Much food for thought. Grade: A

Ludya Parak

Ludya also chose a simple animation, very similar to Alyson’s. Her focus was on the loss of self after motherhood. A mother bird has a nest of chicks. As soon as they hatch, her mate flies away, leaving her with a demanding brood who eventually pluck her feathers out to keep themselves warm, but still scream at her to find food. Unable to fly, she is obliged to hunt in the undergrowth, where she is killed by a fox. The fox is scared away by the fledglings, who all fly down and feast on their mother’s body. A grim story, but evocative and I’m sure many will identify with it. Grade: A

Cameron Wesley

Despite his long-term illness, Cameron worked hard to complete Assignment Five. He delivered a watercolour on canvas that showed a road winding and stretching into the distance. While Cameron was too poorly to attend the assessment class and introduce his work to the group, in an email he explained that this road demonstrates the soul’s journey after loss – not the soul left on earth, but the soul who has died. Cameron imagines that they too feel the anguish of separation and must face their continued existence without their loved ones on earth. He has not thus far submitted anything in his favoured medium of paint, so it was a pleasure and privilege to see this interesting and emotional piece. Grade: A

Doodle message group MMAM ( FTP ), 23 April 2024:

Jem Badhuri

I’m a ‘master of sound’! I can’t believe we’ve all got A grades.

Patrick Bright

Your soundscape and presentation were the best work you’ve done, Jem. If ever a top mark was thoroughly deserved, it was that.

Jem Badhuri

I know, but not everyone’s was as good, and they still got As. Gela must be thinking strategically. She wants to encourage us, so we’re not downhearted when RD 8 visit the mess that will be their installation.

Jonathan Danners

The installation is not a mess. This is simply a tricky phase. All projects hit these moments. It feels as if we’ll never achieve the show-stopping effect in our imaginations, but we will. We merely have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Patrick Bright

I don’t agree, Jem. Your head sculpture is very impressive and that’s the centrepiece. You’re the master of sound and you’re our soundscape artist. Jonathan’s right: we’re doing fine. Our Assignment Five projects were all brilliant.

Ludya Parak

We’ve been on the course six months. We’ve all learned a lot, right? So Gela’s telling us we’ve improved. Let’s just get through the rest.

Jem Badhuri’s Doodle Diary, 23 April 2024:

Jem Badhuri, master of sound. That’s my new – as in doesn’t exist yet – company making relaxing soundscapes for foyers, shopping centres and communal spaces. Once I get my MA Distinction, I’ll get my brother Adi to create a website.

I can see exactly what Gela was doing. Giving us all a boost when everyone is flagging and anxious about RD 8 seeing the installation in a less-than-perfect state. Gela says they’ll understand it’s only half-done, but can a client who is not creative imagine the finished article? It might be like me trying to explain abstract sculpture to my dad.

Ludya made Alyson’s film. Alyson still hasn’t been in. Knowing Ludya, she’s being paid to do Alyson’s coursework. Gela is happy to pretend the golden girl is still here and loving the course. It’s not right or fair, but knowing it is useful ammunition, should I need it.

The big surprise of Assignment Five was Cameron’s painting, the first practical assignment he’s completed properly. Everyone said how moving it was, and Gela gave him an A like the rest of us. I’m no expert in 2D, so I’ll take their word for it. Only, a few months ago copying and pasting from his company website was the extent of his artistic skills. I know Gela majored in watercolour earlier in her career. Am I implying a connection there? Yes.

She asked us to send her our enthusiastic quotes about how brilliant the course is for the new prospectus. She’s thinking positively and preparing all the materials she’ll need for when the course is approved – not if . So that’s another reason we’ve all got As. When I’m Gela’s age, I hope I’m not as transparent as she is.

But do you know the funniest thing of all? Gela took pictures of us working in the studio. I asked her to send me some, for Mum and Nani, and she did. Only, when we all settled down at home to look through them, we all agreed: there are only four students there: me, Jonathan, Patrick and Ludya. Cameron’s already left, of course, but there were no pictures of the golden girl at all.

Message group: 2024 Examiners, 30 May 2024

Tilda Ricci

I see now what you’re concerned about, Ben. Gela was so determined the MA would be approved that she did whatever it took to make it succeed.

Ben Sketcher

That’s certainly part of it.

Tilda Ricci

It’s possible she completed Cameron’s assignment herself, so he had just enough coursework to scrape a pass. She turns a blind eye to Jem paying Ludya, and later does the same when Alyson apparently leaves the course. My only concern is that this correspondence doesn’t constitute solid evidence.

Ben Sketcher

Well, what would?

Tilda Ricci

It’s a tough one. We know this sort of thing goes on, but the time, energy and legal fees that go into investigating it – with no guarantee we’ll win a case, even if we’re right – it’s better to mark down where you see foul play and let the grades do the talking.

Ben Sketcher

Even in a case of fraud?

Karen Carpenter

Aw, come on. It’s not fraud if no money was stolen.

Tilda Ricci

No one wants to compromise Royal Hastings’ reputation with accusations that cast shadows over its academic rigour. All for the sake of an art course?

Karen Carpenter

Isn’t this MA about finding creative solutions to business problems? I’d say paying a professional to do your coursework falls into that category. Ha-ha!

Ben Sketcher

You should read on, Tilda. There’s another layer entirely to this story, and it’s only thanks to Jem Badhuri that we know.

Tilda Ricci

The young girl?

Ben Sketcher

It’s thanks to her willingness to blow the whistle that we may still be able to stop tonight’s event.

Tilda Ricci

It’s a college project for an altruistic local company. Possibly their vision for it exceeded their resources and abilities, but why would we need to stop it?

Ben Sketcher

I’m driving there now. I might have to call the police.

Jonathan Danners’ Doodle Diary, 24 April 2024:

‘No light. Please help me. I’m trapped.’

Every day, at the same time, always a version of the above.

Who is it and where are they? How to communicate with them? What do we say?

The unit is impenetrable in its simplicity. It had its own room, its own display case. Why would it have been so isolated, so revered. What technology is this? When Edison and Tesla worked on machines to contact the dead, both stopped. Because they failed? Or because they succeeded … ?

Is this a place between worlds where souls get stuck? What if Mum and Sophia are stuck in a place like this? Calling out on a frequency only this unit can hear, day after day.

To: MMAM ( FTP )

From: Gela Nathaniel

Date: 24 April 2024

Subject: RD 8 visit tomorrow

Dear all,

Thank you, everyone, for your support last week. I have some fabulous shots for the prospectus. Please send me your positive quotes about the course as soon as possible. Perhaps focus on how useful it will be for your careers and for building your business, if you have one.

Now RD 8 are visiting tomorrow, so let’s take today to prepare. We want them to feel valued, so I expect you to tidy up, provide light refreshments and present the work-so-far in its best light. You should also organise who will speak about which aspect of the project, and decide how you’ll gather the client’s feedback in the most productive way. I’ll take a back seat to allow our project leader to optimise his role, but of course I’ll be watching and listening to everything!

See you tomorrow,

Gela

Doodle message group MMAM ( FTP ), 24 April 2024:

Jonathan Danners

So that there are no surprises in our meeting tomorrow, I’m going to suggest that I lead the RD 8 delegation around the studio and allow you each to come in with pre-agreed info at opportune times. Jem, can you play them what you have of the soundscape?

Jem Badhuri

I haven’t layered it yet. It’ll sound rubbish. I can talk them through where I’m at.

Jonathan Danners

Good. Ludya, if you can demonstrate the work we’re doing on the components and how time-consuming it is – to explain why we haven’t covered as much of the tunnel wall as they might expect.

Ludya Parak

Sure.

Jonathan Danners

Patrick, can you show them the head?

Jem Badhuri

I should talk about the head. It was my idea.

Patrick Bright

Absolutely. It’s Jem’s baby.

Jonathan Danners

Jem is talking about the soundscape and I want us all to have something meaty to speak about. Pat can say how we’ve left the interior of the head hollow so that, on the day, their electronic guys can integrate the headphone technology ready for guests to experience Jem’s soundscape.

Patrick Bright

Of course. Jem, don’t worry, I’ll tell them it’s your part of the project.

Ludya Parak

We don’t have individual parts of the project. It’s collective. That’s the whole point.

Jonathan Danners

We’ll all support each other. Confidence and enthusiasm go a long way.

Ludya Parak

I’ll have to think of something that I’m confident and enthusiastic about to get me through. I’m joking. See you all tomorrow.

Jem Badhuri

What’s Alyson doing?

Jonathan Danners

Alyson can’t make the visit.

Alyson Lang

I might. I’ll try.

Jonathan Danners

Really? Well, in that case you can explain how we’re creating the tunnel. If you don’t make it, I’ll do that bit.

Doodle message group [Private] Patrick and Jem, 24 April 2024:

Patrick Bright

I have no intention of taking the credit for your head sculpture, Jem. Of course I need to speak for a bit about something, and the head makes sense. I’ll make sure the client knows it’s all yours.

Jem Badhuri

Thanks.

Patrick Bright

We’re OK now, are we?

Jem Badhuri

Yes.

Doodle message group [Private] Gela and Hannah, 25 April 2024:

Hannah O’Donnell

I’m still missing your diversity forms.

Gela Nathaniel

I know, I know! Sorry. In the meantime, here are some quotes and photographs from MMAM students for the prospectus.

Hannah O’Donnell

Has the course been approved for next year then?

Gela Nathaniel

Not yet, but nearly. I’m sure. You’ll have all you need for when it is.

Hannah O’Donnell

OK, but I need the forms as a matter of urgency.

Gela Nathaniel

‘The MMAM ( FTP ) has kick-started my creative inspiration and given me vital business-building tools. I can’t think of a better way to combine art study with the needs of the workplace.’

Gela Nathaniel

‘I wanted to move my marketing career to the creative side, but lacked experience and confidence. MMAM ( FTP ) has given me every tool I need to combine art and business.’

Gela Nathaniel

‘The MMAM ( FTP ) course really opened my eyes to what can be achieved while creating artistic solutions to workplace problems. I know employers will value this qualification.’

Hannah O’Donnell

Which students provided which quote?

Gela Nathaniel

Does it matter? We don’t name them in the prospectus.

Hannah O’Donnell

No, but for my records.

Gela Nathaniel

Alyson, Cameron and Jonathan respectively. I’ll send the others as I get them.

Hannah O’Donnell

And the diversity forms?

Gela Nathaniel

Yes, yes, yes. Those too. Sorry, Hannah, it’s a big day today and I need to sort things out here.

To: Gela Nathaniel

From: Mae Blackwell

Date: 25 April 2024

Subject: We’ve arrived

Gela, I called you, but it went straight to voice. We’re stuck at the front gate. Security say they have my name and that I’d be with just two guests. Only everyone is so excited to see the installation, I’ve brought the technical, marketing and development teams. Unfortunately they won’t let us in.

I hope you can sort this quickly.

Mae

WhatsApp chat between Gela Nathaniel and Mae Blackwell, 25 April 2024:

Gela

Apologies for this mix-up, Mae. I’m on my way to the front gate. Can I ask how many there are?

Mae

Including me: fourteen.

Doodle message group MMAM ( FTP ), 25 April 2024:

Gela Nathaniel

There are fourteen people from RD 8. They’re at the gate now.

Jonathan Danners

Fourteen? Someone get more mugs.

Jem Badhuri

Griff, Rita and Tony are collecting and washing mugs from other kitchens.

Ludya Parak

We’re clearing space in the studio. Give them a tour of the Quaker Building. That’ll buy us time.

Jonathan Danners

How? I don’t know a thing about it.

Patrick Bright

Take them the long way round. Under the arch, through the quad, beside the water feature.

Ludya Parak

Built in 1866 by Quakers as a schoolhouse, it was sold to philanthropist Robert Hastings, who rebuilt it as a hospital for women.

Jem Badhuri

Take them to the garden outside the Aviator. Those flowers smell gorgeous.

Ludya Parak

In WW1 it was a hospital for wounded troops, then a convalescent home for TB survivors. Is that enough?

Gela Nathaniel

Where are the chairs with backs?

Jonathan Danners

One of the tech guys has a question: why are the lower windows round and the upper windows arched?

Ludya Parak

Are you asking me? Don’t know. I’m copying and pasting from Wiki.

Patrick Bright

This is as much space as we’ll get in the studio. We daren’t move the tunnel or the head. Neither is stable.

Gela Nathaniel

Bring the guests in now, Jonathan. It looks fine. It’s a working studio. They’ll understand that.

Jem Badhuri

It would be useful if Alyson were here.

Alyson Lang

I came in at the weekend. My quota of components is on my table. Good luck, everyone.

To: MMAM ( FTP ); cc: Gela Nathaniel

From: Jonathan Danners

Date: 25 April 2024

Subject: Project Manager’s Report on RD 8’s visit

Dear Team,

Gela has asked me to write a report for today’s visit by our client and to log their initial feedback, so those team members who were not part of the hosting party – Alyson and Cameron – are brought up to speed on this crucial milestone.

At first we thought the team from RD 8 was late, but it transpired Mae had brought considerably more people with her than security were expecting. I collected them from the gate, while Gela, Ludya, Jem and Patrick hastily cleared space in the studio and found more mugs and biscuits. While it was a small point in the grand scheme, it turned into a major stress factor, precisely when we should have been relaxed.

We can take several learnings from this experience. The main one being: next time establish how many clients are coming. Something as basic as not having enough teabags can derail an otherwise carefully organised event. In hindsight, I would have made it clear to the client in advance exactly how many of them could visit.

I felt at times the presentation we’d prepared was disrupted by clients wandering where they shouldn’t, touching things and wanting to ‘have a go’ with items in the studio completely unconnected to their project. Some were clearly from the more scientific end of the spectrum, whose attention was not held by our speeches on the progress of the installation. Herding cats came to mind.

However, it must be said Ludya spoke well about the tunnel, Jem did a great job explaining her soundscape and Patrick was very eloquent and interesting when he took us all through the evolution of our centrepiece, the clay head. Unfortunately one of the delegation tried to lift it up, and it was only Gela’s quick thinking and fast action that saved it from toppling off its plinth. Mae Blackwell, who we all remember from the pitch meeting, was a very engaged visitor and luckily so, as she is the person to impress.

That brings me to her topline feedback. She said, and I quote: ‘Wouldn’t it be better if the soundscape is piped into the tunnel, to avoid excess tech and allow us to focus on the artistic vision?’ She also mentioned something about the tunnel being more visibly branded with the company logo and specific radio components that broke new ground in their time, plus some other things – their names escape me – that she would like to see prominently among the ‘decorations’ on the tunnel walls. We can expect written feedback in a day or two.

After corralling the rest of them back into the studio we made tea and coffee, then showed them the door. In the nicest possible way. In our debriefing session afterwards we all felt a mixture of relief the visit was over and disappointment that our work hadn’t elicited the unbridled delight we’d hoped for. We all decided to tidy up, and not act on Mae’s feedback until we have her official response, as she’ll tie together the thoughts of all the others.

Finally I’d like to thank the entire team for their hard work and for being flexible, positive and good-natured throughout the client visit.

Jonathan

Danners Project Manager

Doodle message group MMAM ( FTP ), 25 April 2024:

Jem Badhuri

We should have let them throw some clay on the potter’s wheel.

Patrick Bright

That’s a very good idea. If we’d made the visit into more of a corporate day out, like on The Apprentice , they’d have been less fidgety.

Jem Badhuri

They’d realise how difficult it is and appreciate how hard we worked. Then they wouldn’t make stupid comments.

Ludya Parak

Clients are clients. We could fly them to the moon and still get pages of feedback.

Jem Badhuri

They’re in the business of radio communications – in other words: SOUND. Yet they have no idea how ASMR works. You NEED a binaural microphone and headphones.

Patrick Bright

I think you made that quite clear, Jem.

Jem Badhuri

Well, I had to say something. The head Gela and I have been working on is a replica of a binaural microphone. If we ditch the headphones, we can’t have a truly binaural soundscape, this won’t be a binaural installation, which means the centrepiece of our whole structure doesn’t flow.

Jonathan Danners

They liked the head sculpture.

Jem Badhuri

But without the binaural soundscape it won’t make sense!

Cameron Wesley

Clients make ropey decisions the whole time. But they’re paying. I vote we do what they say.

Jem Badhuri

I vote you keep your oar out of a project you haven’t done anything for. Don’t even know why you’re still in this message group.

Ludya Parak

If they don’t want binaural sound, they don’t want it. Way back, I said a collective sound experience is more appropriate to their brief, not an individual one.

Jem Badhuri’s Doodle Diary, 25 April 2024:

I’m fuming and it’s affecting my judgement. I’ve been working on that head for weeks, and now Mae says she doesn’t want the binaural soundscape. To them it doesn’t matter. To me, it does. Shape matters. It’s shaped like a very specific piece of equipment, and it won’t make any sense if we don’t use that equipment in our installation. No one else cares. Grrrr!

I must calm down, but of course Ludya is delighted. I could hear in her voice how pleased she was. I hadn’t planned to lose my temper, but sometimes it’s necessary for other people to see how much you care. Anyway, after I’d told Mae exactly what I thought of her feedback, I headed for the storeroom to recover. I like the storeroom. The smell of the art materials, paint, resin, varnish, paper, wood. Very calming.

As I got to the door I stopped dead in the corridor. Someone was in there. You just know, don’t you? I froze instinctively, but I wasn’t afraid. I wanted to listen … who was it? Had one of them snuck away to the storeroom to rummage through the shelves while their colleagues crawled all over our installation with their stupid ideas and tone-deaf opinions? Or was it Griff, Tony or Rita? A BA student looking for supplies?

I edged round the corner. They were at the far end and must have had their back to me, because they didn’t stop searching. It was a girl from the development team. Jessica. I was introduced to her in quick succession with all the others and got a whiff of her fruity perfume. As she moved past me to shake Jonathan’s hand, somewhere I registered that her shoes didn’t make any sound as she walked. Was she intending to sneak off and look for something? The old radio that the sourcing team brought back from Somerset? Gela said it had woodworm and was disposed of, but what if that wasn’t true?

I slipped back out of the room and down the corridor, stood by the water cooler and gathered my thoughts. Is that why so many of them came today? So we wouldn’t be able to keep track of them? Who are they all anyway?

I’m going to write this here, because no one else will see it. I’m not going to mention it in my final essay, that’s for sure. I’m here to get an MA , and that’s what I intend to walk out of this place with. However, a few things have got me thinking about the people on this course. Chief among them: what I discovered during my visit to the Danners Gallery that I haven’t dared write down until now.

Doodle message group [Private] Jem and Jonathan, 25 April 2024:

Jem Badhuri

Hi Jonathan. I want to apologise.

Jonathan Danners

OK. Well, we all feel passionately about our work. Mae will understand that, I’m sure. The key is to move forward, fulfil our creative ambitions, but also meet the client’s needs and expectations.

Jem Badhuri

I mean, I’m sorry I didn’t mention something sooner. When I left the studio to calm down, I found someone snooping around the storeroom.

Jonathan Danners

Rita or a student from one of the other studios?

Jem Badhuri

It was Jessica from the RD 8 development team. Could she have been looking for the radio? The one Gela said had woodworm?

Jonathan Danners

The radio was returned to RD 8. Gela mentioned it.

Jem Badhuri

But people lie. They lie about all sorts of strange things.

Jem Badhuri’s Doodle Diary, 25 April 2024:

Dad and I wandered innocently into the foyer and I was struck by the acoustics. There was a muffled feel to it. The sort of atmosphere that would make a good background space for a sharp, crisp soundscape. I must mention that to Jonathan when I get the chance – the Danners Gallery could be my first-ever paying client.

Dad was in a good mood after his meeting, but taking him to an art gallery is like taking a dog shopping. It will follow you, walk when you walk, stop when you stop, but it has no interest in its surroundings. He paces after me, making acidic comments about the pieces on display. ‘I could do that if I had paper and paint, but I wouldn’t bother’ is a favourite of his. ‘ Your work is better than that’ is a favourite of mine, although I wish he wouldn’t have that tone when he says it, as if even Jem, of all people, can do better.

I wondered whether Jonathan’s dad would be there, given his age and health, but when I heard the unmistakable raspy drone of an elderly man speaking about a planned extension to the main building, I knew it was him. I wanted to follow the voice down a corridor off the foyer, but ‘Barbara’, who turned out to be the assistant manager, stood in our path and asked if we wanted to be shown around the exhibition.

I said yes. Dad sighed. But this was my chance to find out if everything Jonathan has told us about himself is true. I’ll just have to make something up to keep Dad happy later. So Barbara leads us through the rooms, which have a crisper, cleaner feel than the foyer. Any soundscape here would need to be softer and less intrusive, perhaps water or distant birds, although my plan would be to switch up the soundscape relative to the exhibition. This one is by local artists over the age of sixty, so I’d loop some gentle Boomer music into the mix. Barbara tries to take us round every exhibit, explaining each nuance in detail, until I tell her I’m only really interested in sculpture. Dad sighs again, but this time with relief, because there are far fewer of those than paintings.

That’s when Barbara gets really excited because they have some ‘amazing’ 3D work she can show me, and she was right. I was blown away by a series of clay death masks – not real ones, she was quick to say – but imagined death masks of the five senses: touch, hearing, smell, taste and sight. Each was subtly nuanced, very well conceived and executed. Then there was a towering piece, as tall as I am, shaped like a Grecian urn, she said, but tapering at the top and fired to such a cold, smooth finish that when my fingertips touched it, a freezing shiver went right through me. We have a long chat about texture and, luckily, Barbara starts to warm up. I’m waiting for the right moment.

Meanwhile Dad’s footsteps scrape behind me like he’s being taken to the vet. But he never moves far away, so I have to be careful how I phrase my key questions. Finally I manage to say, casually, ‘How is Mr Danners senior? I heard he was unwell.’

He doesn’t have to speak, I can tell Dad is wondering how I know anything at all about a stranger in a town I’ve never been to in my life.

‘He’s much better – more so than ever,’ the lady chirps. ‘Do you know Goff then? He’s in today.’

‘No, please don’t bother him.’ The last thing I want is Jonathan hearing from his dad that a Bengali girl dropped by with her dad – he’d know immediately it was me. ‘I read about the gallery in a blog. Apparently his son took over for a few years.’

There was something about the way she paused. ‘Jonathan? Well, he was around a bit more,’ the woman says, an edge of frostiness in her tone as a cold stew of office politics stirred under her words, ‘but I took over management and curating. I’ve been here seventeen years, so it was the most seamless way.’

‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ I said, ‘I thought Jonathan did, seeing as his mother and sister had already died.’ It felt clumsy, even to me …

‘Yes, it’s been a very sad time.’ She sighed. ‘But Goff didn’t want this place to be Jonathan’s responsibility, not when there’s a team of us to keep it running.’

So at least that part of Jonathan’s sob story is true, even if he exaggerated his role in managing this place. I was deflated. But what had I expected? Something that might explain things. Lies to stop us asking questions. There were times I thought there might be no Danners Gallery in Gloucester, until a quick google revealed there was. Then I wondered if Jonathan had made up a past because he’d been in prison perhaps, or was an addict, into drugs or gambling. It’d all gone through my head to try and explain why the more I got to know him, the less I trusted him. Why, after that trip to Somerset, Alyson never came back to Royal Hastings.

We arrived at another sculpture, this one a cube covered in fine spikes. I ran my fingers over the bristly bits. Barbara ran her fingers over the bristles too and giggled as they pinged.

Ding! Dad gets a text and moves away to check his phone. This is my last chance to shake the tree, as Nani says, whenever I question why she does something trite and pointless.

‘But Jonathan wants to be an artist. I’d have thought running his own gallery is a good place to be, if you want to make and show your own work.’

Barbara’s fingers stop mid-bristle. She removes her hands from the sculpture and inhales sharply.

‘Jonathan isn’t an artist.’

‘He’s not particularly skilled, but he’s doing an MA in multimedia at Royal Hastings, seeing as he missed out on doing a Bachelor’s at the usual time.’

‘Well, he must be changing career then. I’ve known the family longer than that and he’s never been remotely interested in art or the gallery.’ She stops herself, as if she doesn’t want to trash-talk her boss’s son, and starts to walk away.

I followed her to the next sculpture. ‘He had to look after it, in the ten years since his mum and sister died. Perhaps he got a taste for it over time.’

‘Which blog did you read all this on?’ Barbara hesitates and lowers her voice. ‘Margaret and Sophia died two years ago. Jonathan didn’t miss out on college. He did his Bachelor’s at Imperial, well over a decade ago. That’s where he met Suzie …’

‘Suzie?’

‘His wife, Suzie. They’ve been married, oh, at least ten years.’

I didn’t have to fake my surprise. ‘I’m sorry,’ I said, ‘you can’t trust what you read on the internet. What job does he do then?’

‘I don’t know. Something ecological.’ There’s a note of suspicion in her voice by now – she firmly changes the subject to the next sculpture, a cage with a football inside it. You reach in and try to move the ball around. She told me who the artist was, but my mind was racing so fast I instantly forgot it.

Something ecological.