MARKET FORCES

Work in Progress: Working on the commission I have, to complete a painting of The Virgin Mary this week – market forces and all that, but although the brief is/was to produce something traditional, a certain amount of artistic licence has been accepted and passed, after the client saw the initial drafts… In consequence, the experience is proving to be more than a pleasure, with a day’s painting yesterday resulting in an excellent start (as left) – If things go smoothly, the assignment should be completed by the end of the week! Good news, as time seems to be at a premium these days.

The move last week took more or less the whole of the week to complete in itself – well, to settle into the flat that is. Actually (and cheers again Bogdan and Anka again for all the help – great night out in Taverna afterwards too) moving of late takes hardly any time at all, since I’ve reduced my personal possessions to the bare essentials! Still, there was still thankfully enough time to get all the outstanding proof reading work done and enjoy the wide open space of the new pad and being in the city centre again.

No change regarding noise from neighbours however – A week of living in and amongst Białystok’s young professionals has finally given me the insight into why pubs, clubs and the general night-life of Poland is so, well, devoid of excitement… Poland’s young swingers clearly prefer to avoid the bright lights of town in favour of destroying any sense of asylum at home and turning their apartments into night clubs and what can only be described as discothèques (considering the weird penchant for 70s Disco and Boney M in particular)..! This aside however, and the sense of safety, compared to fearing death in Broniewskiego, completely out-ways the fact that Death-Metal Boy was clearly lulling me to sleep in comparison to I’ve Got All-Round-Sound Man next door, My Mother’s Out So I’ll Wreck the Place Juvenile downstairs, and Disco Inferno across the road. AND, of course, there’s the workers renovating the derelict warehouse down the road who think by pumping up their stone covered stereo system that they’re performing on stage at Glastonbury – Aye, you didn’t warn me about all this cacophony did you Daniel ;-)

For now, back to the relative peace then of Mary, Mother of God - Z dawna Polski Tyś Królową, Maryjo - Ty za nami przemów słowo, Maryjo - Ociemniałym podaj rękę - niewytrwałym skracaj mękę - Twe Królestwo weź w porękę, Maryjo!