Lauren Doughty

“The Waiting Place…

…for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go

or a bus to come, or a plane to go

or the mail to come, or the rain to go

or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow

or waiting around for a Yes or No

or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite

or waiting for wind to fly a kite

or waiting around for Friday night

or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake

or a pot to boil, or a Better Break

or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants

or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.

Everyone is just waiting.”

The Waiting Place is a collaborative project and group exhibition curated by Ann-Marie James and Emily Godden. It combines mail art, a physical exhibition at The Art Station, an Instagram account and an online exhibition in a unique online environment.

It is a project about waiting, made during a global pandemic, at a time when we are all collectively waiting in so many ways. Waiting for things to get back to normal, for things to change completely, waiting for a cure, waiting to get sick, waiting to get better. Waiting for news from loved ones, and news from government. Waiting for test results, waiting to find work, and waiting in particularly long socially distanced queues at the supermarket.

A large group of artists and creative practitioners were each sent a letter of invitation to take part. Every contributor was provided with a postcard and on the back was an extract from a children’s book called Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr Seuss. It describes the journey of life, and was the last book published by Dr Seuss during his lifetime.

*Bio above written by exhibition organisers.