Icarus @ 59 # 195

The narrative behind these 'anonymous' figurines in Arezzo is the invisible men and women who just get on repairing and fixing and maintaining the fabric of our lives while we get on with what we do - and conceptually is a nice idea. They are there to be seen everywhere, of course. I engage with them at the University, the gardeners and porters and cleaners because early on I realised how important they were to the fabric of the place where I worked, indeed on a day-to-day basis I have more conversations with them than anyone else on campus. Universities are funny like that. Yesterday I had a chat with a former Pro Vice Chancellor who still does a little work with us and he was saying that Universities are full of self-employed people who research and work independently and then come together every semester to teach (and indeed much of that is done independently). In some ways I find this a little sad, many of us try to encourage a collegiate world by organising 'inclusive' events, this week I have organised a research symposium with colleagues, research students and visiting scholars from Australia - and others do other things but often it falls to individuals and we are like these figures, just beavering away while the world turns - it was ever thus. So if you are working away today, maybe listen to this duo and remind yourself its ok to get up an dance every now and then - no one will be watching (and even if they are so what):