I was back on long poses for Hesketh Hubbard Art Society. It would be one 2-hour pose – one hour without a break, then a fifteen-minute interval for tea and a digestive, followed by a further hour without a break. Pose choice would be important. Crucially in this regard, on arriving at Mall Galleries I was approached by three portrait artists, each wanting to know if I would be laying down or sitting down (actually, I was toying with the idea of standing). Sensing their intent, I agreed to sit suitably for portrait.
I would be seated on a cushioned bench with my back to the wall between two large oil paintings. I’d arrived with time enough to try a few positions that could work as an interesting nude life pose, whilst being upright and facing forwards for the portraitists. The only one that felt immediately comfortable, and hopefully sustainable for an hour at a time, had my left leg crooked horizontally on the bench, right knee up, and both hands on my right shin. Decision made, I wandered off for a look around.
When it was time to start I settled into my chosen pose… but something wasn’t right. Small positional details make all the difference. Whereas I’d been comfortable before, within moments I was feeling little prickly pains up my back and a dull ache in my left buttock. Why? who knows – something imperceptible I’d done differently – but artists had started making their marks so I felt committed. I passed that first hour with micro muscle movements to alleviate stress without causing distraction.
When the hour was done I creaked and groaned to my feet. Reassuringly I could see excellent works were underway – somehow, good art can compensate for all kinds of soreness. On resuming the pose I found my original intended position without prickly pain or dull aches, but by now the damage was done. Mind games and more muscle manipulations got me through. At the end, Esther came bounding in – she’d been on 30-minute poses next door – and all was well. The artists had done us both proud.
When the Anglo-Swiss-Slovakian art collective, JocJonJosch returned to Switzerland in February, Esther and I went too. Their latest exhibition, titled ‘ o o o ‘, was to be hosted by the Manoir de la Ville de Martigny, and its opening night highlight would be a performance of ‘Footfall’. The work had premiered at Laure Genillard gallery in London on 25 November last year. Esther and I were part of its second performance in December, and I’d participated in the third and final performance on 3 February.
Tuesday 14 February
Having volunteered for the Martigny installation, we decided to extend our stay further and enjoy a mini-holiday in Switzerland. This began with a Valentine’s Day flight from Gatwick to Geneva. We’d booked AirBnB accommodation both here and in Martigny, and for one more night back in Geneva before flying home. It was late afternoon when we arrived and found our apartment on the southern side of the lake. That evening we acclimatised with a fine pinot noir in the evocative surroundings of Au Coin du Bar.
Lac Léman or Lake Gevena, as you prefer.
Wednesday 15 February
Next day, after al fresco coffees in brilliant sunshine at the lakeside Cottage Café, we made pilgrimages to Hotel Eden, followed by the United Nations Office at Geneva: the Palais des Nations. Esther’s mother had resided in the former for a few months as a baby in the 1950s, whilst her grandparents worked as World Federation of Trade Unions representatives to the International Labour Office in the latter. This history trail kept us absorbed till dusk, when a ferry took us back south. I do like a mission.
As one with art inside the Palais des Nations.
Where diplomats come to speak, listen and ignore each other.
The M4 ferry from De Chateaubriand to Pont Noir at sunset.
Thursday 16 February
More clear sunlight and cool air greeted us as we checked out of our Geneva AirBnB apartment to partake of coffees, brownies and tea at Cottage Cafe, before boarding a train to Martigny. All was going smoothly as we enjoyed fine scenery along the north side of Lac Léman. 20 minutes before we were due to arrive, however, our plans went crashing off the rails (metaphorically) when our AirBnB landlord in Martigny texted to say we could no longer stay with them. Apparently their hot water supply had failed.
On the 2pm train from Geneva, arriving in Martigny at 3:42pm.
We declined help to find alternative accommodation and instead used wifi at Martigny station to search online. AirBnB had nothing, and the cheapest hotel was significantly more expensive, but we had little choice – we began walking north. A good omen was the sight of two mudbrick ‘Raised Totems’ built by JocJonJosch in June. We checked into the adjacent Hotel Vatel and took time to relax. As darkness came we sought a reasonably-priced restaurant – not easy in Switzerland – but Siam Thaï would do.
Martigny by night.
Friday 17 February – Performance
We slept soundly in our hotel room overlooked by the Alps, not least because AirBnB emailed to say they would refund the difference in price of staying there. JocJonJosch themselves were contributing to our original cost of accommodation – they are always exceptionally considerate towards their participants. The performance of ‘Footfall’ was due to begin at 6:30pm today so after an improvised breakfast we went exploring; first to Château de la Bâtiaz, which we’d seen illuminated above town the night before.
Château de la Bâtiaz, overlooking La Drance river.
Esther, overlooking the modern town of Martigny.
Nude figure at Château de la Bâtiaz.
Naturally, with no-one else was about I couldn’t resist the temptation of an impromptu nude photoshoot. Esther took the shots with bemused tolerance whilst I made poses. Afterwards we wandered south to locate a seventeenth century café-restaurant called Les Trois Couronnes. This was another pilgrimage for Esther as she’d found out her parents had both dined there – entirely coincidentally – on separate visits before they were married. We dined there too: a superb meal of fresh fish and local Valais wine.
Outside Les Trois Couronnes.
Inside Les Trois Couronnes.
Rain began to fall whilst we ate – this would be our only day under cloudy skies – but it didn’t matter. After a fast turnaround back at our hotel, we headed out to the Manoir, arriving at quarter to five. We soon found our friends Glynis – with whom we performed in Venice and in Sion – and Stan, who’d been part of the second ‘Footfall’ in London, plus others who would be taking part in the performance. In total, we would be a “dirty dozen” comprised of seven women and five men – including Joschi of JocJonJosch.
Opening night of ‘ o o o ‘ at the Manoir de la Ville de Martigny.
Before the show, Esther and a ‘Raised Totem’.
A broad, murky disc of mud awaited us on the floor of a dimly-lit, wood-panelled room. This was our performance space. As the start neared, women went in first, undressed and covered their bodies from head to toe in dirt. The men then followed, and together we began slowly, methodically treading the filth; coherent as a mass yet idiosyncratic in our own rhythms. The performance was to be continuous for two hours, with guests wandering in to watch – standing, staring, mesmerised in the humid musty gloom.
Our mud.
It was warm, wearying work. The mud seemed to dry upon us more quickly here than in London. Single, double, triple claps were to signal half-hour intervals, but confusion reigned as the first clap was a double. The knock-on effect towards the end was it felt like we’d overrun by half-an-hour – but never mind, it made for more of an exhilarating relief when the installation was finally declared complete. Applause echoed round the room. It had been an intense and powerful shared experience.
Esther and Glynis, post-performance beneath the Manoir.
Performers were given white dressing gowns and slippers, then led out through a side door, across a square to an adjacent school where we washed in separate communal showers for men and women. Body wash, body conditioner and towels were supplied. Once dressed we joined the party: first in the gallery where wine, soup, crisps, bread, cheese, and meats were plentiful; then down in the cave-like club beneath the Manoir, where Lydia Lunch graced the walls, and Brits were first on the dance floor.
Saturday 18 February
We had one final day in Martigny to unwind and chill among the mountains. Blue sky and sunshine had returned. On our way into town we stopped by the ‘Raised Totems’. I’d wanted to be photographed with them and – of course – for me there could only be one way to do it. Whereas the castle had been isolated and deserted, however, these totems were on land bordered by two hotels and a residential street. It took a while to build up courage, repeatedly checking around for passers-by, but eventually…
Esther and totem in scenic splendour.
The smaller of the two totems.
Nude figure with Raised Totem.
In town we partook of coffees on a sofa outside Le Minotaure café. We’d fulfilled our purpose for being there and could now savour the simple pleasures, yet I wasn’t quite ready to leave behind the world of JocJonJosch. Our participation in the opening night of ‘ o o o ‘ meant we hadn’t had time to see the exhibition properly. Our last swigs of cappuccino took us past 2pm – opening time of the Manoir – so we returned to get a clearer look at works we’d glimpsed only fleetingly the day before.
All that was left of our ‘Footfall’.
With around three hours of daylight remaining, we set off for a hike through the valley. Heading north across the railway line, we bought some snacks from a roadside shop, then walked along country lanes to reach the mighty Rhône river. Snow-tipped peaks and yellow grass stood in silent observation as the sounds of traffic receded. We had no particular destination in mind but the river led us to a little town called Fully. Here we rested at Café Les Alpes before slumping into a bus back to Martigny.
Alongside the Rhône on our way to Fully.
Sunday 19 February
Still glutted with pasta from last night at Au Grotto restaurant, we lingered till quarter to twelve then bade a final farewell to our cosy room at Hotel Vatel. Le Minotaure café was closed on Sunday, so we had coffees at the bar next door before boarding a train for Geneva and returning to the same AirBnB place we’d left three days earlier. It was our last afternoon and evening in Switzerland but we were all out of energy. After a bit of token sightseeing, we took pizzas and wine back to our digs for a quiet night in.
At Martigny station, waiting for the train back to Geneva.
Monday 20 February
Our Swiss adventure was not yet over! After an early start to Geneva airport, we found ourselves at the wrong end of hideous queues to check-in our baggage, pass security control and get our passports scrutinised – finally running to the departure gate with a mere ten minutes to spare. It was an extraordinary end to a very special week. Whilst our purpose was participation in a physical art performance, we had been enriched by so much more: friends and family, culture and serenity, beauty and love. Oh, oh, oh!
The first twenty minutes life modelling for Drawing the Star at The Star by Hackney Downs is always a good work-out. An exhausting succession of ever-shortening pose times come faster and faster: 5-minutes, 4, 3, 2-minutes, three of 1-minute, and three of 30-seconds. The quicker the work, the greater the temptation to attempt something more strenuous. Muscles begin fibrillating and may either cramp or turn to jelly during or between each pose.
Two 10-minute poses took us to a break. For the first I perched on a low stool; for the second I lay on my back with my heels resting on the seat of a high chair; that was a new one. Democracy reigned after the interval when organiser Catherine Hall invited her dozen artists to choose between one 30-minute pose, three 10-minute poses, two 15-minute poses, or a 10 and a 20. Two 15s just shaded the popular vote. I abstained, but would have gone for the 10 and 20 myself…
For the first 15-minutes, I stood in the round with a twisted torso and one hand held to my forehead. To finish, I settled into a throne-like chair at the rear of the room, directly in front of the pub’s eponymous bulb-lit star. In addition to affording me a rest after my earlier exertions, I thought it should be a welcome opportunity for artists to try literally ‘drawing the star’ but only one gave it a go. As ever, artworks were then spread on the floor for general admiration. Catherine captured the scene superbly in photos.
The evening was rounded off with drinks at the bar, and outside in the cool London air. It was a perfect end to another enjoyable session with this wonderful group.
Having modelled on the final day of last term for Monday evening life drawing class at The Conservatoire, I wasn’t expecting to be back for the first session of their new term. Another model’s late cancellation meant I got the offer, however. As soon as the ten artists had prepared at their easels, I began with three standing poses of 1-minute each, followed by one of 5-minutes, and a ‘reverse Christine Keeler‘ for 10-minutes.
Tutor Victoria Rance called the latter a Spice Girls pose, but her reference was lost on me. My eyebrows raised when she explained I would have to straddle a chair – its open back would have made my version significantly more revealing than the portrait of Christine by Lewis Morley. Finally, the penny dropped when she said I should be facing the wall; it was to be a tasteful study of the back and sides.
The rest of this session was given to a single seated pose, with two 5-minute breaks at 25-minute intervals. Once again the position was arranged for me: facing forwards, open-legged (thus, revealing after all), and with a curved spine of the very kind I try to avoid when working all day at a computer. It was pretty comfortable though, and two ferocious heaters did a grand job of warding off the late April chill.
I look forward to returning one more time before this term ends.
“You look every inch the English gentleman, Steven” said Simon Whittle, President of Hesketh Hubbard Art Society, as he walked by. I was wearing a black hat, a silk tie, checking a pocket watch, but otherwise standing nude and tall. Back-to-back with me was Esther, fully nude except for the lipstick she applied whilst glancing in a compact mirror. This was the first of our four 30-minute duo poses at Mall Galleries.
We were weaving a mini narrative, starting with a reprise of our first two poses at The Cambria a fortnight ago. For the second half-hour, we turned to face each other and I lowered myself to be seated on the floor. Esther pulled me by the tie and prodded my shoulder-blade with a crimson ostrich feather. There were murmurs and chortling from the surrounding artists – this was not a pose for the ticklish.
After the tea interval we changed our poses from those of two weeks before. To begin, Esther put on her red stilettos and sat on a low stool while I lay underneath with limbs threaded through its legs; then finally I stayed reclining while Esther curled beside me, her head upon my chest. The arrangement allowed me to take comfortable, if shallow, breaths whilst supporting Esther upon my ribs.
I felt it had been one of our strongest duo sessions at Mall Galleries and this was well reflected by the artworks produced. Afterwards we joined many of the artists at a busy nearby pub, to enjoy wine, tortillas and cheesy chips while drawings of us naked were passed around the tables. I look forward to a return for solo work in four weeks’ time… though I shall dearly miss my inspirational tie-pulling partner.
Two years had passed since I last visited The Telegraph at The Earl of Derby. On that occasion – before Esther and I were together – I was merely part of the audience for a sell-out performance her Girl in Suitcase play; even so, I managed to contribute a little life modelling of my own. Now in 2017, the same upstairs room is the venue for weekly life classes hosted by London Drawing Group and I was here to model solo. We started with four 1-minute poses and four 2-minute poses.
London Drawing Group is a trio of artists: Luisa-Maria MacCormack, Lucy McGeown, and Frances Stanfield. Upon arrival, I had first met Lucy; she would be facilitating the session this evening whilst the others drew. During the 1-minute warm-up poses, she encouraged her artists to draw me as a composite of geometric outlines. For the next 2-minute poses, she suggested they draw large open shapes on their pages and then try to fit my figure within them, thinking about composition. Interesting exercises.
After these early challenges, artists had more of a free hand to draw as they pleased, and I alone received direction. This was simply in the form of requests for standing or seated poses, but otherwise I was at liberty to select a stance. As pose lengths rose to 5 and 10-minutes, I switched direction and posture on a low bar stool, and finished the opening half in a standing attitude with one arm raised. After the break I was able to lay down for 45-minutes, mimicking the pose from a work by Lucian Freud.
Apparently it was a smaller-than-usual group this evening, with five artists joining the three organisers, but the space itself was quite narrow so this number felt about right. The format was nice too, with a healthy mix of short and long work, a little tuition and more time afterwards for self-expression. I was told that group members take turns to lead each session, and I hope in time I’ll have an opportunity to experience the styles of Luisa-Maria and Frances. For now, it was a pleasure to have had this introduction.
Esther and I were modelling together again last week for the Telegraph Hill Festival. In 2016 we’d attended as part of a Spirited Bodies collaboration, but this time it was just the two of us posing in a Telegraph Hill life drawing group taster session. We were welcomed by our friend Frances, who runs the group, and were soon joined by a dozen artists; a healthy mix of old friends and first-timers. We started: 5-minutes both standing; 5 sitting back-to-back, 10 with Esther standing, 10 standing back-to-back.
Two 15-minute poses took us up to a break. First, Esther reclined whilst I leaned over her, resting on one elbow. There was some speculation that this would be painful, but it was fine for the amount of time. Afterwards, it was my turn to lay down while Esther opted to stand across me. During the interval there was a somehow inconclusive vote on whether the second half should comprise one or two poses. The compromise split was 10-minutes and 30-minutes. For the first, we sat looking into each other’s eyes.
For our final half-hour, I sprawled backwards on a giant faux-leather beanbag. My 6’4” frame must have overly dominated it, as Esther eyed what little room remained before deciding it would be more straightforward simply to sit beside me; simple maybe, but effortlessly elegant as always. I closed my eyes for some much-needed rest and lost myself in Frances’s excellent playlist. When our time was up, we gratefully accepted the artists’ applause, and I insisted I’d not fallen asleep. At least, I think I hadn’t.
It had been a nice relaxed session, as is appropriate for a free event at a community festival. Hopefully the first-timers will be encouraged by the experience, and become regulars at the Telegraph Hill Centre. Untutored sessions take place on Thursday evenings from 7:30pm to 9:30pm – why not give it a go? In fact, if you read this blog regularly but have never actually tried life drawing, then get down to your local group and check out what you’ve been missing. Now is the time.
steve ritter 
