Joining TOM JACKSON to discuss the postcards from her past – in our new, streamlined format – is art critic, writer and broadcaster CRISTÍN LEACH (Negative Space, From Ten till Dusk, A Portrait of the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts in 12 Stories). Together we experience the dubious magic of living below the waterline, put unlikely objects on a colour photocopier, visit the flying hotel of Woolacombe, suffer broken watch-springs in Alicante, and consider some not-quite postcards of the Dublin Art Club. Plus we decorate our walls salon-style with postcards and watch the body-popping boys outside C & A. Wish you were here?
A glimpse of the postcards that were displayed on the walls of CRISTÍN’s flat, and her drawing of how they fitted into the space.
The Pond, Goudhurst, 1 September, 1973, “Mum & Dad, everyone, Just a card cos I’ve no time to write a letter. I can post this on the way to one of the orchards. I got your letter. Thanks for sending the letters on & getting rid of the card. Oops. Will write soon. Colin”
The Promenade, Southsea, 29 May, 1984, “To Kay & Alan, Having a nice time even though the weather isn’t very nice. Last night we went to the Honkey Tonk (nightclub) Tomorrow night we are going to a disco at Joanna’s. We went shopping yesterday. Outside in the doorway of C&A there was all these boys doing body popping they were really good. Bye from Trina.”
CRISTÍN’s card from her friend who was working as a photographer on a Disney cruise. Note the X that marks her cabin.
The Floating Hotel of Woolacombe.
“But you said there were toilets here!”
Alicante, aerial view, July 1967, “Monday. Very enjoyable plane flight weather gloury smashing couldna spell it Temp is between 90°-100°F in the shade. Stomach giving me a bit of bother had it before I got here. Lay down at 5pm last night and slept till 12pm missed dinner was starved. Then could not sleep all night. The spring in my watch has broken.”
CRISTÍN’s postcard from an exhibition of colour photocopied objects by Marcella Reardon in 1996.
Images from CRISTÍN’s upcoming book – From Ten till Dusk, A Portrait of the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts in 12 Stories – celebrating 200 years of the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin.
The photographs show a Dublin Art Club Exhibition at 6. St. Stephens Green, 1893.
Photograph of the exhibition:
“View to wall looking S. + out the door: Bust by Miss Shaw. behind it pastel of fisherman’s Child by Miss Benson. on each side of it flowers by Mrs Miller. underneath – landscape by McGuinness. Pictures marked x are by Mr. Hone. arrow points to picture by father ‘Bushranger’.“
Second view:
“To Dear Vi
from Walter
March 1893
This is a view taken looking at the room with one’s back to the door (shown in other photo). The picture marked X was the one of Mr Hone which I won in the Art Union. The portrait at the end in middle is Zelie de Lussan as Carmen, by G Russell, directly underneath it was a picture by Waterlow and next to it behind the music stand marked with a ● is a study of mine at Foxrock. Next to the Hone you will see one of father’s drgs, + next to it another Foxrock bit.“
A singing postcard from Copenhagen.