Why did I start blogging? Present Absence

Shoes hanging from a telephone wire
São Paulo, Av. Indianópolis 16:06 16/04/2007 (CC by Dan Sansome)

Recently, Dom Pates, Jane Secker and I were discussing the future of the blogging group once I leave City (more about that later). We ended up talking about why we started blogging. Here’s my answer.

My first blog post dates back to February 2008. What were you doing then?

I was living in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I’d just put together an exhibition of photos – Ausência presente (Present absence). It documented abandoned shoes I’d found on my travels around that sprawling metropolis. Visitors to the show could ‘adopt a shoe’. They were invited to take a photo of a shoe away with them and use it as inspiration to do something creative. Some people penned a poem, others told a tale, whilst one person created a font. I wanted to share these creative acts with a wider audience, so I set up a blog.

My artistic practice has always been about sharing and blogging was an extension of this. When I came to City, I wanted to continue this ethos. I was keen to encourage a community of practice and setting up a blog writing group seemed an obvious way to do this. Over the years the group has attracted staff from across the University and encouraged them to share their experiences and knowledge through blogging.

As I mentioned, I am leaving City to share new experiences in Berlin. You can keep up to date with my adventures in my new blog – Bits and pieces.

Don’t fret, the blog writing group will continue under the inspired leadership of Jane Secker and Dom Pates. The next session will be on Friday 8th February, 12:00 – 13:00 in B310.

If you would like to be put on the mailing list, email either Dominic.Pates.1@city.ac.uk or Jane.Secker@city.ac.uk.

Thank you all for your support. And that just leaves one last question…

Why did you start blogging? You haven’t started? Then come along to the blog writing group.

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