The text below is an excerpt from the publication which accompanied the exhibition at the Camden Arts Centre:

[...] This project has become like an odd investigation exercise, to the extent that even writing this now, the final outcome is still not completely resolved. It started off by looking at the web site of FRAC Nord, a regional art collection based in Dunkirque, looking for pieces from their art and design collection that I could make a show with, possibly also mixed with pieces from other places? The piece that triggered the line of investigation was by French photographer, Robert Doisneau, entitled "Les coulonneaux de l'alle droite" (1951), which translates as "The pigeon fanciers of the right aisle." I found it a very intriguing image, with the painting of the same setting, some years earlier, serving as the backdrop to the photograph, meaning both it's foreground and background were occupied by two very similar trestle tables. Trestle tables have always fascinated me, they are kind of seen as the underdog, next to a regular table. They are often viewed as something, workaday, not worthy of use indoors. They have a humbleness, a lack of pretension. They are utilitarian and proud of it, they are comfortable, convenient, stout, fast and useful. There could be something in using trestle table's to illustrate certain issues about design. They might work really well combined with some pieces from the FRAC collection? This fascinating photograph has a very similar setting to Leonardo Da Vinchi's painting, 'The Last Supper'; both consist of a group of men gathered around a long trestle table, with one long side open to the viewer. There are obviously some real differences aswell, not least the ten pigeon fanciers as opposed to Jesus and his twelve disciples. 'The Last Supper' was painted on the refectory wall of the monastery of Santa Maria Delle Grazie in Milan between 1495........

(2004)