Memento vivere is here until 18th September 2025.
Welcome to Project Rattloch: Week 11.
Remember to post on time.
I’ve lost track of time with everything that’s occurred this week so I’m posting two days later.
It’s been a crazy week, but in the best possible way. I’m so grateful to have such a fantastic group of friends who supported me on the morning of Memento Vivere. I’d assumed I could set up the day before, but it turned out we had to drive up early on the Saturday instead. We left Swindon at 7 am in a packed van, heading down the M4 to London. The trip was smooth: music on, good conversations, and a great mood. We were excited. My friends knew we were onto something big, something new, something exciting, something none of us had experienced before.
We arrived at the Crypt by 9:30 am. My mate Lee suggested unlocking the door and snapping a photo of me holding the key. He’s a massive extrovert, while I’m the complete opposite. I always feel awkward in posed situations, but that’s why he’s there, to push me out of my comfort zone. So we unlocked the Crypt, stepped inside, and were greeted by that familiar damp smell.
It felt like the space was waiting for me, for my art to claim its sacred walls. The night before, drifting off to sleep, I had a rough idea of where things should go. By the morning, though, I felt like I didn’t have a clue. I let that go, took a deep breath, and hung the first painting: The Great Equaliser. It sat perfectly on a black wall, visible as you walk down the corridor. That was the start.
I grouped some of the more comical paintings together in a side section. It worked really well, especially with the spotlights aimed just right. In the main hall, my friends had already started hanging paintings. It became a genuine team effort. I only made small tweaks here and there. Overall, they had a great eye, and the layout came together beautifully.
I’d been worried the process would take all day and leave no time to relax before the opening. But we surprised ourselves and finished by about 11:30, maybe closer to 12. After that it was just the finishing touches: laying out prints for sale, putting up little signs, making the space cosy, putting the drinks and snacks out. Then we could lock up, go back, have a few beers, a decent burger, and relax for a couple of hours.
Me and another friend returned to the Crypt at 4 pm to wait for a delivery of ice and some extra drinks. It was nice to have a bit of quiet time, so I walked around, filmed a couple of walkthroughs, and gathered my thoughts. My curator arrived and moved two paintings, which was fine by me.
The security guy, Mo, turned up not long after. He was lovely, only 24, which made me feel ancient, though that’s hardly his fault. He chatted with me for a bit, said he liked the art, and then headed outside to wait for guests to arrive.
At 6 pm we opened. I asked Mo to allow walk-ins as well as ticket holders. Tickets helped us keep track of numbers, but I didn’t want to turn anyone away. Colin Barnes, better known as Barnzy, was one of the first to arrive. I’d been following him on Instagram for a couple of years and bought one of his prints a few months back. Meeting him felt like catching up with an old friend. We talked about art in the back corner where the funny paintings were hung, sharing thoughts on process, struggles, and what we were both working on next. It was a lovely chat, even with the occasional interruption as people came up to speak with me. We picked it up again later in the evening. He’s a really good guy.
Of course, there were a few characters too. One lady kept sneaking packets of crisps and crackers and was definitely making the most of the free wine. Another bloke walked around telling what he thought was a hilarious story about killing someone over email. I couldn’t quite follow the details, but he clearly thought it was comic genius.
For the first time in a long time, I actually felt relaxed. My friends were taking care of the logistics, and Maria, my curator, was handling sales. I did retreat a little at times, but I also had some really meaningful conversations. I prefer one-to-one chats, and I had a lovely one with someone who used to work at Castle Fine Art. We’d already connected on Instagram, but I didn’t recognise her at first. I could feel myself screwing up my face trying to place her, but she kindly put me at ease by saying she knew I must get a lot of messages. We ended up talking about organ donation, my art, and everything in between. The loveliest part was discovering that she and her partner were getting married the next day, yet they chose to spend the evening at my opening. A friend pointed out later how special that was, and I know in twenty years I’ll look back and think, wow, they came the night before their wedding. Hopefully I’ll still be in touch with them then.
I also got to meet Artist Gina Bold in person. She’s incredibly supportive and told me it was great to see outsider art on the walls, and to keep doing what I’m doing. I also spoke with her friend, who had recently faced a loss. I really felt for him, especially given the themes of the exhibition.
At one point during the evening I felt a bit disheartened. About 210 tickets had been booked, but maybe 60 or 70 people actually turned up. It’s so easy to get caught up in numbers, and it really gets to me sometimes. Then again, if it had been packed, I wouldn’t have been able to connect with people on a deeper level. So I quickly accepted that it was that it was!
Overall, it was a beautiful evening. Two of my patrons came along and are considering buying two pieces of art, which is exciting. I’ll follow up with them soon.
Since the opening we’ve had some teething problems with volunteer staffing. Being 80 miles away in Swindon makes it hard to drop everything and be there, but it’s working out thanks to some great support. I’ll be back this weekend and will share more updates. We’re running another meditation session on Saturday and Sunday, and I’ll also post a video walkthrough below.
If you have any comments or questions, please add them below. I really appreciate your attention, and if you feel like it, please share this post, especially with people in London or across the UK.
Before I depart…
Artists,
Remember…
“When you’re an artist, you don’t have to do what you’re told to do… There are no rules. I just come in and do something, and then I put it on the top. When it really starts to get under my feet, when I can’t work, I’ll move it. Otherwise I enjoy it. It’s liberating.”
Best wishes,
P.S. Thank you.
Video Walkthrough of the exhbition:
Update: I’ve also added a video of me discussing the artwork in the exhibition.
Previous Project Rattloch posts:
Congrats. Sounds like a great opening.
This is so rich and wonderful to read. Both numbers are exciting: 210 tickets AND 60-70 people! I would love to attend a meditation, is it even possible virtually?