Collection
Meth V - Stargazer
Jon Ford (b. 1971)
Meth V - Stargazer
aluminium
6.50 m high
2003
Winner of the Jerwood/Arts Council West Midlands Sculpture Prize, 2003
Meth V - Stargazer was commissioned by the Jerwood Foundation as the winning proposal in the Jerwood/Arts Council West Midlands Sculpture Prize in 2003. It belongs to a series of works, accompanied by writings, with which Jon Ford has created a mythology involving wagtales. 'Meth V is a mechanical creature that basically lives in my imagination. I have written a lot of stories about it and done a lot of drawings of Meth V over the years and I like to incorporate a narrative alongside my art' (Artist's statement).
The initial exhibition of working drawings and Meth V - Stargazer was shown at the Floor One Gallery, Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, and Ford also included drawings of Meth V - Stargazer in an exhibition at the Florence Trust Studios, London in 2004.
Sitting, waiting, watching the stars.
For the wagtail.
Nocturnal arrival expected.
Watch the stars for the blinks.
A clear cloudless star full night sky, millions of stars.
Like the window I used to love.
Sparkling, shimmering.
Now I want them to disappear.
Then at least I would know you were on your way.
Your undulating flightpath of blink once stars.
For you even the stars avert their eyes.
That's the way I always wanted you to arrive.
I try not to breathe, not to miss the soft click of your arrival.
On the top rail of my winter garden.
Alerting me to your presence dear.
A text book approach, so glad to have you home.
Plug in whenever you are ready, I've got so much to tell you.
Let's talk for hours, until your beak can tap no more.
Jon Ford