6 environmental photographs
5 diner/bar sketches of strangers
3 composite drawings layering multiple scenes
She's working on the final piece which is a large charcoal drawing she won't let me see yet.
"It's not ready," she says when I ask.
"When will it be ready?"
"When it's done."
I leave her alone in the darkroom and focus on the Berlin logistics. The flights, accommodation and transportation of the artwork is now complete, all planned out and ready to go.
I go online to check for updates and see the Reddit threads about RB have exploded.
What if RB is actually multiple artists working collectively? That would explain the range of styles.
The gallery won't confirm or deny anything. Very suspicious.
I heard from a friend who works at Void Gallery that the artist communicates only through anonymous email. No phone. No address. Nothing.
That's not sustainable. Eventually someone will figure it out.
I screenshot the threads and show them to Roxy.
"They're getting more aggressive," I say.
"I can’t worry about that right now, I’m too focused on Berlin to care. They’ll get bored eventually."
Later that night, she finishes the final piece. I'm in the kitchen clearing up after dinner when she calls me to the darkroom.
The drawing is massive, three feet by four feet, charcoal on heavy paper. It shows a gallery opening. Crowds of people studying artwork on walls. And in the corner, barely visible, almost transparent is a woman watching, but she’s faded.
"It's you," I say.
"It's me at my own exhibition. The ghost in the room."
"It's amazing."
"It's the truth."
I pull her against me, my hands sliding under her shirt, touching her soft skin. "You're going to show this in Berlin?"
