In a few days this place is going to be buzzing. Not that it’s not now. Just a different kind of buzz. On Saturday night the good people of Akumal will descend upon our dreamy little slice of heaven to see what we’ve been doing behind the giant gate, and hopefully, they will be as pleased as we all are to find contemporary art installations in the middle of the Mayan Jungle.

I have probably hosted more exhibitions than I’ve been a part of. The gallery had a good run while I was still feeling good. And if everything goes as planned, it will be back open this Spring and Summer. In the meantime,¬† I’m excited to be part of ONDARTE’s first exhibition of 2012. It’s an honor to be sharing this space with the artists here, and I’m beside myself every day with the amount of collaboration and effort we all put into each others projects. In fact, if I don’t hurry up and post this, I’m going to be late for my cameo appearance in a short film. I have to walk from the shore straight into the water and then disappear under the surface. I love how we tap each others strengths.

So, if you happen to be in Akumal, anywhere near Yal-Ku Lagoon, say around 6pm on Saturday, then you might want to find your way to the front gate of ONDARTE and into the palapa. There’s a sculpture by Karl Saliter. Hilarious and poignant photos by Ryan Walter Wagner. Beautiful paintings by Jaqueline Cole. Mixed media images and a short animation by Amy Clay, and an installation including sculpture and a projected film… in the POOL… by Marina Fomenko.

And what did I do? I’ve been spending a bit of time underwater with a camera trying to capture in images what it’s like to be in my water dreams. Yes, water dreams. I have them all the time.

And they look like this.

In Those Dreams, Awake - Photo installation 90" x70" - Ali Goodwin

It’s a dream to be here.¬† And we all hope, if you get the chance to be here too, you’ll stop by for a cocktail under the starry sky on the edge of the lagoon and see how hard we are working. Yes… Working.

(You try getting large format archival inkjet prints in the middle of the jungle in Mexico.)

In Those Dreams, Awake
Text & Photographs by Ali Goodwin

I open my eyes and look up through the surface as I reach for it. There is no sun, just grey swirling shadows of a markless sky. I break through at the bottom of a swell and gasp for air, another taking shape above me. I only have a moment before I will be under again. I know this. I accept the weight of water. I do not ever think of saving myself. I feel around me for the black shape, a tail, a foot. I must save him, my sweetest love, who never learned to swim. He struggles to reach me, snorting at the water. Biting it. I feel nothing.

There has never been land. There is never a boat. There is never anyone else. There is only water. There is only a wave washing over muffled ears. When I wake up, my arms will ache for hours from treading. My voice will be hoarse from silent cries for help. Phantom limbs will reappear for days. My heart will ache from remembering, and then remembering differently. This will be the only thing I can count on. In those dreams, awake.

©2012, All Rights Reserved.

ON SATURDAY NIGHT: 20% of the profits from sales of my editioned prints will go to support the PLAYA ANIMAL RESCUE.

“Mi Hijo” – Black and White Archival Inkjet Prints – 16 x24 ” Edition of 200
$300.00 USD