Exhibition News and some stuff about yoga....

'When You LOOK AT THE WORLD'

Exhibition in partnership with artist David Knight.

It's been a year since my last witterings and that was about my last exhibition!

Where has that time gone?

What I do know is that in the last year, the issue of Ai has exploded.

And I'm a bit more bendy.

I’ve written about Ai previously, but never Yoga funny enough, but the latter being my new found passion, has given me much food for thought.

By that I mean how we live in an Ai driven world - because if you know it or not -it is highly likely it has featured in something you've done, seen, or heard today.

And this is just the start of it.

Or is it?

But before I go on about Ai, let me talk about how Yoga has inspired the 'When You Look At The World' exhibition.

Did you know there are many types' of Yoga?

I didn't, but having rejoined a local leisure centre I've been giving some of them a go.

I always thought you needed to be as bendy as an elastic band.

As it turned out, that isnt the case.

Clearly Yoga in its various forms are very popular classes and spaces go quickly. Even a couple of weeks in advance the 37 spaces were going fast, so I hit the 'book' button.

My first ever practice was scary. Getting there early, I wandered into the large studio where clearly regular practitioners with their personal mats and stuff were setting up.

I was looking a bit lost ( as always) and was approached by one of them offering help.

Admitting it was my first lesson, I was advised to get a mat and a couple of blocks from the racks.

‘Stuff’ in hand and having eyed up the still quite empty studio I noticed a console by the long mirrored wall where the instructor would be, so I decided it may be better for all concerned if I set up at the end by the wall of large windows at the back.

A sort of ‘out of sight out of mind’ tactic.

As I sat on my mat looking out at the trees to get into the vibe, I wondered what I had let myself in for.

In the background I could hear the increased chatter of more people wandering in.

A few minutes later, on turning around to face into the studio, I noticed the room was almost filled up with people sitting on their mats.

All facing me.

I felt like I was squinting like Clint Eastwood as I whispered “I’m at the front aren’t I?” at my nearest neighbour.

“Yes” he smiled mischievously.

I thought “f**k it, just go for it”. Better that than picking up all my stuff and stumbling across the room dragging my mat across peoples heads trying to find somewhere else to wobble.

So over the next hour I did my best not to put the 36 people behind me off by my wobbling, hopping about and putting the wrong leg or arm up.

I imagined it’d be like toppling dominoes if I went over.

I’m now some months in and with the guidance of the brilliant teachers I’m not so wobbly or hoppy, nor am I self consious when I am.

There is no judgement from anyone.

The teachers tell you wobbles are good (apparently) as it shows you are working.

Now ‘down dogs’ and 'planks’ flow a little easier into 'crocodiles' and ‘warrior' poses than they did when I first started.

I've found I'm sleeping better, my posture has improved and I simply have a feeling of wellbeing.

I’ve also found something else.

I walk out chilled yet more aware of the world around me.

More focused.

Spending time focussing on your breath and balance in a ‘three legged down dog’ or a ‘warrior three’ really brings you back into the now.

And you know what? Each person I’ve chatted with say the same thing.

Because for the best part of 50 minutes, the phones are off and it is just them in a room with 36 other yogis trying not to fall over.

So what does this have to do with Ai?

Ai now plays a daily part in our lives.

It has become so advanced, we really can’t be certain what we are reading, seeing or hearing was created by Ai or a human. ( This blog has been written by me.. I think my grammer will scream that..)

Especially on social media!

Dramatic Ai generated videos look very realistic, designed to encourage you to engage with them more and more for click bait.

Ai articles, Ai generated music, Ai generated reviews, Ai ‘assistants’ with online companies.

Ai is so powerful some adverts have replaced real human actors with artificially created but ‘perfect’ looking ‘people’ in them.

We’re losing, if not lost already, the ability to differentiate between Ai and the real world.

So we need to look deeper at the real world around us. Its much nicer. Honest!

To focus our eyes, our minds and ground ourselves and be inquisitive.

To feel emotional about real things in the real world, not fake things online.

Access to Ai tools is quick and easy. Too easy. But rather prompting Ai to help us create something, we need to use our own minds first and see Ai as a support tool not the first tool.

Humans are not perfect, we make mistakes (remember wobbles are good!).

Wobbles separates us from the Ai world.

However, I do wonder if Ai has been over hyped. I hear of students wanting to take photos using retro cameras for a natural look.

Vinyl LP's sales continue to go up judging by my expanding collection.

Some big production film makers having been using vintage lenses built by hands.

I have hope that the world, like a Yoga pose, will balance out Ai with real life.

So I’d like to thank Ali, Anika, Claire, Nord, Sally Ann , Shelly and Sanjiv

for their guidance in this wonderful practice.

And of course my new yogi friends, Danny, Juliet, Natalie & Viki for their encouragement and not laughing as I realise I’m in a wobbly warrior one rather than a three legged down dog.

My ability to focus on the real world around me and it follows the creative process has been amplified.

So, “When You Look At The World”.

Ask yourself, what is it that you see?

Is it reality with all its beautiful imperfections or it is fictional perfection?.

Namaste

'When you Look At The World' with David Knight opens Friday 28th November 2025 at

Canela Cafe, 5 Creek Road, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9BE (directly opposite Hampton Court Train Station)