I know just a little bit about him. That he is well-respected but fairly new to directing. That he is known first and foremost as a collector of art and artifacts from around the world—work he calls “world art” in the same vein as “world music.” I find a recent profile of him in Vogue that says that he doesn’t like the term “art collector.” He prefers “art advocate,” a phrase I’ve never heard before, and that I don’t really understand. In the article, he’s described as someone who gives opportunities to young artists, and is responsible for kick-starting the careers of many—there are a few names listed. Some I recognize: two are Turner Prize winners, one has a solo exhibition on at the moment at the Serpentine. I wonder if I should have shared more about myself, whether I should have lied and told him I have plenty of artwork that I’d love for him to see, and then just hurriedly make something, anything, if he wanted to come for a studio visit; whether I should have told him that I want to be a director one day too. Maybe I should have been honest and said that I’d been hoping to shadow someone during this internship and learn how running a gallery works; perhaps I should have just asked him outright if I could shadow him.

I get the bus back to the studios. When I unlock my phone, the profile of Gideon in Vogue is still open in my browser. In the photo accompanying the article, artwork from what looks like all over the world is spread across the floor, on the walls, even hanging from the ceiling. In the center of it all is Gideon, sitting on a wooden chair that looks like a throne.

Looking at him now, I wonder what pieces by my dad Gideon owns. I wonder if he bought them while my dad was alive, if they met, if Gideon helped my dad’s career. Once I finally finish and send my email to Dr. Kerr, I look through my photos until I find some of the pieces I exhibited for my degree show just over a year ago. They’re not great images, but I take screenshots of the best ones so they are at the top of my camera roll and easy to show Gideon if I get a chance to talk to him again.