I came to Rome one Summer. it was August and terribly hot. I travelled on the train from Milan and was picked up by an aspiring film director called Enrico, who drove me and Viola around in a car very fast. He wanted to show us things like the graffiti on the outskirts of the city. Viola took me to a church to see the Caravaggio murals – I put money in the slot to light up the mural, and the experience affected me so much I started to cry. We had espresso at the Caffè Saint Eustachio and stood at the counter to drink the fizzy water they give you for free. Later on, Enrico picked us up to go for ice cream in about three different places and I don’t remember the names or the flavours, but like everything that summer it was hot and sticky and fast. Enrico wanted to take us to a shop that sold crystals and as we sped out of the city, suddenly I saw the Colosseum. I wanted to stop but the shop was about to close so there was no time. I twisted in my seat and snapped a photograph with my iphone 4 from the open window. It came out blurry, spectral, spectacular.

We arrived at the crystal shop just as the owner was closing the blind. Enrico pleaded in Italian very fast until the woman re-opened the shop and we rushed inside. She selected a crystal for each of us. For Enrico, a clear quartz so he could find focus and clarity. For Viola, a rose quartz for love and kindness. She drew two rocks for me – the first was hematite because she said my iron levels were low. The second was mercury, which she told me to place near my artwork to bring in money, but not to touch it with bare hands. I don’t remember much more about the trip, but this experience has sat with me for some time now.