the Exhibition and Life (reconsidered) / day 5

Saturday is opening day at the other artspaces in the block… and for the first time, there’s the occasional visitor who shows no sign of interest; just another stop on their round, a quick glance with a connoisseur’s glasses on, before heading to the next gallery… But there’s been other kinds of encounters, too – between laughter and (almost) tears. The prolonged view. Paying homage to a worn-out blanket. Aesthetics and/or sincerity? Thank you, Lena, Birgitta, and all of you whose names I don’t know!

the Exhibition and Life (reconsidered) / day 4

art, curating, recent work

In the morning, I had a visiting group of students from the art class that I’ve shared the last weeks with, and their teachers. As I asked them to find an inherent theme when rearranging the material, they responded with an almost wordless collaboration – and a spontaneous installation from fabrics, tape and paper cups. Over the next hours, pairs of visitors kept dropping in… exchanging thoughts about space, body matters and grandkids; about Daniel Buren and giving up control; and the pleasing state of being banal.

the Exhibition and Life (reconsidered) / day 3

art, curating, recent work, time-out

Day 3: soon, playful surprises in unexpected places – left from yesterday – would yield for an extreme makeover. A cohesive team worked hard for two hours, mounting large canvases and little drawings… while fruits & flowers were put on display in the storefront. Thank you Birgitta, Susanne och Christina! And thank you, Karin, for superb documentation (to be seen elsewhere)!

the Exhibition and Life (reconsidered) / day 2

art, curating, recent work, time-out

May 11th: a day of breathing, of extended attention. Nearness; distancing; returning… The beginning of a longer rhythm? A visitor’s intervention intuitively connecting manifestations of motherhood and childhood; frailty, and a hidden treasure. In the evening, a sharing circle opens up to playful, gentle joy. The sky is clearing. A rainbow.

the Exhibition and Life (reconsidered) / day 1

art, curating, recent work

May 10th: from white walls in an empty space… to a meandering dialogue in words and making. Thank you for the installation, Walter! Thank you for creating cosmos from chaos in darkness, Lena! Thank you for your time and courage and collaboration, Mats and Mats! Thank you for the world opening down the rabbithole, Thea! Thank you – each one not mentioned by name – for your perspectives, your interest, your warm professionality! This is what I hoped for, in more than ample measure.

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Easter Experience

art, recent work, time-out

To my joyful surprise, I recently got the opportunity to attend a Winter Symposium with the Nordic Summer University. It took place in Latvian countryside, close to a natural reserve (and out of reach for the internet).
The venue, of course, is an extremely powerful tool in the set-up of such a gathering; framing the whole process, contributing to how knowledge is produced, shared and interpreted.

The overall theme for the NSU Study Circle 7 is The experiential in artistic practice: methods, knowledges and reflective processes. Over three days of Easter, a lovely bunch of artistic researchers, academics and practitioners presented their research and shared practices – as well as hot sauna and icy swims.

Learning about feminist strategies by printmaking, about regenerative farming in Latvia as a base for textile art, and the importance and implications of Wanderlust… Learning from Finnish and Latvian dancers, British artists, a theatre director from Tampere and a Polish philosopher… This has been a unique and inspiring experience in so many ways – not least thanks to Ulla, our exceptional chef! I hope to meet again…

…as I hope for peace, for human awareness towards all earthly beings, and the rebirthing forces of spring.

A Salon in the Woods

art, recent work, time-out

During the pandemic, many of us have turned to nature to be alone for a while, or to meet with friends; to regain our calm and lust for life… The curators at Selva Studio did, too. Located in the suburban area of Bagarmossen, Stockholm, they were lucky to have access to a nature preserve just around the corner. The idea came up to invite others to share and take care of the forest’s quiet offerings…

…and so, Skogssalong / Salon in the Woods emerged; an outdoor art event, last weekend happening for the third time within a year – from Saturday noon to Sunday evening, February 19th-20th. I got an invitation to let the Moon Kite fly again, this time together with the lovely luminous clouds of Alice Bulukin.

The public response was beyond all expectations: a steady flow of visitors of all ages – long after nightfall even – running and sliding or treading cautiously, marveling and chatting, taking photos and warming by the fire… There was live music, too, and a wealth of artworks by Akay and Olabo, @5000naturreservat, Eka Acosta, Fältlaboratorium (Ewert Ekros, Johan von Schreeb, Mattias Larson, Ola Ilstedt), Gabriel Agut, Idamaria Holmqvist, Isa Winter Maxe, Kjartanistan, Lena Flodman, Lisa Rytterlund, Lotta Sjöberg, Malou Bergman, Nabil Holem, Nina Westman, Perniepaints, Rossana Mercado-Rojas, Tess Oweson… and stunning light installations by Johan Matti, Svart Ljus/Black Light, Joa Palmér and Stina E Stellborn. Here’s a few treats:

Instagram @5000 naturreservat aim to visit and document every nature preserve in Sweden

Selva Studio (Malou Bergman, Eka Acosta)

Frida Elmström and Selva Studio: Kottdjuret/the Cone Beast

Birds by Eka Acosta, masks by Kjartanistan

Kjartanistan

Octopus by Eka Acosta

Fältlaboratorium/Field Laboratory tapping into communication between trees

Lisa Rytterlund

Nabil Holem

Dreamcatcher and Dream Pillows by Isa Winter Maxe

Glass balloons by Nina Westman

Light installation by Johan Matti

Below an assemblage of photos from the hillock of clouds and moon, following broad daylight into winter nightfall and darkness:

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Art’s Birthday 2022: Bilder från Nysund / New Sound Images

art, curating, painting, recent work, time-out

The Watertower opening up

“Fold a Hat” spot outside the Watertower

Playing sound bowl and ice

Ice installation by Julia Adzuki and Patrick Dallard

the green octave, paintings by Helena Hildur W.

the green octave, projections by Johannes Ferm Winkler

Art’s Birthday 2022: Bilder från Nysund / New Sound Images in Gnesta’s Old Watertower

Finally, let’s celebrate! The doors of the Watertower are open; inside, guests are welcomed by an installation of light and ice, glass and water. The green octave paintings – modest in size – are on display along one of the walls. Upon the next three sides of the tower, the pictures transfigure into light projections, opening up to an imaginary summer day.

the Green Octave, projections by Johannes Ferm Winkler

For myself, this is a process equally wondrous and interesting; from the beginning, years ago, where I take a walk immersed in the light and sounds of the surroundings; next, converting my impressions to a small-sized painting; leading up to this joint venture, where the landscape re-emerges by technical means… or, sprung from the inner nature of human minds. The space floating with light and sound… the landscape transcended.

On Monday, January 17, the Art’s Birthday network* will support a webradio streaming, where 25+ art spaces around the globe – from Tokyo to Vancouver – will share photo and audio streams in an interactive mesh.

Above: Fold a Hat outside the Watertower, Gnesta 2022; photos by Johanna Dahl and HHW.
Below: Robert Filliou, Rome 1972; photo by Joaquín Romero

* About Art’s Birthday worldwide: the event was first proposed in 1963 by French artist Robert Filliou, as a public holiday to celebrate the presence of art in our lives. In recent years, the idea has been taken up by a loose network of artists and friends around the world, welcoming new partners working with the ideas of exchange and telecommunications-art. Since 1963, Art’s Birthday has generated parties and gatherings, correspondence and mailart, sound and video art, music composed for telephone lines, radio and (starting in the mid 1990’s) for the Internet – and, following Fillou’s example, the folding of paper hats.

Bilder från Nysund / New Sound Images IV

art, recent work, time-out, upcoming

One last day of preparations in the Watertower; installing and trying out sound equipment, mounting paintings, making shutters…

…and attaching them to windows, to keep daylight out; plotting projections, and mending the net of a sinker…

Quiet talking, electronically generated songs of light; sounds of wind and voices, bells and flutes floating within the tower. Tomorrow, Sunday January 16th, we’ll be ready to celebrate with you!

Appearing on photos: Johannes Ferm Winkler together with Ljudtornet members Tomas Björkdal, Erik Peters, Patrick Dallard, Johanna Dahl, Julia Adzuki, Karin Lindström Kolterud; all photos by HHW.

Bilder från Nysund / New Sound Images III

art, curating, recent work, time-out, upcoming

Ljudtornet preparing for Art’s Birthday in the Watertower; testing new projectors, piloted by Johannes Ferm Winkler in the most gracious way. A setup is forming…

At the same time, in other places: celebrations of Art and of the waters at Nysund are evolving. Sound art, installations and music by Erik Peters, Karin Lindström Kolterud, Tomas Björkdal, Johanna Dahl, Rolf Schuurmans, Patrick Dallard and Julia Adzuki will all flow together here in the next couple of days. Welcome to the Old Watertower in Gnesta on Sunday! Or listen worldwide via Art’s Birthday network on Monday.

(all photos by HHW.)