PERF12

I went to the performance festival Perf12 in Pori hosted by Tehdas in the weekend, admired concentrated movements, nakedness, blood, sweat,  color, vomit in an Angry-bird, music, sunshine, fire, dancing.
Some really great performances and some I liked less, but all in all an interesting weekend, interesting artists and a lot of inspiration.

The artists in pictures above: Arianne Foks, Essi Kausalainen, Ville karel, Judith Leysner & Baba Electronic, Koo-kinuski

THE ART SCHOOL IS LEAVING TOWN

My former art school is moving from Nykarleby. Yesterday they had a flea market where they sold some of their stuff. The rest is packed and on its way to Jakobstad, the nearest town, where a new campus is built which the art department will share together with the music department.
It was quite strange to see the place empty and in boxes, all the rooms suddenly looking big and unfamiliar.

The teachers and students planted apple trees att Kuddnäs as a memory of the schools 30 years in Nykarleby. Not that I think people will forget the art students and the school too fast, fruit or not...

"Kuk skåp" means btw cock locker.
Probably a hidden statement of one of the many brilliantly minded art students that has passed by this place.

If these walls could speak.

CLEAN THE HOUSE AND GET RID OF THE DEAD

IT IS AS ALIVE, AS DARK, AS LOUDLY WHISPERING AND SLOWLY MOVING IN THE WIND AS I REMEMBERED

THE ARVID MÖRNE PRIZE 2012

Picture from SFV

From the right, Emma Mattson, 1st prize, me 2nd and Valter Holmström 3rd prize.

 

 Juryns motivering:

"Andra pris tilldelades Sylvia Javén (f. 1988), Nagu, vars stramt hållna diktsvit skildrar en djupt personlig sorgeprocess. Osentimentalt dråpliga strofer samsas med gripande sinnebilder av naturnära frihetslängtan i en känslomässigt övertygande helhet."

FROM THE HOODS TO THE WOODS

Hello Finland and the forest airport

A GOLDEN NET

I constructed a golden net under the ceiling in the gallery Spanien 19C in Aarhus Denmark during the project "The Infamous and Only Somewhat Ambassadorial Outpost of the Semi-Legitimate Nation of Flux" when the artist collective Flux Factory was working in the gallery.
A lot of people, a lot of contacts, greetings, meetings and networking and love and friends. For every person there is a nail, linked with golden string to whoever they knew.

The net in the ceiling is a visualization of what was going on down on the floor.
More pics >>here<<

FLUX FACTORY VIKINGS RAFTING DOWN THE CANAL IN AARHUS

Watch Jaime Ideas awesome film about the epic journey down the canal >>> Here

EXTENDING THE MERMAID PATTERN

I really enjoy creating patters. This is Wietekes arm and two black markers.

PRESS INTERVIEW IN THE BATHROOM

All the rooms were crowded at the gallery so to get some peace and quiet the journalist Maja from kunsten. nu made the interview in the bathroom. Worked out just fine.
The article (in Danish) >>here.

HEALING SOUND ART

Yesterday I invited four sound healers to the gallery Spanien 19 C. The way they are working with sound is by singing improvised vocals, and the sound is interesting, meditative and relaxing.

The sound-healers started by demonstrating the way they work with their voices, then they instructed us and after a while the Flux Factory collective and the sound-healers where singing together, creating a constantly shifting and powerful sound.

I am fascinated by the sound-healing because it is without words. It is about finding one inner true sound, it is a communication in no need of a language. Especially in this surrounding, where we are of various nationalities, I found the idea of a sound without language very interesting.
I am collaborating with the sound designer Janus Novak who recorded the event, I will use the sound in a video which will be shot during my last days here in the residency.
 

But were we healed? Maybe. At least everybody seemed well and alive and then there was cake.

WORK IN PROGRESS

Wieteke is flying, I'm filming

NETWORKING DINNER AT SPANIEN 19C AND A TATTOO

Yes, we all have tattoos saying FLUX FACTORY. I got mine on the inner side of the arm.

IAN AND ADRIAN WENT FISHING

WORK IN PROGRESS: THE GOLDEN NET

I'm visualizing the constantly growing networking which is going on down in the gallery.  A golden net is growing in the roof.
Step by Spanien 19 In Aarhus and be a part of it...

REACHING THE ROOF

Im working on an installation in the gallery Spanien 19 C. With the room occupied by installations, beds and ambassads, I'm going for the roof.

picture Angela Washko

INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Spanien 19 C

PERLEPLADESYNDIKATET

Flux Factory was invited by PerlePladeSynidkatet in Aarhus to come and join them for an evening of some serious pearl placing. Me, Georgia and Jamie joined the guys in their studio to fill out pearl plates which later was put togheter with the rest of the groups plates into a bigger masterpiece.
Check out what they are doing >>here<<

HOW TO BE A FINNISH EASTER WITCH

I made a performance at Spanien 19 in Aarhus during Flux Thursday based on the Finnish easter tradition of dressing up as an easter witch.
I offered the audience to dress upp in the headscarf and the painted face and in return get a candy, which is how the tradition works, except that the tradition is a tradition only for kids and not grown ups. The perormance broke this unwritten rule and created a new and somewhat surreal situation among the audience.

As a kid it is very easy to dress up and act in this made up situation, a safe game within the set rules that the tradition of the holiday provides.
I was curious in what would happen when taking my first childhood memory of being in costume and performe a role and, as a grown up performance artist, put it into a new context.