20161026

Joined the “Paikan tuntu –  Kohtaamisia unohdetuissa tiloissa” book lauch at the Orion movie theatre. Antti Möller who edited the near 200 page book hosted the event. He invited artists and people who had partisipated in various events of the three year long “Paikan tuntu” project on stage. The project and the event are organized by the Union for Rural Culture and Education and the book published be their sister organization Maanhenki. Möller interviewed myself and Hanna Johansson newly appointed Professor of Contemporary Art Research of the from the University of the Arts about how the role of artists has changed. Johansson has written a short text on the matter for the book. Her text is a cry for more serious strategies for cultural organisations and more challenging artworks (But it’s disguised as a celebration of the “Paikan tuntu” project).

Möller invited Marjo Priha on stage in behalf of the Helsinki Zoo organisation and asked her how had the artworks (made at the zoo over the course of the three year project by some 150 artists) had effected the site. She replied that she had come to understand that: “The skill of looking at things you don’t understand is skill which is best trough artworks” #ॐ.  After the talks we watched video documentations of the project on the theatres big screen. My short about Päivi Allonen looked good and the audio worked too. It was zoomed to 4:3 size but served well. This was the first time I got to see my Panasonic GH3 footage I had shot on a big screen! With proper color grading it would serve even better.

Bought 100% cotton jeans and I have to learn how to stretch them.

Interesting text about the political-body-building in dance “Expressed in Fits” by Rachel Elizabeth Jones: “[…] the everyday traumas of racism, classism, and sexism live, at least in part, in the body; and the physical release of that trauma through dance is redemptive”.

20161025

Alex Schweder discusses “Performance Architecture” (.pdf).

In 2009, after a decade in the gallery, I began Its Form Will Follow Your Performance at Magnus Muller Berlin, a project that used the gallery as a point of departure but extended into the homes of ordinary Berliners. As a way of starting a renovation, I would meet interested parties at a desk in the gallery. Here, we talked about their apartment for about an hour. […] Our session would conclude with us agreeing on a new way that they would perform their house. This could be as simple as moving a plant into the hall during winter and not bringing it back in or sitting on the roof thinking about potential.

He cites Trisha Browns work.  I found her dances on youtube and liked Accumulation (1971). Watermotor (1978) is boring but the slow motion effect is inspirational. Schweder presents one of the structures he’s made with Ward Shelly on a video.

Also found the movie on Conical Intersect (1975) by Gordon Matta-Clark.

20161024

Preparing for the Art School Maa: “The Cruel Radiance of What Is” course which we’ll host together with Miina Hujala, Arttu Merimaa and Mikko Kuorinki. Updating my approaches to performativity.

Performative acts against precarity!: “There is no freedom that is not it’s exercise. Freedom is not a potential that waits for its exercise. It comes into being through its exercise”. A brilliant talk by Judith Butler – From Performativity to Precarity. The talk also gives a glimpse on what kind of worker’s right issues will emerge in Europe as a result of the refugee situation: “How does the unspeakable population speak and make its claims?”.

20161023

Mr. T speaking truth.

Participated in a Circus Maximus Association meeting last night. I recently joined the association and last night I got to meet with the board and to learn about next year’s projects.

I’ve been taking care of my mother’s dog every now and then for a year. Last night I learned that the game where we pull a rope between each other is not about who wins the pull.. The intent of the game is to break the rope. Viki the dog was really satisfied as the sock we used for the game got torn. As it broke I remembered seeing wolves pull the ligaments and joints of a deers leg in a similar playful manner. The pulling game is an exercise for collaboration.

Marble Kettlebell on Etsy

20161022

Visited Susanna at the Etelä-Espoon ratsastuskoulu and she took me for a ride around the pond. Worked with the horse Emma and got my muscles sore. We did some stable work and discussed the technicalities of introducing horses on stage. Had a nice moment with the Awaited Son too. For the evening I went to the Helsinki International Horse Show with Hanna. It was a boring sports event merged with a cheap horse gear and accessory sales event. Food was bad and beer was expensive. Shot video of the event and I’ll make a post about the event for the Trans-Horse blog.