Author Archives: Johanna

About Johanna

artist and curator

Busy days

A quiet moment at home, alone. A rare occasion. Somehow I’ve managed through this week although I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by all the work I’m involved in. All is going well, but let’s just say it’s a lot. I’ve also had a bit of a flue and I think that’s why I haven’t felt completely ok.
I will hold an audition for my new piece on Thursday the 18th and I should write a press release about that. But for those who are interested, mark it in your calendar. By the way, in the new issue of Finnish dance magazine titled TANSSI-lehti was a great review of my latest works soft skin / harsh life & Festive work. The ladies of the Festive work also made it to the cover of the magazine! The photographer was Pekka Mäkinen, of course.
I’m going to see the premiere of Chicago musical in Kuopio city theatre tomorrow night. I’m kind of looking forward to it although I must say I’m not a big fan of musicals, in general. But you never know, I might be surprised! I have a new skirt that I’m going to wear with my Minna Parikka Morticia shoes. Maybe I’m looking forward to that more that the musical itself? Could be.
The ANTI Festival brochure is out so make sure you get one if you are planning to attend the best contemporary art festival in Finland. There are some works that need signing up so be prepared for that. The whole programme is also online www.antifestival.com.
Next week I’m heading off to London for a few days which I’m really looking forward to. But more about that another time.

Have a restful weekend!

Johanna

Confessions

Embarrassingly infrequent blog posts sent on my behalf lately. Sorry.
I have been extremely busy preparing for my new piece, urgently sorting out ANTI Festival’s business as our 5-year long EU project ‘A Space for Live Art’ has finally been accepted by the European Commission and being on the move i.e. in Copenhagen, which was great by the way. I’ve also noticed that I’m really liking updating my Twitter at the moment, not so much the blog itself. Strange. I guess I should also confess that I have another blog in Finnish that I’m updating every day. Why is this? One thing I’ve realized is that I’m a bit careful what to write here because I write this under my own name. In the other blog, I haven’t revealed my identity and therefore can be a bit more honest about certain thoughts and things that are going on in my life. But this is not the main issue, I think. In the other blog, I have gotten a lot of blog friends and received many comments daily and that is kind of inspiring and just nice. Although this blog and site has quite a few visitors, there aren’t that many people commenting. Maybe comments and blog friends are addictive…
Last week a friend turned 30. What a nice party we had, and emotional! I cannot remember when I last cried in a party because people where really opening their hearts and being straightforward. But I also cried because I realized I’m very anxious, sad and worried. Maybe you Finnish artists know why… We also had a great party on Saturday; great food, wine and friends. Lovely.
Next week I’m off to London which I’m so much looking forward to. More about that later. First I have to get rid of this flue that is bothering me and the kids.

Hope to read your comments. Whatever they are!

Johanna

Copenhagen & PSI

I’m off to Copenhagen tomorrow morning. I’m performing at the PSI # 14 conference on Friday and on Saturday we have a panel about the ANTI Festival. Hope to see you all there!
Lately things have just been crazy with work –my own and with ANTI Festival. Couple of days ago I was in town getting things I need for my performance and needed to buy a shimmering body lotion from the Body Shop. Well, this is not the season for their strong smelling shimmering body lotions and I was getting really worried in the shop as I need the lotion in the performance. Then the owner asked if I need the lotion for a performance (she must have recognized me) and I said YES! Then she went through the storage and found a tester of shimmering body lotion smelling of cinnamon -from the last season. Great! She gave it to me for free and I was so happy. Not just because I got for free but because she saved the show! So thank you so much, the lady in the Body Shop of Kuopio.
My trip to Copenhagen is supported by the city of Kuopio, so thank you Pekka Vähäkangas & Hanna-Mari Kokkonen for that.

Johanna

the latest column -in Finnish

Kesän loppu

Onpa ihanaa kun lomat loppuvat, niin omat, lasten kuin kollegoiden, ja pääsee takaisin normaaliin elämään. Onneksi lapsilla alkavat koulut ja -kiitos suomalaisen päivähoito- ja koulujärjestelmän- kouluruokailut. On vapauttavaa, ettei tarvitse vähän väliä olla laittamassa ruokaa perheelle, miettimässä mitä ruokaa seuraavaksi keksisi tai olla hankkimassa ateriaan tarvittavia raaka-aineita. Helpotusta tuo myös se, ettei jatkuvasti ole pakotettu kuuntelemaan lasten leikkejä, kitinää, nahinaa tai valitusta. Ja kun pääsee takaisin töihin, voi sentään hetkittäin unohtaa kodin ja siellä tekemättömät hommat eikä tarvitse ajatella, että tuokin paikka pitäisi siivota tai ikkunat pestä. Eikö ole ihanaa, kun pääsee ajattelemaan aikuisten asioita, tekemään töitä ja niitä asioita jotka osaa ja joista nauttii? Ja kuinka viehättävää on, kun illat pimenevät, kynttilät kutsuvat eivätkä nurkat tai ikkunat näytäkään enää niin pölyisiltä! Rakastan syksyn tummia iltoja, karuuntuvaa luontoa, marjastusta ja sienestystä, metsässä kuljeskelua ilman painostavaa kuumuutta, valmistautumista talveen, naisten lehtien syksyn muotinumeroita ja tummia vaatteita. Vihdoin pääsee pukeutumaan sukkahousuihin! On ihanaa, kun ei ole kuuma eikä vielä niin kylmä, että pitäisi pukeutua paksuun untuvaan.
Syksyllä voi taas palata identiteettiinsä ja nauttia siitä kun asiat alkavat rullata. Edessä on kiinnostavia tapahtumia ja ensi-iltoja, uusia hankkeita ja verkostoja. Jotenkin ne kaikki tuntuvat syksyllä mielenkiintoisemmilta kuin kesällä.
Ehkäpä minulle loman tapainen kotosalla oleilu ei kerta kaikkiaan sovi, koska tunnen itseni lähinnä pitopalvelun pitäjäksi, siivoojaksi, keittäjäksi, piiaksi ja lastenhoitajaksi. Näissä ammateissa ei ole mitään vikaa, päinvastoin ihailen näitä ammattikuntia ja heidän osaamistaan suuresti, mutta niillä vain ei ole minun ammatillisen identiteettini kanssa mitään tekemistä. Mutta toisaalta, kesässä parasta on ollut se, kun lapset (ja mies) kyykkivät innoissaan vattupuskissa, nauttivat kotitekoisesta mustikkapiirakasta ja hommaavat pihalla milloin minkäkin projektin parissa. Tällöin minä olen rauhassa voinut syventyä kirjaan tai lehteen, käydä lenkillä juuri sopivan hetken tullen ja salaa suunnitella syksyn tulevia töitä.

Johanna Tuukkanen

At home

A lot of time spent home with family this summer. Somehow nice and relaxing, although at times hard for me. During the last year, I’ve been away travelling so much that now I actually have been able to enjoy being at home, not on my way anywhere. Of course it helps to know that some trips are approaching –Copenhagen in August and London in September… A chance to see friends and collegues, to feel connected to the field I’m working in.
I had the most terrible throat infection for almost two weeks, which really slowed me down. Then there was the funeral of my 32 year-old cousin. That was really really hard emotionally. Oh my god. Besides the work on the house, I’ve been concentrating on my exercise routine -jogging, gym and functional training. At the moment I really enjoy this period of preparing for my new work and working on my fitness, having time to think and prepare the work –although it feels there’s never enough time for this period.
ANTI Festival is approaching but this week I’m off from that business. Next week we are back full on and it’s time to get to serious business.
Today we painted one wall and hang some curtains. Painfully slow, but things are getting there. Sometimes I wish I wasn’t so impatient, but only sometimes. Impatience can be a great force, an energy.
I cycled with the kids to a park today and went swimming with them. Felt like a proper person for a moment. I’ll try to enjoy these last days of summer holiday with them but to be honest, cannot wait to get back to work.

Johanna

Applaud, please!

Today is the day I have paid back all off my student loan. Quite an achievement for me.
I’ve had student loan since 1989 and I can reassure you, it has been quite a bitter experience as an artist to realize that off the little money you make, a third disappears into your study loans every month. Anyway, I’ve done that now. Everyone applaud, please!!!

Johanna

Summer & holiday (not for me)

Somehow I cannot stand this constant talk about summer and summer holiday. I know I’m doing it myself too but it feels it’s the only thing one should talk about in the summer. Whether you are on your summer holiday or about to start it, when it’s starting, is it almost over. Not many people realize that some people don’t have any job to have holiday from or that some people have to have many part time jobs that don’t allow a proper holiday or even a sense of it. Anyway, I’m a bit fed with all this talk about summer holiday. Actually, I don’t really know why one should be on holiday in the summer as for me it is much easier to wake up to go to work during the summer when it’s light compared to the Finnish winter. It’s also light around the clock, so even if you work during the day, it’s ok to go and exercise or do some other stuff in the evening whereas in the winter where I live, it’s pitch black before you even get home from work. So isn’t summer the best time to work? And winter, when it’s dark and cold and you feel tired and sleepy, isn’t that the best time to be on holiday, charge your batteries, travel somewhere warm or just stay at home, burn candles, sit by the fire place and sip tea?
So I’m not on holiday. I’m currently working on my new piece, dealing with ANTI Festival stuff, exercising with a personal trainer and dealing with a few other projects and things that need my attention. And it’s all fine.

Johanna

the latest column -in Finnish

Hyvät kengät

Reissu voi mennä totaalisesti pieleen, jos jalassa on väärät kengät. Kenkien takia helposti pilalle menee myös mikä tahansa päivä, lenkki, juhlat, vaellus tai edustustilaisuus. Tyttäreni laski kenkiäni perustellakseen, miksi hänelle pitäisi ostaa uudet kengät -kolmannet tänä kesänä. Minulla on kyllä enemmän kenkiä kuin sinulla, mutta jalkani ei muutu ainakaan yhtä nopeassa tahdissa, selitin hänelle. Lisäksi eri tilaisuuksiin tarvitaan erilaisia kenkiä. Ensinnäkin täytyy olla hyvät kävelykengät. Ne jalassa pitää voida mukavasti hoitaa asioita paikasta toiseen kävellen, seistä niillä koko päivä tai matkustaa kulkuneuvosta toiseen vaihtaen ja matkatavaroita raahaten. Kävelylenkillä taas täytyy olla kengät, jotka on tehty kuntokävelyyn maastossa. Sen sijaan jos menee lenkille ja aikoo juosta, on hyvä olla paremmin vaimennetut kengät. Kuntosalille ja sisäliikuntaan on oma tossunsa. Kesällä on tietysti mukavampi käyttää kevyempiä kävelykenkiä kuin syksyllä tai keväällä. Tai jopa sandaaleja. Rantaelämään sopii tietysti kevyet lipokkaat parhaiten. Jos on yhtä persjalkainen kuin minä, on tietynlaisen optisen harhan luominen korkokenkien avulla paitsi mukavaa, myös tehokasta. Tyylikkäät vintage-korkkarit tai hillityt mustat sopivat melkein mihin tilaisuuteen tahansa. Sen sijaan vaikkapa kiiltonahka tai paloauton punainen täytyy sovittaa tarkemmin tilanteeseen ja siihen, millaisen vaikutuksen haluaa tehdä. On myös mietittävä, haluaako että korkokenkä on klassinen, siro, tolppa, trendikäs vai design. Talvi on sitten vielä asia erikseen.
Suomalainen kenkäsuunnittelu on saanut viimevuosina nostetta Finskin, Hanna Sarénin ja Minna Parikan myötä. Sen huumassa olen minäkin kiinnostunut kengistä ihan uudella tavalla. Yhtenä iltana sitten esittelin kyläilemässä olleelle ystävälleni vienon vaaleanpunaisen laatikon, josta silkkipaperista nostin yksittäiseen muovipussiin pakatun violetin kultakirjaillun Scarlet –korkokengän ja sanoin: Aito Minna Parikka! Vaikkei ystävälläni ollut hajuakaan kuka on Minna Parikka, kengän muotoa, kauneutta ja muotoilua ei voinut kuin ihailla. Hyvä kenkä on sijoitus. Se voi olla sijoitus mukavuuteen, käytännöllisyyteen, designiin tai kauneuteen. Joskus tarvitaan kaikkia ominaisuuksia, joskus pelkkä kauneus riittää.

Johanna Tuukkanen

Report from Stavanger

Days in Stavanger have been a long but exciting. Annie Sprinkle’s and Beth Stephens’ work and them just being part of TW1 project (and Stavanger 2008) have caused a great controversy in Stavanger. There have been attacks against their work and especially Annie as she has been a porn star and a prostitute in her past -and of course us and TouScene as organisers of this project. So since yesterday we have been in interviews by newspapers, radio and television. And mostly all we have done, is talk about porn and prostitution –although Annie’s and Beth’s work is not about either of those things. Their work is about love and the seven year project they are involved in at the moment can be viewed on their website www.loveartlab.org in more detail.
Anyway, Annie and Beth are just amazing artists and incredible women and feminists and I’m so proud that I have been able to curate them into the project.

Annie & Beth had posted this email out to their fellow artists to tell a little about their experiences:

“Fellow performance artists,

Today’s performance piece in Stavanger, Norway.
By the Love Art Laboratory.

1. Sensationalist press writes about prostitute/porn star (Annie) and her lesbian lover coming to “give away free sex in norway as art”!!!! ??? (SO not true)
2. Anti-porn feminists protest Sidewalk Sex Clinic with Beth and Tom Garretson (fellow artist from Oslo). And also protest the curators of art exhibit and harass the funders of art project we and other artists are doing. Saying art org supports prostitution and porn!!!! ???
3. A tall man (Neo nazi?) in ski mask walks up to our window and spray paints a Jewish star and writes JEW on the windows of the building we’re doing our performance in. (Annie is Jewish blood–Unitarian actually)
4. We, the friendly performance artists, then go stand among the crowd of anti-porn (“all porn stars are victims or perpetrators”) feminists while wearing our white lab coats and holding daisies. Confusing the anti-porn feminists and the media and amusing ourselves.

It was an interesting day.

demonstration1.jpg
Annie”

Yesterday was the first day of the showing period so there were great tours by the artists, sculptures, installations, sound, performance etc. happening. I’m quite pleased how it all went and the works were very well attended by audiences and very covered in the media. Here are some images I’ve taken during the last couple of days.

The demonstration by Ottar yestrday: demonstration3_pos.jpg

demonstration2_pos.jpg

demonstration5_pos.jpg

Free Sidewalk Sex Clinic by LoveArtLab & Tom Garretson:

sexclinic1_pos.jpg

Annie & Atle, the owner of the Love Shop:

annieatle_pos.jpg

Geir, our producer and Per Arna, the general manager of Tou Scene:

geirperarna_pos.jpg

Elaine Kordys floating in Badedammen:

elaine1_pos.jpg

Helge Olav:

helgeolav_pos.jpg

Mariela Limerutti:

limerutti2_pos.jpg

limerutti1_pos.jpg

Mona & Torunn:

monatorunn_pos.jpg

A tour on Nytorget:

nytorget1_pos.jpg

Torunn by the sculpture of Nils Thomas & Rune:

torunn_pos.jpg

Kristen Gustavson from Urban Sjöfront:

kristengustavson_pos.jpg

TW1 artists with Kirsten:

tw1artists_pos.jpg

Pedersgata:

pedersgata_pos.jpg

Trond from the Svop/t -team:

svopt1_pos.jpg

The Pedicab:

pedicab1_pos.jpg

Tom & Beth & Annie:

tombethannie1_pos.jpg

Links:
http://aftenbladet.no/webtv/?id=654228
http://www.rogalandsavis.no/nyheter/article3603208.ece
http://www.aftenbladet.no/kultur/2008/article653510.ece
http://www.rogalandsavis.no/puls/article3599402.ece
http://www.aftenbladet.no/debatt/article653242.ece
http://nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/rogaland/nord-jaeren/1.5984981
http://www.aftenbladet.no/kultur/2008/article654522.ece
http://www.rogalandsavis.no/puls/article3604256.ece
http://www.stavangeravisen.com/art.asp?id=41974
http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/rogaland/stavanger2008/1.5905196
http://www.rogalandsavis.no/puls/article3557723.ece
http://www.ostpluss.no/urban/public/openIndex?ARTICLE_ID=958&PROJECT_ID=287
http://www.regionstavanger.com/?c=25&intro=85_614_8&PR=292_11_115&mi=mct6&sp=NO
http://web3.aftenbladet.no/kultur/hvaskjer/?instanceid=12077575
http://www.trafo.no/nyheter/2008/06/er_prostitusjon_kultur-1366/
http://www.rogalandsavis.no/puls/article3466323.ece
http://studyfeminism.blogspot.com/2008/03/tou-works.html

More updates coming shortly.

Johanna

TOU WORKS 12th – 14th June 2008 Stavanger Norway

 

A series of international site specific art works along the street of Pedersgata.

 

The project is supported and in collaboration with Stavanger2008 European Capital of Culture. 9 projects and 16 artists comments the route that starts at Nytorget, Pedersgata ending up at Tou Scene. We hope this focus will question and explore the specific environment and highlight the route as an extraordinary experience/walk in itself. The work is made in dialogue with architects and city planners and will explore the crossing points between the emotional and physical manifestations of art / architecture / everyday life and the city.

 

Overview:

 

Programme in Pedersgata:

THU12th JUN / 1 – 10PM

FRI13th JUN / 5 – 10PM

SAT14th JUN/ 10AM – 3PM

 

Programme at Tou Scene:

FRI13th JUN / 9 PM Lecture with Annie Sprinkle and Elizabeth Stephens Tickets

SAT14th JUN / 8 PM The Grand Finale! Tou Works Dinner Tickets

 

Please note that tickets for the Lecture and the Dinner has to be booked in advance.


Dowenload the full program as PDF

(For best view open with Adobe Acrobat or a similar program)

 

Artists

Annie Sprinkle and Elizabeth Stephens (USA), Christian Gauss and Moritz Groba (Germany), Elaine Kordys (UK), Kjetil Røed (Norway), Mariela Limerutti (Argentina), Simona Ferrari (Italy) Trond Kasper Mikkelsen and Sigrun Vik Olsen (Norway), Helge Olav Øksendal (Norway) and Ingouf Vincent (France), Mona Orstad Hansen and Torunn Larsen (Norway), Nils-Thomas Økland and Rune Aase (Norway)

 

Curators: Anne-Marte Eidseth Rygh and Johanna Tuukkanen Producer: Geir Lindahl

 

For inquiries please contact Geir Lindahl E-mail geir@touscene.com or Phone +47 48191787

 

INFORMASJON FINNES OGSÃ… PÃ… NORSK