Author Archives: Johanna

About Johanna

artist and curator

on my way…

…to Glasgow with Johanna, ANTI Festival’s new full time producer. I’m really looking forward to seeing a lot of interesting works at the NRLA but also meeting collegues, friends and collaborators. The last days have been just crazy as I’ve been trying to introduce Johanna to the organization and practicalities of the ANTI Festival but also I’ve worked my ass off with the last year’s accounts and EU reports –which are nowhere near finished…
Last weekend went with transcribing and translating the DVD of HUIPPUSUORITUS – OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE. I was hoping to have that finished by now but didn’t manage. It seems I never get rid of this feeling of not having time to do all the work at hand. I guess that’s because there’s simply too much work for me accomplish but I just don’t know how to change the situation.
In Glasgow we’ll have a whole day meeting with the partners of A Space for Live Art EU project but we also have ANTI Festival staff meeting with Johanna & Gregg, Edge of Europe meeting with Maija Hirvanen and I’ll meet artists like Marcia Farquhar, Kira O’Reilly, Frenchmottershead and writers like Jeannie Klein and Dee Heddon.
I took my trainers with me so I’m hoping to have the time, discipline and energy to go to the gym of the hotels more than once…

Johanna

thank you’s and updates

Thank you everyone who was there at the performances of HUIPPUSUORITUS – OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE. We had a great time and I really enjoyed them. If you are interested in reading the review (in Finnish) of HUIPPUSUORITUS – OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE titled ‘Johanna Tuukkanen lets the perfect woman to take off’ from Iisalmen Sanomat, it’s here.

Now that the performance period is over, I’ve been resting a bit more and catching up with stuff that has been neglected. The spring is going to be a busy one including a tour of soft skin / harsh life, warming up the classic Milk performance and working on a new one to one performance. Exciting.

I’ve been busy with the DVD of HUIPPUSUORITUS – OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE, ANTI Festival stuff and spending some time with my family. In February I’m visiting National Review of Live Art in Glasgow with the new producer of ANTI Festival, Johanna Hänninen. We’ll also meet my co-artistic director Gregg Whelan there, have meetings with some of the artists who will show work at ANTI 09 and of course, we’ll have A Space For Live Art meeting with all our partners. We’ll be busy! I’m really looking forward to all that. In April with Gregg, we are going to present ANTI at the Trouble Festival in Brussels which will include a great selection of Finnish artists, by the way.

My exercise programme is a bit looser at the moment but it includes functional training at the Functional Team in Kuopio or at a gym, running and Pilates. I’m very motivated. I’m maybe planning to participate in two running events this year. How strange is that?

Johanna

performing

The first four performances of HUIPPUSUORITUS – OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE are over. The feedback has been very positive and supportive and it has been a pleasure to finally perform the work which I have worked on for such a long time. You read a review ‘The perfect woman loosens‘ of the performance (in Finnish) here.
Today we have a day off and then two more shows tomorrow and on Wednesday. Once the performances are over, it will be so strange not to work, see nor spend time with Vaatu and Sami Henrik.
Right before the premiere, Sami Henrik noticed in the dressing room that he had forgotten his black underpants home. Luckily, I had an extra pair with me so he performed in my undies on the first night. On the second night, Vaatu realized 10 minutes before the show that she had left her black undies home so this time she wore my undies. Otherwise everything has gone pretty much as planned. Unfortunately, on Saturday night not everyone was able to fit into the show. Hopefully the ones will come back tomorrow or Wednesday. We have tried in every possible way to communicate that please pre-book but I guess some people are just not used to it.
Anyway, I think we’ve done outstanding performances. In case you haven’t seen the show yet, make sure you’ll be there tomorrow or on Wednesday. You won’t be disappointed, I promise.

Johanna

brochure

You can download the HUIPPUSUORITUS – OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE brochure as a pdf here HUIPPUSUORITUS – OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE.

The premiere of the new work is on the 8th of January in Kuopio, Finland. Please note that the performance has a limited audience capacity! Reservations can me made (preferably) by  email at pk.aluekeskus@elisanet.fi or by calling +358 (0)44 055 3009.

See you all there!

Johanna

flashback

Today I bumped into a person with whom I used to work many years ago but whom I haven’t seen for a long time. And out of some weird duty I was friendly to him, asking how he was and how the Christmas has been. Afterwards I realized that last time I have heard of this person was maybe one and half years ago when he emailed me shouting (in capital letters) that I should quit my job because I cannot take responsibility.
So why exactly was I nice to him?

HUIPPUSUORITUS – OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE info

The basic info about HUIPPUSUORITUS – OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE is now available here. There you’ll also find performance dates and times and info how to book for the show. We will have a limited audience capacity so if you want to make sure you’ll see the show, I strongly advice to book a ticket in advance!
Although my day was abrupt because I had an appointment to my hairdresser, I still feel the day was good. I feel that the work is in pretty good shape now. It’s just a shame that we won’t be able to work in the performance space before Thursday next week but I’m not worried. But there are remaining questions concerning moving the audience and ending, amongst others.
I haven’t had a chance to run yesterday or today as planned so I have to catch up during the rest of the week. I think I can manage. For the performance I’m now all sorted with the training thanks to Functional Team, Fressi and Sportia in Kuopio.

Johanna

Meetings

It’s always so hard to write about an unfinished work. What to say, what to leave out, how much to define or contextualize? This time, in a way I feel that the title itself says it all. On the other hand, it would be somehow relevant to state the slight aspect of retrospective, the moment of looking back at the body of work created. Anyway, I’m late will texts concerning the OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE but at least some things are moving on as they should.

I’ve been a couple of days in Helsinki, having meetings concerning the ANTI Festival. Gregg was there and with him and the chair of our board Vilja, we interviewed a few producer candidates. I think we found the one. With Gregg we also went to see Nälkäteatteri’s Odradek performance in the Kiasma theatre. That was really a peculiar experience. I didn’t hate the work but found it really hard to connect to. Today we’ve just been talking a lot about the program, call out and schedules. With the new producer I think we can work out the workload so that we’ll be really able focus on the program and the artists. And that feels good.

Before catching my train back to Kuopio, I had a couple of hours to wonder around in Helsinki. These days that’s a rare occasion. I found it really strange that every time I’m in Helsinki, I seem to spot or somehow bump into well-known people or celebrities. Maybe it feels strange because we don’t really have them in Kuopio or is it just that see things differently when I’m travelling? Well, this time I spotted politician Paavo Arhinmäki, director of the Swedish theatre Johan Storgård, performance artist Irma Optimist and bumped into top stylist Minttu Vesala with whom I went to high school! I think the last time I’ve seen Minttu was something like 15 years ago and it was so nice to see her. She said I look exactly the same –as did she; she’s still as tall and slim as she used to be and she somehow makes me always feel funny about my shortness and rounder body. Anyway, she’s the purchasing agent for Helsinki 10, this designer shop, and as I fell in love with the one and only Minna Parikka bag they had in the store, she gave me a discount of it and I just had to buy it. So that shall be my Christmas present and I shall not buy anything for myself. Ever. Not this year anyway.
But the bag is gorgeous and it looks like I’ve always had it. Good design simply makes me happy.

Johanna

You want to see this: HUIPPUSUORITUS – OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE

This is what I’ve been busy with lately, and will be until mid January! Here are a few images of my upcoming work titled HUIPPUSUORITUS – OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE.

HUIPPUSUORITUS 1

HUIPPUSUORITUS 2

HUIPPUSUORITUS 3

HUIPPUSUORITUS 4

HUIPPUSUORITUS 5

HUIPPUSUORITUS 6

Concept & choreography: Johanna Tuukkanen
Performance: Sami Henrik Haapala, Vaatu Kalajoki, Johanna Tuukkanen
Photographs: Pekka Mäkinen
Premiere: January 8th 2009 in Sotku, Kuopio, Finland

working & photo shooting

Had a great photo shoot with Vaatu, Sami Henrik and Pekka today. I’ve now worked 5 days with Vaatu & Sami and maybe some things are finding their shape now. Los of questions though, lots of possibilities and directions. I’ll see where it takes me this time. I’ll post some photos as soon as I get some from Pekka.
I’m off to Outokumpu tomorrow, have to get up really early to catch a bus.
I should have gone to gym or functional training yesterday but had a meeting. And today the shoot took all day and after that I was pretty exhausted. I’m a bad trainee. I’ll see how I am tomorrow after I come back from Outokumpu.
I ordered two sport bras from Boobydoo and they arrived yesterday. Can’t waite to test the bras!

Johanna

about what’s going on

Next week I’ll start working with Vaatu & Sami Henrik on my new work. Exciting! Lately I’ve been working on my archives, gathering & collecting texts and writings, digitalizing old vhs video tapes and forcing myself to look at the work I’ve done over the past 10 years. Huh! It’s a lot. The upcoming work requires quite specific physical strength and ability from my behalf and I’m collaborating with personal trainer Riikka Valve of the Functional Team in order to be physically able to do what I’ve set myself out to do. So Riikka has created a new exercise programme for me which includes functional training, running, walking and Pilates. I’m also super excited about the Polar RS200 heart rate monitor which doesn’t only measure the pulse and sport zones but also the distance I’ve run and the speed… Inspiring!
Last week the Saaristokatu opened in Kuopio. I’ve run a lot around the area as I live nearby and the opening of the Saaristokatu made me feel so happy and proud of where I live and Kuopio in general. It’s just really beautiful and also shortens the distance to the city centre substantially. Makes life so much easier.
What else? I’m going to give an artist talk in Outokumpu in couple of weeks and perform soft skin / harsh life in Joensuu as part of the Lonely in the Rain? –festival. After that I’m going to a Space for Live Art meeting in Madrid…
By the way, ANTI Festival is seeking to appoint a full time, permanent Senior Producer. So if you are a super producer or know one, please let them know about the post.

Hope you are well.

Johanna