Author Archives: Johanna

About Johanna

artist and curator

knee surgery

So finally, my left knee was operated last week. According to the surgeon, Hannu Miettinen, everything went very well. In the surgery, a ‘new’ ACL was reconstructed from my left thigh muscles. I was about two hours in anesthesia and one night in the hospital. I have one longer cut and 4 smaller ones around the knee and it’s been pretty painful. The knee has been all swollen, I’ve had to keep it up as much as possible and put ice on it several times a day. Next morning after the surgery, physiotherapist Paavo Parviainen gave me instructions for the upcoming weeks how to ‘exercise’ the knee. The exercises are very simple, small movements – but very painful to do after the surgery! The aim of the first two-three weeks is to be able to straighten the knee and to be able to bend it 90 degrees. It’s been a week from the surgery now and I’m pretty much able to do that, just not fully straighten the knee. But I hope I’ll get there soon. I’ll be walking at least a few more weeks with the crutches…

Here are a few images of my knee before the surgery, from MRI. I’m not an expert but you cannot see the ACL at all because it was completely detached.
mri

Waiting for the surgery in lovely pink hospital trousers…
in the hospital

Here a couple of images taken during the surgery by Hannu Miettinen….
leikkaus 1 leikkaus 2 leikkaus 3 leikkaus 4 leikkaus 5

Going home…
in the hospital2

At home…keeping the knee up
after the surgery

Supporting letter from my daughter….

letter

Opening the bandages three days after the surgery…

after the surgery2

after the surgery3

after the surgery4

after the surgery5

Seeing the metal ‘stitches’ for the first time….

after the surgery6

after the surgery6

At the moment the knee is less swollen than in those images but the ‘stitches’ are not taken out until next Wednesday.

Johanna

So, the date of my knee operation is confirmed. In less than a week it’s going to operated and I’ll finally know what kind of damage exactly happened in the third Acts of Clothing performance in November. I feel relieved but also a bit frightened. Depending what needs to be done in order to fix the knee, also determines the length of the recovering process.
The other really terrifying thing is that I have so much work to do and I don’t understand how will I be able to meet all the deadlines and complete all the mandatory work related things in just a few days before going into the surgery. Arghhh…

On Thursday I spoke in a seminar focusing on cultural management and producing cultural events In Jyväskylä. It was really inspiring and exciting and we had a very good conversation in the end. There were many students who study arts management and they were so sweet with their questions. Yesterday I also met Kaisa who will start working with me on ANTI Festival in April. I’m so much looking forward to that! I think we’ll make a good team.

Last week in Helsinki was also very very inspiring. It was simply great to be on the course focusing on international touring and look at the different requirements and aspects of it. I was also inspired by the many conversations among colleagues and it was great to sense the feeling of common concerns, aims and visions. The days were very full, besides the course I had arranged meetings with several collaborators and managed to see some work as well.
Iiris Autio, the managing director of Tero Saarinen company and Suzanne Bilodeau from Cinars:

Cinars

Whilst in Helsinki, I also quickly popped in Asuna and in Minna Parikka’s boutique with Maija. And I didn’t buy anything! The shoes I fancied didn’t fit my foot at all and in Asuna the trousers I fell in love with were soooooo expensive that I managed to stay sane and keep my credit card in the wallet. Yesterday I visited the lovely Minzi store in Jyväskylä and didn’t buy anything either. They had some great shoes (but not the right size) and inspiring 2OR+YYAT clothes but they were not really my style. I wish they’ve had the new collection of Finsk shoes but they hadn’t arrived as yet… And that was probably very good as I won’t be able to wear super high heels for a while after the knee operation.

Johanna

back to Acts of…

Today I start a new educational live art course around the Acts of Clothing performance and process. Exciting!
Here’s Marcia in her famous flamenco tartan and me in my Marimekko in the hotel Atlas in Kuopio.

acst of…
Photography: Pekka Mäkinen.

Wishing you all a good day!

Johanna

unexpected shopping

Today I went to town to buy some food and wine with my son. We decided to have some coffee and hot chocolate in café Burts which is located in one of the shopping malls in the centre. I seriously didn’t plan to visit the best underwear store of the city but then thought I should pass by and then I thought I could have a look at the Marlies Dekkers undies. But when I saw that they had some Marlies Dekkers items on sale, I thought I have to try them on. So I came home with this gorgeous bra and underpants…
marlies dekkers

I finally hang some hooks in my dressing room and they are perfect for my Minna Parikka Maxine and Lumi Accessories handbags.
Maxine

Lumi

hooks

It’s been freezing cold today but very sunny and beautiful. I’m enjoying my almost free weekend and today we cooked lovely Japanese noodles, veggies and salmon in a wok. Delicious.

J

things are moving on

The knee issue moved on today when I called the insurance company and asked why I haven’t heard anything from them. Once more, I need to go and see an orthopedist – and this time it has to be on a private clinic that the insurance company collaborates with i.e. has a deal with. Strange. Anyway, I couldn’t get an appointment in Kuopio during the upcoming days so I’ll see on orthopedist on Monday in Helsinki. I’m there all next week on a course so I have some time for meetings, performances and exhibitions. I’m really looking forward to the course and also the possibility to see stuff & network. Exciting.

This week has been very busy as I’m not in the office next week. But things are moving on and I’m slowly settling down in to the new office – the only problem is that I actually need to work and don’t have much time to unpack and sort out stuff. Hope to have a good day tomorrow. 

J

I’ve tried to keep up my regular exercising regime but it’s really not working very well. In each training session, there are movements which the knee cannot support and it kind of collapses – and this is very painful. This also happened today in the worst possible way (and I wasn’t even training) and I fell very badly. The knee hurt so badly that I cried like a baby, lay on the floor and wept with ice on the knee. Not good. I’m so sick of not having heard again from the insurance company and this whole case is just dragging further and further.

I will call the insurance company tomorrow. I actually tried to call them today (before I had fallen) but didn’t reach the right person. If I’ve ever had any trust to any insurance company, I really don’t anymore.

My home ‘gym’…

gym

Otherwise I’ve been busy working on ANTI Festival. The call out for ANTI Festival 2010 is now open so check it out if you are interested in applying.

Another interesting position is open in the Regional Dance Centre of Eastern Finland. More information in Finnish available here. 

Johanna

socks etc.

Ok, I’ve now finished knitting the socks. Thanks again Aila for the inspiration! They feel nicely warm and I think I will wear them a lot with skirts and dresses.

socks

socks2

As I went to buy the silk ribbon for the socks, I quickly had a look at the sales in a couple of shops. I fell in love with this woolen Benetton top which looks great with my grey Noolan skirt and the new socks I’ve knitted.

top

I’m getting back to the ANTI Festival work on Monday and we are moving our office next week to the Mylly, a site where a lot of artists and cultural organisations have moved since December. So we painted the office to make it look & feel like a place where it’s great to spend time every day…

office1

office2

Today I did a really intense workout in the gym & pool and wanted to reward myself with something. I went to Alko (Finnish alcohol monopoly) and I bought a bottle of this sparkling Australian wine I haven’t tasted as yet. But it does look gorgeous!

pink

So yes, the holidays is almost over and I’m looking forward to getting back to work. There are a few things I haven’t gotten myself to do and I feel annoyed with myself but there are surprisingly many things that I’ve accomplished. So I feel confident that I will have the energy to do what I need to do….

Johanna

thinking about folders today

I’m going to make a kind of a folder for promotional material and today I’ve visited the print houses to see what kind of options they have available. I’ve also worked on the texts and information that will be printed on the folder and fortunately, Maija Eränen is going to give some feedback about that. My graphic designer has all the image material so we’ll see what we come up with. I still haven’t got around working on the subtitles of my up coming dvds but I guess that day will come soon.

The second sock is almost finished. Have to get back to it before I have to seriously go back to work after the holidays which means I won’t have much time for knitting…

Johanna

 

   

knee issues & knitting

I finally got to see my orthopedist a couple of days ago. Unfortunately, the magnetic scan didn’t show properly the ACL ligament which the orthopedist thinks is torn. And although my knee is obviously much better at the moment, he still thinks that the ligament is torn and can only be fixed in an operation. So for a month I should train and exercise according to my normal routines and we’ll see if I’m able to that and if the knee functions as it should. So yesterday I went for a 50 minute run and stretched afterwards. It was kind of ok but the knee is very painful when it’s straightened and also in some turning movements. Now I can really feel the bit of exercising in the knee. It’s really painful.

Other than worrying about my knee, inspired my friend Aila, I’ve been knitting socks. It’s not a very unusual thing to do, I know, but I haven’t been knitting anything for maybe at least 15 years. Those of you who saw my Acts of Clothing performance know that I used to knit a lot as a teenager but I’m completely out of practice and actually hadn’t even thought about knitting until I saw a pair of gorgeous socks Aila had knitted. I’ve now finished one sock during the last hours of 2009. Now I’m knitting the second one and hope that I’ll find time and inspiration to finish it soon. I’m sure I’ll love to wear these! This is unfinished but you can see the pattern:
sock

I still think that the only proper Christmas tree is lit with real candles:

tree

And another Christmas tradition is to make a puzzle. I guess it’s the only time of the year when there’s enough time and peace to concentrate on something like that. This year we had this beautiful 1 000 piece Moomin puzzle:

puzzle

I had a peaceful New Year’s eve knitting, sitting by the fire, having a sauna, drinking some nice wine and firing a few fireworks with family. I wish a splendid and inspiring 2010 for everyone.

Johanna

easy days

I’m finally going to have a magnetic scan of my knee tomorrow which I can hardly wait. I actually can’t believe that one whole month has passed since my injury and only now the insurance company has agreed to pay for the scan. What ever needs to happen after that has to be again decided separately. I think it’s unbelievable. They called me just before the Christmas holidays and I couldn’t get an appointment for the scan but still – so slow and inefficient. They also have kind of let me understand that it’s not that clear what they cover and what not… Anyway, tomorrow I’ll know better about the condition of my knee. But it’s been really annoying not to be able to exercise properly. Frustrating!

christmas1

christmas2

My daughter got new skates for Christmas and yesterday we went ice-skating. I obviously couldn’t skate but it was fun and she did very well. It wasn’t that freezing but it was a bit windy so it felt quite brisk on the face. Other than that I’ve tried to relax and read, sleep and read… I’ve read three books and I’m especially proud of finally finishing Zadie Smith’s On Beauty. I was reading that book for months, never having time to concentrate on it properly, feeling too exhausted or just struggling with it. But I couldn’t leave it without finishing it. So I finished that first and felt really relieved as that book has haunted me for months. I still don’t understand why some people call it a master piece! It didn’t do anything for me. Actually, I tried to read it probably already last year, but had to give up then… Anyway, I have a pile of books waiting next to my bed as we borrowed a ton of books from the library before Christmas and also some dvd’s. It was nice to see Filth & Wisdom – some very good music on the film! Now I’m reading Erlend Loe’s Facts about Finland and I have some Hanif Kureishi also waiting…

on beauty facts filth hanif

I always cook the traditional Christmas casseroles from swedes, carrots, beetroots and potatoes. I’m delighted to see that my children eat them but it’s really not the case with everyone. We’ve had quite a crowded house for some days and I find it a bit disturbing when young people are so fussy about food. It’s almost rude. And sometimes I think it’s ignorance. I know I shouldn’t care too much but I’m a bit hysterical about good food…

 I’ve admired the woolen socks that Aila has knitted and wondered if I should take out my needles. But maybe that it too ambitious as I have so much unfinished work I should get back to. I’ll have to think about it!

Johanna

 

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