Author Archives: Johanna

About Johanna

artist and curator

Can’t believe it’s already the end of August!

I haven’t had a proper summer holiday for a few years so this summer it was such a luxury not having to work very much. Of course as an artist I’m always somehow working on upcoming projects and preparing new works, but I didn’t work in terms of waking up early in the morning, sitting in the office, rehearsing or warming up shows nor performing. It was pretty nice. I didn’t do anything special really – slept, cooked, exercised, wrote, thought…but what was pretty special for me, was that I had time & peace to read. Meaning anything; novels, newspapers, short stories. I really really love reading and drowning myself in the thoughts of a writer, but unfortunately this is something I find hard to find time & space to do in my normal everyday. I think I should change that – so much I enjoy reading. This summer I read some books I should have read years ago (like Mereta Mazzarella and Kari Hotakainen) and some new discoveries like Siri Hustvedt (how amazing? And how amazing that I haven’t read her books before?). Unfortunately, I didn’t have money to travel anywhere or to do anything special, but maybe that was good. Not to do too much. Less is more.

So when last weekend when we went to our friends’ house warming party 150km away, I felt like I was abroad! The sun was shining, there were good friends around, we ate amazing foods, drank a lot of wine and got to spend a night in a house designed by Alvar Aalto! I really need to make sure I have time to see my friends and spend proper time with them. I love them. The house warming party was pretty special as the couple whose house warming party it was, announced that they had gotten married last December. So there were a lot of tears of joy and happiness! We ended up talking a lot about marriage as another friend couple has also decided to get married. And I was trying to explain why I don’t understand this institute. I just don’t. I’m not against it but I don’t get it. So everyone kept saying that it’s only us who’s left to organize a love parade…but somehow I don’t see it happening.

Of course I’ve gone back to work and the autumn looks pretty…busy. I’m not sure how I will manage everything when the daylight is getting less and less, it’s getting darker and colder and one has to get up insanely early every f*king morning. But of course, there are amazingly exciting things coming up as well! It’s time for the 10th ANTI Festival, I’m performing in Tanssin Aika Festival in Jyväskylä and in the city theatre of Kuopio, I have talks and lectures in Joensuu, Helsinki, Kuopio, we are preparing UP TO NATURE EU funded project for 2012, I have a work period in London etc etc. It’s all very very exciting but at the same time feels like it’s a lot. And besides that I have my basic training to do. I’ve also registered our lovely Yorkshire terrier Pimu to a puppy training…  By the way, Pimu was voted for the pet of the week in July, see link here!

Autumn is the time to pull out warmer clothes from the wardrobe, get inspired by new colours, trends, prints, textures… I’ve sold two pairs of Minna Parikka shoes and had a stall in a second hand shop in Kuopio for a week where I sold clothes, shoes and all kinds of little items like plates, puzzles, games and bags. Maybe it’s time for something…new? I think this pair of Minna Parikka’s A/W 2011 shoes with the snake from ‘Women are dangerous animals collection’ is pretty awesome. Don’t you?

Highlight of the summer was a long weekend we spent on our friends boat Gerda boating. The weather was great, the kids were great, Pimu was behaving well and we had enough food & drinks! On board were the hosts Vilja & Jari (THANX SO MUCH!!!), Zulani, Justiina & Pimu and Pekka & me. A selection of photos here:


The gorgeous Gerda:

















Looking forward to more active blogging period!

Johanna

book launch at the Full Moon Dance Festival

Hannele Jyrkkä has edited this upcoming book of 37 contemporary Finnish choreographers titled Nykykoreografin jalanjäljissä. Johanna is one of the featured choreographers of the book.  It’s published by Like and it will be launched at the Full Moon Dance Festival in Pyhäjärvi on the 27th of July. Johanna will be present at the book launch.

blueberry – my superfood

The Finnish forests are full of blueberries at the moment – the free superfood. You can read about the nutritional value of blueberries for example here.


I really love blueberries and each year we try to pick a load of them to freeze and then use during the dark & cold winter. Some years are not so good for blueberries but this year we have a lot of them and the season came earlier than usually. So I’ve made blueberry pies for the visiting friends and blueberry smoothies for breakfast. Sooooooo delicious!



Yesterday I made a low carb pizza which was really really yummy! I didn’t take a photo of it but I was very surprised how good it tasted – without any wheat and hardly any flour (just 3 table spoons of rye flour). It was very filling and pretty healthy and didn’t leave one feeling stuffed like a balloon… I’m not on any low carb diet but I do try to eat more protein and a bit less carbs…especially from wheat.

Days have been pretty mellow spending time with some friends, reading, thinking, exercising, cooking and picking & freezing berries. Pimu wants to participate in every action and she’s very excited about people. We’ve also done a few longer walks – she’s growing up very fast. But she still sleeps a lot – especially after exciting excursions…


By the way, I’ve read some Auster and Hustvedt. I finished Siri Hustvedt’s What I loved yesterday and it was just amazing. Probably the best novel I’ve ever read. I really enjoyed it.

Johanna

cycling

I don’t know if you remember that I bought a new bike in the spring. I’m slowly getting gears in order to be able to do longer cycling exercises and to be able to cycle in different weather conditions. The Ortlieb back panniers have been great and very useful. Yesterday I bought these padded undies (amazing pink padding!) by Craft (on sale) which hopefully will help me to do longer rides. I also found Yoko wind stopper jacket on sale and just had to buy that -remembering the rather chilly rides in the winter and early spring. I still don’t have cycling shoes, I guess that’s the next thing I need.



My financial situation is a bit fucked up at the moment so yesterday I reserved a table at a local flea market where I will sell clothes, magazines and some cookware in August. I will let you know when my stall is up! I’m also planning to sell some clothes and shoes at huuto.net – will post a link when the stuff is available. There will be some Minna Parikka shoes, Lustwear clothes etc. Good stuff!

It’s a pretty hot day in Kuopio and I guess I’m heading off to the beach for a swim now…

Johanna

in Hailuoto

Justiina, Iitu, Zulani and Pimu in Pöllä beach – Pimu swimming for the first time! Photos Pekka Mäkinen.
Justiina’s swimwear by Australian Seafolly, mine Stella McCartney for Adidas:






An 8 kg salmon fresh from the sea. It was so yammy!


My dad and Justiina on the Hailuoto ferry:


Back home. Ohh, it’s hot but the blueberries are ripe! Photos by Pekka Mäkinen.



Happy summer holiday to everyone!

Johanna

my daughter’s birthday

My 9 year old daughter and our Yorkshire terrier puppy Pimu, photo Pekka Mäkinen:


Probably the best strawberry cake I’ve ever made:



Justiina and Iitu made cupcakes (with fresh, hand picked blueberries), on the side a chocolate cake I also baked…:


As usual, the day was really hot but nice! And in the evening we had an unplanned summer party at our neighbours. Dancing, singing and drinking all night long. But is there anything better than the Finnish light summer nights? You’ve got to enjoy them!!!

Johanna

meeting in Vienna

Before the midsummer I was in a meeting in Vienna for a couple of days. We sat two intensive long days in this room discussing artists and works for the upcoming UP TO NATURE project. I was very inspired by the meeting but I think this has been the first time ever that I literally didn’t have a chance to do anything apart from going straight into the meeting from airport, going to the hotel at night, taking the tube into the meeting the next day, taxi back to the hotel and bus to the airport early  next morning! So no time to have a walk anywhere, to see anything or to shop. I guess that might be a good thing…

A view from my hotel window:


Our meeting room with a balcony:




A view from the balcony, apparently a big tourist attraction in Vienna (related to classical music) – hundreads of tourists visiting it all day long…

Anyway, thanks Thomas, Olivia, Gregg, Helen, Hannah, Jon (and who did I forget…?) for a great meeting! See you soon,

Johanna

Mandan ajatuksia Twirling World -teoksesta

Tässä ihanan avustajamme Manda Konttisen ajatuksia edellisen Twirling World -teoksen esitysperiodin jälkeen:

Viimeisestä kerrasta esitystä jäi niin koskettunut olo. Ystäväni Aulin rinnallesi asettaman sydämen tunsi yleisö myös omalla ihollaan ja sitä seurannut liikutus puhdisti katarttisesti. Esityksesi idean, vuosituhansina kasattujen roolien painosta vapautumisen, koki sisäisesti eikä pelkästään älyllisesti oivaltavana katsojana.

Tatu on kyllä tehnyt vaikuttavan äänitaustan teokseesi.  Mieleenpainuvinta oli alkupuolen ääni, joka oli ikäänkuin repeämäisillään tuleen millä hetkellä tahansa, valtava rajapinnan lataus.
Toinen kohta oli se, kun nainen laitettiin kypsymään omenoineen, se valmistumisen odotusta kuvaava ajan tikitys.
Kolmas oli lopun puhdas, painoton leijunta.
Iloitsen, että saan kuulla tämänkin vielä kerran.

Silmien kuvaksi haluan jättää selkäsi, kun hitaasti riisut naiseuteen liimattuja kerroksia.  Selkäsi on niin paljon puhuva, sisäisen tilan avartumisesta, levollisuudesta, voimasta – kaikki niin sisäistynyttä. Pakahduttavaa.

Manda

 

end of the first week of the new project

I had a very inspiring week with Rebecca. Working together felt very refreshing and thought provoking and I’m grateful for that. Exactly what I’ve been missing. So thanks Rebecca!
Rebecca flew back home today suitcase full of rye bread and Hanna Partanen‘s rice pies…

I was so tired I slept all afternoon.

Johanna

day 4 & 5

Unbearable heat. Walking and talking to people. Recording. Sweating. Creating an audio walk, recording it and testing it out. Some tears. Walking, cycling and also swimming a little bit.
Great week. Inspiring. Lots of thoughts. Many possibilities.

Johanna