Author Archives: Johanna

About Johanna

artist and curator

in Stockholm

I have the luxury to spend a couple of days in Stockholm before traveling to Uppsala where I’ll perform on Thursday.

Last night I hardly got any sleep as I had so much work to finish before the trip that I was really late packing. I had maybe 1-2 hours sleep before getting up at 4am so was rather exhausted. Luckily my flights were on time and all went smoothly. I arrived in my hotel in Södermalm very early and was rather doubtful that they would have any rooms available but they did and gave me one at something like 10am. I was so happy and had a little nap before heading off to town for my business.

In the evening I went to visit Fotografiska and ended up walking a route that took me to completely new places in Stockholm. Here are a few pictures from the way.













Nicest thing today has been speaking Swedish – after my course in academic Swedish this spring I really really enjoy catching up with the language. And now it’s just lovely to be able to speak better Swedish and use the language. Great! You never know where life takes you.

Hope to see you in Uppsala on Thursday!

Johanna

Seuraa minua

I’ve been working with the gorgeous Rebecca French on our collaborative project Seuraa minua (Follow me) during the last week or so. And it has been very inspiring and exciting. What I really love about the project is that it’s something I would never do on my own. So I feel that it’s something that really has grown out of our collaboration and it’s still at this point a kind of a mystery what it will turn out to be like for the audience in the end.
But we’ve been walking, talking, recording and doing all this with our lovely volunteers who are people living in Kuopio, sharing moments of significance of their lives with us, with you, the audience.



So thank you to the lovely people we have been working with. You know who you are.

Johanna

working on a new project Seuraa minua

Johanna is working on a new project Seuraa minua (Follow me) with Rebecca French in Kuopio at the moment. Seuraa minua is an audio walk through the city of Kuopio in which people living in Kuopio share moments of significance related to certain places and sites in the city centre. The work is available during Paikallisliike event in Kuopio in June.

milk load

I performed MILK last Friday in the Functional Studios in Kuopio. I had completely forgotten what a nightmare that show is to organize!!! It took 14 hours from me to pick up all the props and materials including the dance carpets, empty milk boxes, fresh milk, bags to pack the boxes into and the bucket in which I bathe and then to set up the space, tape the dance carpets, organize the milk boxes in chronological order and back them, then to get ready for the show, perform, shower, clean up and pack everything and transport all the gears into different storages and places. I WAS EXHAUSTED.

But of course the greatest thing was to perform and to experience once again that the work is strong and it really touches people, provokes ideas and somehow also connects. So yesterday when I went to the studio for my training, I got such a warm and lovely feedback which made me feel very happy and also more connected to that place and the people who work and train there. So it was a beautiful experience.

I need to thank my son Zulani and his friend Elina who help enormously before and after the show! And I couldn’t have survived without the help of my daughter Justiina with whom we taped the dance carpets earlier during the day! So it’s all like a family business except that it’s not a very good business… Well, call it collaboration then!

I’ve been deep into dialogical and relational aesthetics and I need to work on my article rather intensively this week… Lots of work still to do. And in fact I have so much work in May and July that I can only focus on one thing at a time otherwise I’ll go crazy. But if I’m still alive in the end of June, I know I can be very pleased and proud of myself and will really enjoy a proper holiday. But until then, back to work now! So probably not a very active blogging season ahead of me – but I’ll try my best.

Hauskaa vappua!

Johanna

getting ready for the upcoming MILK performance

Another busy week behind. Wanted to post some images from my trip to Paris & Lyon but haven’t had time. I’ve been rehearsing this weekend for my upcoming Milk performance in a private event in Kuopio. We also made some milk cartons to advertise the performance.

I’ve been busy with ANTI stuff, organising my own upcoming works and performances, exercising, writing, reading, thinking…I’m off to Jyväskylä at 5.15am tomorrow morning so good night now!

Johanna

feeling free

Aargh, been traveling and away from home a lot and haven’t had time for regular work outs. So my run yesterday was pure bliss, followed by kettle bell work out! The sun was shining and my new Nike free trainers were excellent. Check out the Liikkeelle event in Argoshalli in Stockmann where there are a lots of running gears presented until the 15th of April. And the Nike free trainers are on sale!


I’ll post something about the trip to Lyon & Paris later but I brought home these gorgeous French mustards… Very tasty with some chevre and rye bread!

Johanna


working and working and baking

I’ve worked so much during the last week, including all weekend. Writing, reading, emailing, planning, making budgets… Interesting stuff but too much of everything. I feel tired.
But since I was doing all that at home yesterday, I also found some to bake. I made gorgeous bread with sunflower & lin seeds and for the first time ever, with my daughter we baked korvapuusti, kind of cinnamon rolls. Yammy!


I’m aware that the s/s 2012 collection of Minna Parikka is not even in the shops yet, but GSUS, have a look at these kitty shoes from her a/w 2012 collection. I sooooo want them! They are so my shoes and without even trying them on, I know I will wear these, a lot. Oh, look at the colours! The ears! The perfect heel!!!! Can’t wait for the autumn…


Have to get to bed now. Jyväskylä calling very early tomorrow…

Johanna