I realized that I’m in a middle of creating a participatory art work which is completely lacking necessary resources.
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
The most gorgeous tape dispenser ever?
Don’t you think?
I just had to buy when I saw this in a bookshop in Soini! Photo Pekka Mäkinen. Minna Parikka shoes are mine.
Yes spring, come along!!!
Johanna
Helsinki design capital?
As you know, I passed through the Helsinki airport about a week ago on my way to and back from Vienna. I’ve been so disappointed to the airport ever since the Finnish Design Shop shut its doors at the airport. The Finnish Design Shop was the only shop having any contemporary Finnish design besides Marimekko. At the moment, there are no proper design shops at the airport. So no Finnish in furniture, clothing, accessories, shoes or anything like that. Ok, you might say that yes, there’s Marimekko and Pentik, but I’m talking more about contemporary, innovative design. Yes, Marimekko does represent that to a certain extent but most of the fabrics are from the 1960s or 1970s and although I do like Marimekko, many of the products are very classic or even retro. So as I spent a few hours at the airport, I was once again rather shocked that firstly, only pieces of design you can spot are classic Danish chairs and Italian lamps, secondly, there are no shops representing solely Finnish design whether furniture, glassware, clothing or accessories, and third, that there are no interesting, reasonably priced places to eat. And this is during the Helsinki Design Capital year???? Somebody, do something!!!! So you cannot find products by Harri Koskinen, Julia Lundsten, Minna Parikka, Lumi Accessories, Jolier… Compared to Copenhagen or even Stockholm, Helsinki airport sucks.
Johanna
Kuopio-Vienna-Kuopio
Last weekend I was in Vienna, Austria, in one of our EU project meetings, UP TO NATURE. I left of Friday which was the beginning of the skiing holiday in Kuopio. The Kuopio airport was packed at 5.30am with wealthy families travelling to skiing holidays either in Lapland or somewhere in the Alps. I have never ever been able to take my family on a skiing holiday and I must say, I felt a bit jealous. I realized, once again, very concretely, that there are all these people who can afford to take their whole family on holidays (and have all the expensive skiing gears along) – in fact, for them is normal to take family holidays at least once a year abroad. I also realized that instead of having a proper skiing holiday, I was on a work trip for the weekend. Never mind that, because I really, really, enjoyed our meeting. It was great, useful, inspiring and informative. So thank you so much Thomas, Olivia and Nicole at brut Vienna and Helen & co and Hedda, Philip & co for a great meeting. We have created a great project and I’m really looking forward to the outcome. Unfortunately, I’m not able to make it to the first festival in Vienna, but I am planning to visit Bristol in June and Oslo in August. How exciting!
I also went to the opening of Imagetanz and saw a very strange performance…
Like I said, we are having the skiing holiday here but Vienna was very summer like already. It’s so strange to be located literally on the edge of Europe and see weird middle European road signs like this way to Budapest and this way to Prague… This was my second time to stay in hotel Fürstenhof, the strange but nice old fashioned simple hotel. This time I had a nice & spacious room and I slept surprisingly well. We also had some lovely dinners & drank some gorgeous Riesling and Grüner Veltlieners so I had a great time in Vienna! And I spoke some German, feeling very proud of myself.
Although I just received excellent grades from the economics of culture course and exam, please have a look at this wonderful article (in Finnish) by theatre director Esa Leskinen about why art shouldn’t bring any economic benefits!
In general, I have felt rather depressed recently as I haven’t received any project funding to produce my upcoming works. So I’m facing the same old same old questions of what to do, if to do then how or not do at all. Very inspiring start for new productions!
For the sake of the international women’s day, I wore Minna Parikka’s fuchsia Women are dangerous animals boots and went with my daughter to see a wonderful dancer Tuovi Rantanen performing a solo by the wonderful choreographer Ervi Siren. Women rule!
Johanna
-32.7 in Kajaani
Was teaching dance critique in Kajaani this weekend and really enjoyed it a lot. Inspiring conversations, lots of short choreographies as part of Kajaani Dance weekend, many collegues and good talks with Kira Riikonen and Sonja Pakalén for example. Busy and tiring but a great weekend!
Now waiting to get the results of the Finnish presidential elections…. As you may know, I’ve been in the support groups of Pekka Haavisto so it’s very exciting to see how the Finns have voted in the second round. But whatever the result, Pekka is the winner of these elections. He has brought very important issues into public conversation and I’m forever grateful for him for that. Pekka photographed with me in one of his campaign events in Kuopio by Savon Sanomat photographer Marko Happo:
Johanna
some moments of the past week
On Wednesday I went to Helsinki to learn about the new EU culture programme proposal Creative Europe. But my train was 1h 35mins late and I missed the most important part. Great. Luckily I had scheduled a few other meetings so that my whole day wasn’t completely wasted.
On my way home I popped in the Iittala shop on Pohjoisesplanadi to have a look at their sale products. Nothing for me there but instead I discovered the new KoKo mug in lovely pale pink and mint! Had to buy one each, they are so beautiful and just what I’ve been missing, a bigger mug. I’ve been so in love with the thin Kartio (35cl) glasses that I bought another two in sea blue. By the way, Iittala still has -30% sale for their members until the end of January so use it! And if you are interested in the KoKo mugs, they are on sale -20% in Sokos in February… It was actually very funny in the Iittala shop – as you are a member you tell your name at the cashier so when I told my name, the sales woman asked me if I’m from Kuopio, and I said yes, and she said that she has voted me in the parliament elections some years ago!
I also popped in to the Minna Parikka boutique on Bulevardi and Minna herself was also there. We had a nice chat and she showed some pictures from her upcoming spring/summer collection which looks great by the way, colorful, bright and fun! She also said that she’s decided not to move to London at the moment which I think is great for Finland and Finnish design & fashion world.
Last weekend I made my first ever American pancakes and they were simply delicious! I put some blueberries into the dough and we had them with honey and whipped cream, ooh la laa…
The presidential campaigns are heating up in Finland and I’ve also participated in a few acts supporting Pekka Haavisto. He’s in Kuopio today by the way so come and meet Pekka if you are still hesitating who to vote! Check the schedule of his visit here.
These pictures of the flash mob by Pekka Mäkinen:
I have to get to cultural economics now…I am a great and productive researcher…
Have a great day!
Johanna
cultural diversity and other thoughts
The first weeks of January have been a bit difficult and depressing. I didn’t receive funding from the Dance Council to produce my upcoming group choreography which has left me very puzzled. It’s again this situation where I’ve spent a considerable amount of time preparing this work, gathered most of the team for the work and now there’s not enough resources to produce it. What to do? Cancel the whole thing? Produce 1/3 of the plans? And what is that, artistically?
I’m still waiting to hear from few funds but somehow the situation doesn’t seem very promising. I have a similar situation with the international collaboration that I’ve worked on with Rebecca French. So let’s see what happens…
This week I spent two days thinking about multicultural cultural policy and cultural diversity in Finland. Multiculturalism has become more present in the Finnish society since the 1990s but why is it still in such an infant stage in the Finnish cultural policy? It’s about time for the Arts Council to reconsider and rethink their organization, structure, strategy, and funding decisions!
Minzi is one of my favourite clothing shops in Finland. It’s located in Jyväskylä where I spent a few days this week. Actually the first item I ever bought in Minzi, was a Lumi Accessories handbag a few years ago. It was on sale and advertised on their website. So I emailed them and asked them to send it to me to Kuopio – which they did. This is the kind of service I like! Since it’s the sales time at the moment, I went to have a look what they had in Minzi… and found this gorgeous Tiia Vanhatapio hat which I already had a look at earlier in the autumn but it was a bit too pricy for me. But now it was on sale and I’m a happy owner of my first Tiia Vanhatapio item.
My glasses by Kenzo, the woolen scarf by Marimekko.
And the silver ‘Carpe Diem’ pendant by Efva Atling.
Johanna