Category Archives: Life

an easy week

Last week I went to Helsinki to participate in the reception of Finnish Cultural Foundation which generously gave a grant for ANTI Festival for the self-financing part of A Space For Live Art, EU funded project. This week I’ve tried to take some time off from the ANTI Festival. Lately it has absorbed far too much of my energy and caused me the kind of stress I need to get rid of. I don’t know if I’ve succeeded very well this week but at least this has been an effort to get my mind off ANTI for a while.
So this week I’ve been enjoying being at home, seeing friends, exercising and running. Nothing special but the kind of stuff one should find time to do when working as well.
Actually, I’m very excited about my upcoming performances and projects during the spring. I’ll let you know about them soon. I’ll also participate in two running events this year – something I’ve never done before. I’ll run 10K in May and a half marathon in September. This week I’ve done some exercising on a cross trainer, functional training, running and walking. I’ll do a long run tomorrow and then get a massage. On Sunday I’ll do some functional training as well. So this looks like a pretty good week in terms of exercising. And my body feels great!
When I was in Helsinki, I ate some pretty good sushi and got all excited about learning more about it. So I’ve planned a kind of sushi evening at my place with a French cook who lives in Kuopio. He will teach us about the history of sushi, how to make it and in the end we’ll have a feast! I’m really looking forward to it. Now the challenge is to find a date that fits everyone who’s interested. It will be fun.

Johanna

greetings from Glasgow

Visiting NRLA and Glasgow was great in many ways. It was good to see new work, catch up with artists and friends I haven’t seen for a while, work with Johanna and Gregg and of course, to have the A Space For Live Art meeting with all the European partners. A lot to digest.
As always, I feel disappointed I missed some works and performances that I really really would have liked to see, but then again, I also got so see a lot. I queued endlessly to see Dominic Johnson’s performance but that was kind of fun as I was lining up with Jennie Klein, Dee Heddon and Steven Hodge. So that wasn’t too bad. I also had to work hard to get to see Kate McIntosh who, despite all the hype around her, didn’t really do it for me. But I was really happy to see Alexis O’Hara whose work I’ve always missed before. And of course Ivana Müller and Raimund Hoghe whose work I absolutely loved.
But all my time in Glasgow I felt really stressed and slept very badly and restlessly. My plans to buy new underwear from Marks & Spencer failed as I was simply too tired to focus on looking for something nice and trying it on. Actually, I didn’t buy anything for myself, except some cosmetics from tax free, but I found a few nice things for the kids from TK Maxx. And some whisky for my partner – of course.
So it’s been great to be at home and sleep in my own bed! I’m finally catching up with sleep –and work.

Johanna

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

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?

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

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

the latest column…in Finnish

Hölötystä

Eräs tuttavani sanoi kerran, että kolumnit ovat sellaista tyhjänpäiväistä hölötystä. Jos on lukenut Kuopion seudulla ilmestyvien lehtien kolumneja viime viikkoina, ei ole kovin vaikea yhtyä tähän väitteeseen. Tyhjänpäiväiseksi hölötykseksi voi kai kuvata kolumnia, jossa kirjoittaja ilman minkäänlaista asiantuntemusta tai edes henkilökohtaista kokemusta tuomitsee ja täten asettaa itsensä ja oman mielipiteensä ilman kriittistä katsetta puolijumalan asemaan. Tällainen asenne on tietysti ikävä noin muutenkin, elämässä ja politiikassa, jos itse arvostaa suvaitsevaisuutta, avoimuutta, monikulttuurisuutta ja tasa-arvoa. Nobeleilla palkitaan rauhanneuvottelijoita, onnea vaan Ahtisaarelle elämäntyöstä!
Millä keinoin ottaa sitten selville kunnallisvaaliehdokkaiden mielipiteistä, asenteista ja arvoista, oikeesti? Vaalisloganit, joissa ehdokas lupaa ”toimia puolestanne”, on ”tolokun immeinen”, ”tekijämies”, hänellä on ”sydän kohdallaan” ja on ”energinen edelleen” tuntuvat jotenkin, no, ohuilta ja huterilta perusteilta äänestää. Ja kuka nyt haluaa valtuustoon ehdokasta, joka osoittautuukin valtuustokauden aikana joksikin ihan muuksi kuin mitä itse oli äänestäessään kuvitellut? Tietenkin ehdokkaissa on paljon tuttuja eri yhteyksistä ja viiteryhmistä, ja sitä kautta tietoa ehdokkaan näkemyksistä ja toimintatavoista saa toki enemmän. Ja puolueet ovat tietysti pyrkineet siihen, että listoilla on jokaiselle jotakin. Mutta kenellä on sisäistä paloa kaupungin tai kunnan kokonaisvaltaiseen kehittämiseen, onkin jo kiperämpi kysymys. Kuka haluaa oikeasti olla kunnallispoliitikko, kuka vain hölöttää että ”parempi elämä kaikille”? Onnekseni olen tavannut kuopiolaisia kunnallisvaaliehdokkaita, joista voin vilpittömästi sanoa, että he perehtyvät asioihin, ottavat luottamustehtävänsä vakavasti, ovat avarakatseisia, viisaita, ymmärtävät oman rajallisuuteensa, kuuntelevat, jos eivät tunne asiaa, uskaltavat myöntää sen ja ottavat siitä selvää tai käyttävät asiantuntijoita, arvostavat elämän eri vaiheita ja osa-alueita ja osaavat tehdä päätöksiä, jotka edistävät suvaitsevaisuutta kaikille elämän alueilla. Pliisua? Varmasti.
Minä aion äänestää keskiviikkona 15.10. Muistakaa tekin!

Johanna Tuukkanen

the latest column …in Finnish

Varokaa kosmetiikkaa!

Muutama viikko sitten istuin Kuopion lentokentällä lähes täydessä koneessa valmiina nousuun, kun koneeseen nousi lentokenttävirkailija, käveli paikalleni ja pyysi tulemaan mukaansa kertoen, että matkatavaroissani on jotain mitä ei saisi olla. Aavistin, mistä on kysymys, sillä olin menossa keikalle, ja matkatavaroistani toinen oli täynnä esitykseen kuuluvaa rekvisiittaa: tyhjiä kosmetiikkapurkkeja ja –pakkauksia. Siis pakkauksia, joissa oli ollut esimerkiksi kosteusvoidetta, kasvovettä, ja huulirasvaa. Nyt tämä laukku oli levällään lentokenttävirkailijoiden edessä, jotka sanoivat, että näitä vaarallisia aineita saa olla mukana korkeintaan 2 kiloa. Selitin, että purkit ovat tyhjiä, niissä ei ole mitään aineita, olen itse käyttänyt ne viimeiseen pisaraan asti, olen taiteilija ja purkit ovat teokseni rekvisiittaa. Ei auttanut. Virkailijat olivat puhelinyhteydessä koneen kapteeniin kysyen: ”Matkustajalla ruumaan menevissä matkatavaroissa vaarallisia aineita 8 kiloa ylimääräistä. Otetaanko kyytiin?” Kapteeni vastasi kieltävästi.
Katsotaanpa mitä Ilmailuhallinto sanoo nesteiden kuljettamisesta ja vaarallisista aineista: ”Ruumaan menevissä matkatavaroissa saa kuljettaa kosmeettisia aineita ja aerosoleja, jos ne ovat palamattomia, myrkyttömiä ja syövyttämättömiä -…-ja aineiden yhteismäärä on enintään 2 kg tai 2 litraa.” Siis aineiden yhteismäärä. Minun tyhjissä purkeissani ei varmasti ollut 2 kg aineita, vaikka jäämiä olisi alettu suurennuslasin kanssa tutkimaan. Entä vaaralliset aineet? Niitä ovat 1. räjähteet (kuten dynamiitti), 2. kaasut (kuten butaani), 3. palavat nesteet (kuten bensiini), 4. helposti syttyvät kiinteät ja itsestään syttyvät aineet (kuten valkoinen fosfori), 5. sytyttävästi vaikuttavat aineet ja orgaaniset peroksidit (kuten ammoniumnitraattilannoitteet), 6. myrkylliset ja tartuntavaaralliset aineet (kuten arsenikki), 7. radioaktiiviset aineet (kuten koboltti-60), 8. syövyttävät aineet (kuten akkuhapot) sekä 9. muut vaaralliset aineet ja esineet (kuten asbesti).
Täytyy sanoa, että en ole koskaan kuvitellut että tyhjät kosmetiikkapurkit voivat olla edellisten esimerkkien lailla vaarallisia.
No, sain keikan tehtyä. Kerroin yleisölle tämän tarinan ja käytin toisessa matkalaukussani sekä käsimatkatavaroissani mukana olleita täysiä kosmetiikkapurkkeja. Vai pitäisikö sanoa salakuljettamiani purkkeja, sillä niiden yhteismäärä oli yli 2 litraa.

Johanna Tuukkanen