Category Archives: Life

Glasgow

…was fantastic! Well, I actually didn’t get to spend so much time in the city itself, but I had a great time. It was so good to visit NRLA again, see so many great artists and promoters and friends. This time around it was all very busy, lots of performances and durational pieces, many meetings and talks and discussions. Many projects planned and discussed. It all was so inspiring and exciting that it is almost scary to be back in Kuopio. Because life here is nothing like that. There is very little sense of support, enthusiasm, experimentalism. It was so great to meet people from all over the world who are so excited about ANTI –festival and find it extraordinary and fantastic that we do it each year. So do I get any vibes like that over here? The answer is no. None. But maybe it is also the cultural difference in behaviour and language. But I’m sure it is not only that. On my way back yesterday, I thought that maybe it is my destiny to move to Britain at some point. You know, in 1997 I was supposed to, but didn’t in the end because of love and my son. So maybe when I’m older, we’ll sell the Blue House and move to Britain. I already have suggested house swapping with some friends in London. The only hindrance at the moment is the fact that Blue House is not yet finished!
I went to the Blue House today with my daughter by bus. It was the first time we took a bus there and it wasn’t that bad. I was so exhausted that I didn’t really do any work there, I just watched Pekka and Juho working on the upstairs’ floor and I measured some walls and windows. It all looks very good but there is a lot of pressure time and money wise at the moment…
I need to get some sleep now. More about NRLA etc. is coming up in few days.

Hope you are all well.
Johanna

Perfection is precision

Lot’s of things been going on.

For some reason, today I thought about a performance I did I guess in 1994 and especially one line that has stuck to my memory:

Perfection is precision.

In the performance, which was titled Big Offer To Container, I collaborated with Niia Maria Mjetchinsky who is a Danish writer and poet. We both wrote texts for each other and that line is from Niia Maria’s text. I still think about it. Today it came to my mind as I was watching Pekka and Juho putting boards up on the walls at the Blue House. A lot of details to take into consideration, a lot of decisions to make i.e. how a board and a windowpane connect? In case you don’t, learn more about EZ Window Solutions. Those of you who haven’t built or renovated might not have a clue what I’m talking about, but it is all in the details. Perfection is precision.
I called our plumber today about a few details and he came over to the Blue House. It was really good to go through things with him and actually I feel like I’m sometimes more aware of how those pipes should run and where exactly than the professionals. Do you know how many times I have thought about changing profession? Our plumber, who is related to artist Paavo Räbinä, just came back from Thailand where he went for a three-week holiday. Not bad. Also, the plumbers never work after 4 pm or the weekends. Never.

As I’m writing this, I’m listening to Antti Tuisku, Kate Bush, Jukka Poika (Pläski) and Madonna, whose new DVD I’m desperately waiting for. The day before yesterday I asked for it in the shops but it’s been released in Finland today. Didn’t have time to go to the shops today though. I’ve seen Madonna in live concert only once in 2005 and because of the Blue House I couldn’t go to see her on tour last year. From one arts officer in the Art Council of Finland (who was in the same crew with me in 2005) I heard that last year’s tour was not as good as the Re-Invention tour so I don’t really feel sorry but since I’ve loved Madonna since 1986, I of course want to see the DVD.

I also was supposed to go the Gallery Carree today but didn’t manage. Instead, I went with our plumber to Ahlsell to look at the central vacuum cleaners and toilet seats. Much more interesting…

I cooked a beautiful dinner with millet, broccoli, carrots, leek, garlic, tofu and sesame seeds. Everyone loved it. Pekka’s 17 year-old daughter has been staying with us and I must say I really wonder about today’s youth! Obviously, people are very different, but when I was 17 my interests where not in Japanese cartoons and animations. I guess I was more worried if I’m HIV positive than anything…

Hope you are all well and in good health.

Johanna

The column

was published today. For those of you who don’t get the Kuopion Kaupunkilehti, here it is (in Finnish):

“Kuka saa, kuka jää ilman?

Alkuvuosi on monelle piinallista odottelun aikaa. Lukuisat kolmannen sektorin toimijat ja taiteilijat odottelevat päätöksiä erinäisistä toiminta-avustuksista, apurahoista tai hankerahoituksista joku kaupungilta, toinen valtiolta, kolmas taidetoimikunnalta, neljäs lääninhallitukselta ja joku näistä kaikista. Toiminta on käynnissä tai ainakin sen pitäisi alkaa, mutta rahoituspäätöksiä ei vielä ole. Tilanne on monelle toimijalle vaikea. Miten rekrytoida ihmisiä töihin, millaisia sopimuksia uskaltaa tehdä ja kuinka paljon voivat työntekijät joustaa?
Ja mitä sitten kun päätökset tulevat? Jos avustusta ei tulekaan, miten käy suunnitellun toiminnan ja vireillä olevien hankkeiden tai projektien? Tai jos avustusta tuleekin, mutta vuosi toisensa perään se on toiminnan laajuuteen nähden riittämätöntä? Miten esimerkiksi taiteilijat, kulttuurialan toimijat ja yhdistykset pystyvät toteuttamaan pitkän aikavälin tavoitteita ja strategisia linjauksiaan ja tuottamaan valtakunnallisesti ja kansainvälisesti korkealaatuista ja kiinnostavaa sisältöä kun rahoitus on joka vuosi katkolla ja päätökset tulevat suunnitelmallisen toiminnan kannalta aivan liian myöhään?
Tuntuu, että monilta odotetaan kohtuuttoman suurta joustoa ja luottamusta huomiseen, ilman minkäänlaisia turvatakuita. Pelissä voi olla perheen toimeentulo, etenkin vastavalmistuneilla päätös asumispaikkakunnasta, kenties jonkun toisen työn vastaanottamatta jättäminen hankerahoituksen jatkumisen uskossa.
Vakituisessa työsuhteessa olevien lienee lähes mahdoton ymmärtää millaisessa tilanteessa useat korkeakoulutetut, Kuopion kaupungin imagolle ja vetovoimalle tärkeät kulttuuri- ja taidealan toimijat ja kolmannen sektorin organisaatiot ovat. Ja mitä nämä toimijat sitten ovat tehneet Kuopion imagon eteen? Tuottaneet esimerkiksi kansainvälisiä, valtakunnallisia tapahtumia, vauvoista vaareihin ja mummoihin kohdistuvia projekteja, useiden taiteen alojen teoksia, näyttelyitä ja esityksiä, vähemmistöryhmiin kohdistuvia hankkeita ja tietysti verotuloja. Ja monille, luoneet Kuopiosta innostavan paikan elää ja asua. Olisiko kohtuullista huomioida tällaisen voimavaran tarpeet hiukan paremmin ennen kuin toimijat vetävät johtopäätöksensä ja siirtyvät heitä paremmin huomioiviin kaupunkeihin tai maihin? Tutkimukset osoittavat, että kaupunkien vetovoimaa mitataan niiden tarjoamilla kulttuuripalveluilla. Osaamista täältä ei ainakaan puutu.”
ANTI -festival’s ex-producer Maija emailed me today which was a nice surprise of the day. She is currently in Göteborg in Sweden and I really miss her, in work and privately as well.

I’m off to National Review of Live Art next week and I’m really looking forward to seeing new work, meeting artists, producers, art officers and friends.

I bought with my daughter two DVD’s of Cold Feet today. Cold Feet was my absolute favourite series ever and when I bought the first season on DVD about a year ago I was delighted to watch it and cry in peace. Now I’m looking forward to new emotional trips.

Johanna