Category Archives: Travelling

ANTI business and other stuff

These last weeks have been very busy with the upcoming ANTI Festival. This is the time when we need to make final decisions about the programme, confirm sites, think about all kinds of details in terms of artists, sites, how audiences move between the works and sites etc. etc. And this year is of course special as it is the 10^th anniversary of ANTI – Contemporary Art Festival. Later during the spring we will let you know about the plans weâ€™ll have for this special edition of ANTI. So stay tuned! In the meantime, make sure youâ€™ll visit our Facebook page to hear the latest news and keep with the upcoming campaigns!

Iâ€™ve been preparing a new collaboration with Rebecca French from FrenchMottershead. Weâ€™ll begin to work in June when Rebecca comes to Kuopio and although thereâ€™s a million things to sort out and do before that, Iâ€™m still looking forward to it all soooo much.

Later in April Iâ€™ll visit Brussels as we have A Space for Live Art project meeting during the Trouble Festival. Iâ€™ll be travelling with ANTI Festivalâ€™s producer Laura and weâ€™ll also work a couple of days in London with Gregg.

Last weeks have been great for cycling in Kuopio! The snow has melted away from the streets so no need to worry about the icy roads anymore. Iâ€™m so in love with my new bike and the Ortlieb back panniers. So useful and beautiful! The only downfall is that the roads havenâ€™t been cleaned up yet and it can be pretty dusty riding down the streets. But it still feels great!

Johanna

Weekend trip to Copenhagen

About four months ago I decided with my friend Maija that we will take an extended weekend holiday away from home, work and family. I had a small amount of award points to use for my flight so Copenhagen became our destination. And we both love Copenhagen! I think I was there in 2008 for the last time and Maija has also visited the city many times.

So what is so great about Copenhagen? The atmosphere is relaxed, people seem happy, mellow and content. They seem to have time to enjoy slow brunches, they cycle everywhere, everyone speaks English, you see a lot of families and fathers pushing prams and after their Sunday morning runs, the Danes go and buy fresh bread, buns and croissants in their local bakeries. The climate is a bit warmer than in Finland and it was great to get a taste of the spring! The life has spread more out into the streets with cafes, shops, bars and picnics. Copenhagen is compact, clean and easy to navigate, Danish design is present almost everywhere and the Kastrup airport is possibly the best in the world.

So if you love to hang out in cafes, enjoy gorgeous brunches, are a lover of design and like the feeling of cities like Amsterdam and Berlin, Copenhagen is the best destination. The only downfall is that Copenhagen is one of the most expensive cities in the world and everything is more expensive than in Finland.

And of course I was so delighted to be travelling with Maija and we had a great time! Maija had brought the latest Mondo with its tips for best brunches in Copenhagen and we had two wonderful brunches. On the first morning we went to Kalaset and on the second to CafÃ© Sokkelund, which was selected the â€œByens Bedste Brunchâ€ in 2010. I really enjoyed both of them but maybe Kalaset a bit more. On our last morning we wanted to have a breakfast in Granola but it wasnâ€™t open yet and instead we had a great coffee and sandwich in a local neighborhood bakery. On Saturday evening we had cosy dinner in Atlas Bar where I really enjoyed the lively and bubbly energy.

Maija in Kalaset:

Brunch in Cafe Sokkelund:

We walked a lot in Norrebro, Vesterbro and Frederiksberg, Nyhavn and Latinerkvarteret and did some shopping as well. Maija bought a luxurious Aspekts handmade leather bag and I finally got a pair of Swedish Hasbeens sandalsâ€¦ I know we were in Denmark but Swedish Hasbeens are not easy to find in Finland! But I also got a Danish coctail dress by Bitte Kai Randâ€¦

A walk arour Norrebro:

On Istedgade:

Illums Bolighus:

Maybe the most comfortable armchair in the world? With the Paul Smith cover the price was over 6 000 â‚¬.

Maija with her gorgeous Aspekts leather bag:

Magasin du Nord:

Frederiksberg Have:

Sunday morning mist in Vesterbrostorv:

And finally, my Hasbeens!

In all the trip was a very needed little brake. Now back in business with new energy!

Johanna

the performance period is over for now

Performed Twirling World four times with Sonja. Itâ€™s a hard piece to perform but it was great to experience that the performance had developed and also our relationship as performers had deepened. There were some really nice people in the audience and Iâ€™m happy some friends finally saw it. The last performance was very emotional and many people were howling in the audience â€“ I guess it had a certain sad energy of a last show as both Sonja and I also felt quite emotional. Anyway, it wasnâ€™t the very last show but it was an end of this period.

Photos Pekka MÃ¤kinen.

Some thoughts:
Iâ€™ve noticed that itâ€™s been a while since Iâ€™ve seen the anorexic woman whom I saw last year walking along Saaristokatu almost every day. Is she dead?

Iâ€™m really looking forward to the weekend brake with Maija in Copenhagen!
But before that, there’s a lot of work to do.

Johanna

good gig in Oulu

Iâ€™m sitting on a train from Oulu to Kuopio. Last night I performed Acts of Clothing in Oulu to a full house and left feeling quite happy and satisfied. Here’s a link to the interview in Kaleva. I love performing that show although it somehow takes a lot out of me. A lot of energy, lot of strength, a lot of layers, emotions, feelings. The performance was perhaps a bit more emotional than usually as yesterday would have been my sisterâ€™s 32nd birthday. And there were some relatives in the audience, too, which is always a bit scary. But they loved the show and afterwards we had a dinner in an Indian restaurant â€“ the same one where I last saw my sister exactly a year ago.
It was great to see Pirjo, my old time friend, teacher and collegue. I shared my pains and pleasures of performing, of donating my body to a certain imagery and the emotions and questions it has raised. The questions of being scrutinized by anybody, being viewed by the critical eye, the perhaps â€˜evilâ€™ eye. Why do I do it? Why do I set myself in the scenes that cause me so much emotional pain? Of course I know why â€“ as the choreographer and director â€“ but itâ€™s yet again a different thing to experience all that as a performer, as a living and breathing and feeling human body. Not easy.
Iâ€™m longing for my exercise routines that have been a bit lost during the last weeks when I was in Sydney and now in Oulu. Iâ€™m dreaming of Pipsaâ€™s Kinesis sport and functional training sessions and I wouldnâ€™t mind a Zumba class on Saturday morning either! How weird is that?

Johanna

MINTO: LIVE in Sydney, Australia

post holiday blues and travel preparations

There wasn’t much anything special about the holidays besides the luxury of time. The time to do things that in the normal everyday do not get enough attention, do not have enough peace around to be able to happen.
So I read books. I knitted. I made a lamp (pic to be appeared later).

I knitted a floor pillow. And not only the cover, I also sewed the pillow inside the knitted one. The carpet is Tempo 207 by Hanna Korvela Design.

Besides Australia & Sydney travel guides, I read quite a few books during the holidays. The best one was Raja by Riikka Pulkkinen and now I’m reading LuokkaretkellÃ¤ hyvinvointiyhteiskunnassa which is quite thought provoking and inspiring.

I’ve made some preparations for the trip and finally bought a new suitcase! Love this Samsonite Aeris spin case:

And Sari from Visio cut & dyed my hair on Saturday. I think I’m slowly getting ready for the long journey to Australia…

Johanna

travel plans

Are you familiar with Kaffa coffee roastery? Their latte blend is excellent and a perfect beginning of a day…

The next travel destination is…

I’m so proud and excited to be participating in the MINTO: LIVE programme as part of the Sydney Festival in January…

Wishing you all Happy New Year!!!

Johanna

on the way to and in Madrid

On my way to Madrid I did so me usual shopping at the Helsinki airport. I also had some time for a lunch and went to the new Deli at the gate 28. It was ok although a bit pricy. The interior design was nicely modern and it had a relaxing atmosphere. Anyway, it was much nicer than the old Pronto or what ever it was called.

I bought the new Lancome Teint Miracle products (so gorgeous!) and got a lovely goodie bag with some serum (I so need that!), parfume, lipstick and mascara. Hurray! I noticed that the bag was designed by Jasmin Santanen.

A short walk in the neighborhood in Madrid, near Matadero:

Off now! I have my ANTI talk today.

Johanna

Helsinki days

Shows of Acts of Clothing in the Ateneum theatre in Helsinki went really well. It was great to experience so many people being touched and moved by the work. It was also a real pleasure to be hosted by the producer Mika VÃ¤yrynen and the technical crew which was just great. I want to thank especially Timo who run all the shows. Everything went smoothly and well.

Mika took me to the concert of Paula Koivuniemi which took place in the Huvilateltta. It was just great! And I became a fan of Paula Koivuniemi. So much that I sent my son today in the rain back to town to buy Paulaâ€™s Rakkaudesta cd.
In Helsinki I managed to have some business meetings, see some work and some friends, too. It was a luxury to stay in TÃ¶Ã¶lÃ¶ which is a very nice and central part of Helsinki. At last I remembered to return my Lustwear socks which Iâ€™d bought sometime last year but which didnâ€™t suite me at all. Hammi promised me to change them but I donâ€™t know how many times Iâ€™ve been in Helsinki and not remembered to take the socks with meâ€¦ I changed the socks into a kind of scarf since thereâ€™s no way I could afford at the moment one of their wonderful coatsâ€¦ In Stockmann I found the new Shock Absorber run bra on sale so now Iâ€™m also a very happy owner of a new black running bra.
The only down fall was that I caught a cold which didnâ€™t really effect my show last night but today I woke up in the middle of the night feeling just terrible. The train journey home was a nightmare and Iâ€™ve been feeling really ill and bad all day, mostly sleeping and sipping tea. I really would like to go to work tomorrow but I donâ€™t know if I can.

Maybe more about Helsinki in the next post and about one rather disappointing performance I sawâ€¦

Johanna

Riga & Cesis & Helsinki

Last week I spent five days in Latvia. First I had two days off which I spent with Pekka in Riga and then we travelled to Cesis for the Cesis Art Festival and Care to Create conference where I gave a talk / discussion with Eric de Visscher.
The contemporary are festival was a great experience and I enjoyed both the programme and the conference a lot. And it was wonderful to meet so many collegues from Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Iceland. The opening of the festival including the concert of contemporary music titled Joy was a real experience.

Riga:

My hair pin from Akiko, sunglasses Ray-Ban Jackie Ohh, handbag LumiAccessories, T-shirt Paco Chicano

Cesis:

My dress Vero Moda ‘Very’ collection, handbag LumiAccessories, shoes Minna Parikka

My glasses Dolce & Gabbana

Right after returning from Latvia, I travelled to Helsinki to work with Gregg and Laura on the ANTI Festival. Despite the heat, we had a great time. By surprise, we also found Gregg telling stories about Bob Dylan in the exhibition in Kiasma! That was part of Johanna Lecklinâ€™s Story CafÃ© which has also been shown at ANTI. There were actually quite a few ANTI artists in the exhibition; Antti Laitinen, Eeva-Mari Haikala, Seppo Rennvall, Marja Mikkonenâ€¦

Now Iâ€™ve been preparing for my ACTS OF CLOTHING performance at the Full Moon Dance Festival in PyhÃ¤jÃ¤rvi where Iâ€™m off tomorrow. Itâ€™s been rather sweaty â€“ the all time heat record of Finland was beaten today, +37,2 celcius degreeâ€¦

Johanna