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