Last couple of days have not been very special. Most of my time has gone into dealing with the local officials of ministry of labour. As my artist grant finished by the end of 2006 and so did my job, I have had to get all kinds of papers to prove that my artist grant is really finished and that my job did end (and proof why it ended). It’s a part time job to be out of job!
So it’s all been a bit frustrating. And the waiting for grant decisions and project fundings is not that great either.
Well, ANTI –festival got one funding decision today that didn’t make me smile. From the city of Kuopio the festival got the same amount than last year and since some project funding has stopped, all in all it means cuttings in the budget. Great. And the saddest thing is that the officials in the cultural office of Kuopio are more than well aware of our situation and there has been a lot of writings in the local media that the future of ANTI –festival has to be secured. So once again, the funders did nothing to help the
festival.
The mood now is waiting; waiting for personal grant decisions (will I be able to go on with my artistic work as I have planned?) and waiting for ANTI –festival’s budget to get confirmed. Waiting and waiting, wondering if I’ll have some form of income this year and at the same time working on the plans and projects without knowing if they’ll be funded or not.
Well, this is normal for many artists I guess, but it sure is tiring.
Some good news with I don’t have anything to wear, though. The performance space in Kuopio is now confirmed and we will perform the piece four times in the Gallery Carree in March. Great. We were also very well presented in the spring programme of Zodiak in Helsinki (where we’ll perform in May) with this image.
Photo by Pekka Mäkinen.
Let me know what you think.
Johanna
The photo makes me think of it’s representation. Two women in efficient black, design clothes and nothing-saying environment. Pointing fingers to a laptop – representation of belonging to a world that, at least virtually, exists. Associating these women with a laptop one can only imagine their achievements and goals. They seem perfect, well achieved, fitting in and part of the game, ready for shooting and their next move. They are alert and competetive and very much taking part in the action, right now.
These women don’t question themselves. They have guards and servants and rule the place, with high technology supporting them in their aims.
This a cool picture. I like it! But, Johanna, what kind of woman (person) would you be of this were the only truth…?
well, I think I’ll have more money, more designer clothes, a cleaner coming to clean up the flat once a week and a macrobiotic cook hired full time…
well, take it as a joke.
I think these women in the picture are exactly how we are expected to be – and maybe a bit more. I personally feel great pressure and expectation to do more, to be more effective, to be more and more and more succesfull, to be always in control and to take everything into consideration, all the time.