festive kolams

Around New Year is a season for of celebrations in all religions, and that shows in the more than usual colorful kolams in Tamil Nadu. To walk a village streets is a true craft exhibition.
Here are just a few to enjoy, before they are smudged by fotsteps over or swept away to make place for a new, next day.

happy new 2015! with Tamil Nadu kolams

Best wishes for the new year!

Mine started in South India, back here after 12 years. Both me and India have changed, I treasure being here in a new way.

The kolam painting stays the same around Pondicherry and Auroville, though. Proud craft by women, every morning a new (but some make shortcuts, like myself, and use paint instead of rice powder).
So skillfully made, can't get enough kolams, will post more pics...

Old post about kolam...

berlin - street art

F

 Schöne Ecke Prenzlberg - Corner of Kollwitz/Wörtherstraße.

Photos from Berlin weekend trip two weeks ago. A long Sunday walk in Friedrichshein and Prenzlauerberg, public art all around.

Konstepidemin was open for Christmas last weekend. Love the well dressed Christmas trees the most.

mini break - berlin

I have worked so hard lately and well earned a break. And what better place is there than Berlin? Thank you Johan, for the Friedrichshein tour!

www.ifa.de - exhibition space
www.thespacebetweenusbelinstuttgart.wordpress.com - exhibition
www.satchhoyt.com - artist
www.raw-tempel.de open space for art and culture

a block in malmö

In Malmö there is a block where a lot of artists and designers have their studios and shops: Kulturkvarteren Fersen. They will have a Gallery Night May 14.

Ströms bowling shop in that same block, with this lovely display, has very limited opening hours.

SwedishDesign.org
is a new webpage where Swedish artists, designers and architechts can contribute. I did. All in English.

take a swim

No big plans for my weekend in Malmö, but one thing was important. To take a dip in icecold water after the sauna might seem insane, but it actually fills you with endorphins, and makes you feel alert and relaxed at the same time. I love it and Ribersborg open air bath is such a nice place to do it.

There was a hole in the ice for us.
Thank you for joining me, Felicia Konrad!
Her voice is strong.

svartöstan!

Svartöstan, Luleå; my birth place and pride. I´m so happy to visit. Times are same same, but different. Blackis, where my father used to dance and have fun as a young man, is still the place.

Heart warming concert night: First, seven songs in a row in Finnish mellow minor with "Handsome Johnny and the knives". After that Evighetens Orkester, spiced with some Norrlåtar members from older days - progressive folk. And a few bands more.

Listen to Evighetens orkester here...
Norrlåter, sista brevet från Liikavaara-Franz here...

inspiration from chicago

Corinne and Johan at Sockerbruket 33

We've had a nice visitor and colleague from Chicago here in Göteborg, Corinne Peterson. Her coming here also made me reconnect with passed times. In 1994 I was a guest artist in a terrific art program for young people in Chicago, Gallery 37. It was a great summer for me that year, an inspiring adventure (and the Swedish soccer team took the bronze medal in the world championships, played in USA that summer). I get a good feeling of a full circle is being drawn now, over time, work and places.

Gallery 37 was located in the middle of the city, we worked with the kids in huge tents, surrounded by skyscrapers. One of my fellow ceramic artists was Marjorie Woodruff, who had her studio at Lill Street Art Center in Chicago. Thanks to Corinne, I've heard from her again after all these years. And thanks to Marjorie, I got to meet Corinne.

Gallery 37 is still running, much developed since my summer in -94. It has been a huge inspiration for our work with the youth program at Konstepidemin.

Lill Street Art Center has also grown since my visit, a center housing artist and their studios, art classes for kids and adults and more.

Meeting Corinne, who is involved both with Gallery 37 and Lill Street, was also an inspiration. She was really busy exploring Göteborg in just a few days by foot, tram, bus and boat. Thank you Johan Svanbom at Sockerbruket 33, for welcoming her to your studio.

I wish Corinne an adventurous trip around Scandinavia! And I wish I can visit Chicago again.

working break

A short but necessary time to focus.

Åre, late season: Interesting combo trip including both work and relaxing:
Daytime skiing, looking out over the horizon, feeling free. Evening time; bookeeping and preparing tax declaration, feeling organized.

David Carlsson updates about ceramic events in Sweden and elsewhere in his blog Keramikrevyn. In Swedish, but gives useful links.

yorkshire hills in spring time

Yorkshire Sculpture Park, what a place! Long, long walk in the park, it was between exhibitions but still worth spending lots and lots of time.
http://www.ysp.co.uk/

A few of the highlights...

James Turrell Skyspace
Read an interview here...
He will exhibit in Sweden this year, in Järna, look here... 

Elisabeth Frink standing men

And one of my favourite artists,  Andy Goldsworthy, Shadow Stone Fold
Read more about the fold here... and see past exhibition here...

Andy Goldsworthy work and philosophy; web page