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Thank you -- everybody that showed up at Västerås art museum for my lecture this evening showing such a great interest for TAPESTRY!posted: 2010-04-28 19:20:17 Articleabout my ongoing exhibition on www.omkonst.composted: 2010-04-20 00:00:00 VästeråsMy exhibition "The Baroque Party" will open on Saturday at Västerås Art Museum. Welcome, everybody!posted: 2010-04-13 18:13:01 LectureYesterday evening I gave a lecture at Ronneby Culture Center, on account of my exhibition there. I talked about my ongoing project - the weaving of the "Visiting Mom" tapestry.posted: 2010-02-18 14:24:26 Exhibition in RonnebyYesterday my show "The Baroque Party" opened at the Culture Centre in Ronneby. It was a great day with a lot of interested and interesting visitors. My friend and collegue Professsor Lena Trojer, gave a talk at the opening. Thank you, Lena, you're the best!!! The exhibition is ongoing until March 21.posted: 2010-01-24 21:57:40 Last day in KaunasIt's very emotional, to see Ed & Vita & Virginija & Monika & Aušra & Daiva & Sigita & Egle & Carol & Glenn & Tania & Irene & Marielle & Noriko & Deidre & Yda & Cheryl & Kaarina & the ladies garding the museum & the staff at the Neris Hotel &... well, you know what I mean. My students, Anet from Denmark & I are leaving tomorrow morning. It has been a marvelous time. Never really experienced anything like it before. It's hard to explain. Total trust in each other. Total dependence in each other. Total interaction with the visitors. And also having a totally good time together. It will take some time to process it all. Learned a lot - again - about art & art projects & myself in this kind of circumstances. I hope to be back, soon!posted: 2009-10-25 20:29:29 Kaunas, ThursdayBirgitta left for Vilnius early this morning, Well, not as early as planned. She (and I!) overslept, like we did our very first day in Lithuania! I woke up from her curses in the bathroom over her alarm clock. I hope she had a nice bus trip to Vilnius, where our collegues from HDK are since last night. Tomorrow they are all coming to Kaunas and I will join them. We will visit the art academy and some exhibitions. And of course we have to show them SHELTER! Breakfast this morning was back to basics - the nice waitresses explained that the manager of the hotel has complained about the chef being too extravagant - transforming our scrambled eggs into omeletts! But I'm not complaining, it's very LCHF!posted: 2009-10-22 08:56:26 Grandma is back in KaunasI'm back in Kaunas, not completely the same person as when I left because now Sixten is born! I'm a grandma! That makes a difference. Arrived Monday night together with 5 of our textile art students from HDK: Annie, Brita, Mathilda, Pia & Saga. They have already started on their projects in the SHELTER and it will be just great! The hotel looks the same, the breakfast has improved (omelett as an option instead of scrambled eggs!) and the art pieces in LIVE EXAMINATION changes all the time! Yesterday Glenn invited everybody into his container. I didn't go, not because I dislike being in a container but because I had to prepare for a presentation of our project later in the evening. The last thing we did was having a meal in a restaurant with a very odd interior design. We were the only guests. By the way, talking about food: there's no lunch made for us anymore at the museum, we are obviously too many now. So, I will look deeply into the root beet souo across the street many times this week. Love it!posted: 2009-10-21 09:05:37 Back in Sweden......for a couple of days. Arrived in Gotheburg last night, after a short stop in Riga. Been working today at the uni. Good to be back among the students, I always miss them when I'm away. Tomorrow afternoon we will have a meeting with the students that are coming with us to Kaunas and the SHELTER project next week. It will be very interesting to see what they will create in the scaffolding house we have created in the museum. More reports next week!posted: 2009-10-13 20:53:39 SaturdayBedtime. Watched German tv. (Germany won the football match against Russia.) Alone in my room for the first time, Silja went back to Finland earlier today. I've had a nice dinner - turkey - in the Old Town together with Anne Stabell from Norway. She arrived yesterday evening and today she moved into the shelter. Yesterday evening we were all invited to Virginija's home 15 mins' taxi drive from Kaunas center. Scott, Glenn, Carol, Ed, Tracy, Ruth, Lina, Silja, Anne, Egle, Monika and more. Nice food & wine, nice talk. And a very nice house. Didn't fall asleep until after 2 o'clock. It has been very cold today in the museum, I've got that feeling in my face I remember from childhood, when I've been out skiing for a couple of hours. Fortunately there's lot of work to do and a lot of climbing up and down the ladder to the second floor of the scaffolding. I've made the ceiling and the back wall in my cell. Looks good/weird. Tomorrow will be the last day for this round. I'm going to Gothenburg on Monday. Well, good night!posted: 2009-10-10 22:43:02 Thursday, week 2This morning I opened the internet site for one of the biggest Swedish newspapers. The top news is obviously that the vaccine for the swine flu now is arriving! Really, I had totally forgot about that flu! Here in Lithuania I've been watching CNN, BBC, a couple of German TV news stations and I've also looked at the images on the Lithuanian and a Russian news. Nothing about the flu what so ever!posted: 2009-10-08 08:26:33 Another day......is almost over in Kaunas. I'm pretty tired and decided to stay at the hotel when the others (Ed, Vita, Silja...) went to a special little restaurant in the old town. The days at the gallery are filled with work, interaction and Cepelinjas. Don't know what that is? See http://images.google.com/imgres? imgurl=http://z.about.com/d/easteurope anfood/1/I/o/N/-/- /zeppelin19.jpg&imgrefurl=http://easteur opeanfood.about.com/od/lithuaniannoodl es/r/zeppelins.htm&usg=__- KfbSr8YlAkoINFFC4lYuFzX4tU=&h=210&w =210&sz=20&hl=sv&start=13&sig2=3kBX q12_R0IglKCibGiWxg&um=1&tbnid=- ZVTlacuZBdoOM:&tbnh=106&tbnw=106& prev=/images%3Fq%3Dzeppelinjas%252Bli thuania%26hl%3Dsv%26client%3Dsafari%26 rls%3Den%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1&ei=cu7 MSvYYktCaA9650coF So - now I will enjoy a youghurt, tea & some tv show dubbed to german... Good night!posted: 2009-10-07 21:45:59 Day 8. :)(Actually I think it's Day 7, but who counts. Besides Juliette.) Yesterday I bought two armchairs at a market to which Monika, our local producer, took us. They are perfect in my compartment in the SHELTER construction! I had to sit in the trunk of her car back to the gallery, as a punishment. So - Peter, maybe you would consider coming and get the exhibition back with the help of a small or medium sized truck??? Today national TV has interviewed us. Very nice people. Earlier local TV has visited our SHELTER, and also some newspapers. I've also learned that the biennale is on Facebook, but I haven't seen it. More artists has joined: Silja from Finland and Egle from Lithuania. We are still waiting for Ausra & Monika & Loreta & Severija from Lithuania, Anne from Norway, Anet from Denmark & 5 students from HDK. Our project is rfeally huge and covers a big part of the gallery. Today Scott from USA started to install his interactive digital project in the Picture Gallery. He also gave a lecture to Kaunas art students which I attended. (Sorry, Scott, that I was a couple of minutes late but I just HAD to rush along Freedom Street, the long pedestrian road, to a haberdasher's shop. Forgot how LONG that road is...) Scott's work is about migration, identity, borders, bounderies... Read more on http://www.bienale.lt/2009/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=82 %3Ar11&catid=39%3Arezidencijos&Itemid =89&lang=en Soon Monika from Estonia will talk about her work here in the hotel lobby where I'm sitting now. She will talk about her art practice & her project here at the bienale. Eventually, I will do the same. But not tonight. Bye for now!posted: 2009-10-05 18:21:49 Ok, later Day 4...I have to say this day has been perfect! Good progress in the gallery, nice people around us. BUT! I'm so DISTRACTED by the fact that the city for the Olympics of 2016 is going to be decided. Is it today??? Can't understand the Lithuanian news. Please, text me, anyone!!! Bye, have to go.posted: 2009-10-02 16:46:14 Day 4 - (breakfast drama...)This morning we realized that we have for three days with great enthusiasm provided us from the wrong breakfast buffé! The biennale is sponsored by the very nice hotel we are staying at (Regal Hotel Neris), but artists are reduced to the continental breakfast - not the full! Which is really full, of everything! But we didn't know. Sorry. Yesterday was also full of everything: The official opening of the workshop part of the biennale, with speaches an cutting of ribbon and acknowledgements and all, press meating, first interaction with visitors and finally two openings of satellite exhibitions - one with Lithuanian textile art (very good!) and one with the brilliant Polish artists & professor Włodzimierz Cygan. I'm very fascinated by his way of weaving, it's not like anything else! The day ended with a nice meal together with three artists from Serbia, among them Nena Skoko who we know from before. We went to that place in the old town where they brew their own honeybeer. I had fish and Birgitta had garlic soup (!) which stopped her from talking for the rest of the night. Even I had an onion ending of the day: I had bought what I assumed was a small natural youghurt at a Rimi supermarket. I opened it in bed, together with a nice cup of tea. It turned up to be Onion Cottage Cheese... Yesterday was very rainy and cold. Today the sun is shining. We will do some work now at the hotel room before we go to the gallery at 11. Everything is fun and we are enjoying ourselves!posted: 2009-10-02 08:13:30 Day 2 in KaunasYesterday afternoon we visited the museum, Kaunas Picture Gallery, where our art project SHELTER will take place. A huge scaffolding construction was erected on our behalf and we are going to move into it together, all 15 artists involved. (5 Nordic, 5 Lithuanian, 5 Swedish students). Like living in a safety house, a shelter or maybe a doll's house. Each of us will furnish a compartment with some kind of textiles. Several other projects will take place in this gallery and even more in the bigger Zilinskas gallery near by! Added to all this, a long list of textile art exhibitions are being arranged all over the city. So - we are looking forward to many days, weeks even, of hard work, interaction with the art public and nice and exiting openings of art shows! Yesterday evening we strolled down to the old town for a nice meal. We went early to bed (after struggling with the sound from the tv which was too low in the hotel room but shocking loud in the bathroom...) Now we have just finished a really luxery breakfast. We are soon off to buy some things we need for our project. (No, no souvenier shopping - yet.) At noon we will meet some of the Lithuanian artists. So - more later!posted: 2009-09-30 08:25:29 Biennale in KaunasI have just arrived to Kaunas, Lithuania, together with my friend and collegue Birgitta. We will take part in the textile biennale here, with a project called SHELTER which includes 13 more artists! Read abour the event on www.bienale.lt It will be great fun and an adventure. More later!posted: 2009-09-29 15:17:23 ArticleToday I got an article in the mail, sent to me by Lars, the manager of Kalmar Castle. It was a review of my exhibition. Very nice reading. Have a look at www.ostran.se/kultur_noeje/oeverdaadig _bar ockposted: 2009-08-14 13:23:36 Kalmar CastleI’m sitting on the bed in a cute little room in a cute little hotel near by the Kalmar Castle, where I will have an opening of an exhibition tomorrow. Kalmar castle is a real fairytale castle, where you easily can imagine knights on horses, kings and queens hiding from enemies (well, I’m not very good at history, I’m just IMAGINING!), waterfilled moats, bridges, and Robin Hood-like characters rescuing the good people and defeating the bad guys. I’ve met some good guys these last two days. Especially Micke and André who helped me with the difficult hanging of my tapestries on these extremely sensitive and delicate ancient walls! Thanks! Now I’m relaxing, watching tv, listening to a jazz concert in the distance, treating an aching back and sore feet. (It’s a hard work to handle the biggest of my taperstries!) My latest piece, called ”Definitely Gold” has been kind of lost for a couple of days by the way. It was supposed to arrive to the castle on Wednesday, but it didn’t show up. It left HV Gallery in Stockholm on Monday. The transporting company had no idea about anything. But this morning it showed up. Hallelujah! Always a drama! I’m looking forward to the opening tomorrow. See www.kalmarslott.se for more info!posted: 2009-06-26 20:05:46 First HDK semesterI have now done a little bit more than one semester as professor at HDK in Gothenburg. I've spent every second week at the school and in my cosy little appartment on Hönö. (I have the most gorgeous landlord and landlady, Bengt and Evy!) It has been a very interesting time, with a lot of talk and thinking about textile art and how to produce it, show it, develop it, challenge it. I look forward to next semester. I know a little bit more now, what to do and what not to do. This summer will be full of tapestry weaving for my part. And hopefully some sun, some nice day trips and good moments with family and friends.posted: 2009-06-14 10:14:14 Heading for Stockholm......tomorrow morning, and a small exhibition at HV Gallery on Djurgårn. I'm showing my latest piece, Definitely Gold, for a couple of weeks. Read more about the HV project on http://www.hv-atelje.composted: 2009-01-15 21:37:58 A trip to ParisAcadémie des Beaux-Arts Institut de France arranged a two day conference with the title "Tapisserie contemporaine et art textile en Europe". No, I'm not pretending to be French spoken. The title was also "Contemporary tapestry and textile art in Europe". Everything was translated to English or French. It was very interesting to be present and listen to the presentations and discussions. Sheila Hicks was there. And Marcel Marois from Canada. Anet Brusgaard from Denmark, Thomas Cronenberg from Germany. Laima from Lithuania and Velta from Latvia. Marika from Belgium, Ibolya from Hungary, Katherine from France... And many more whom I've never met before. France is like the Motherland of Tapestry, so of course it was a special feeling to be able to attend this conference. I arrived Sunday evening and left Tuesday evening. So, I didn't have time to look around so much. I hope to be back in Paris soon!posted: 2008-12-05 14:43:47 Fun in Denmark!I've just been a couple of days in Denmark, together with textile art students and collegues! We were in Aalborg at the opening of ARTAPESTRY 2 on Friday afternoon. Nina Hobolth (museum director), Thomas Cronenberg (artist & in the organizing board) and I gave speeches. You can read more about the event on http://www.nordjyllandskunstmuseum.dk/Default.aspx?ID=1136 The next day we went all the way to Copenhagen and a guided tour to The Christiansborgs castle, and The Queens Gobelins, designed by Bjoern Noergaard. An amazing suite of tapestries made at Le Gobelins in Paris for the Danish Queens 50th anniversary. More on http://www.bjoernnoergaard.dk/gobeliner/index_eng.html After that, we rushed on to a city bus that took us - for free! - to the studio of tapestry artist Anet Bruusgaard. She does amazing tapestries in a technique very close to the Gobelins/Aubusson style. I think it was great for the students to see SO MUCH tapestry in such a short time. And with so many different approaches to the technique!posted: 2008-11-11 10:48:28 Visiting ProfessorNow my professorship in textile art is formally confirmed. It's a part time assignment for three years at The University of Gothenburg, School of Craft & Design. And I'm very happy for it! The basic idea is that I will be in Gothenburg every second week, and focus on my own art practice the weeks in between. I've rented the cutest little appartment on Hönö, an island outside Gothenburg, where I will have a good time during the HDK weeks. I'm very exited about the whole project. Wish me luck!posted: 2008-10-26 00:00:00 Aha, local TV, ok...I wasn't really prepared for a video camera, but, who cares... If you want to watch (!!!), go to http://tbtv.tb.no/player/?id=5473 I had a great meeting this afternoon with Anne Stabell, a Norwegian textile artist. We have met a couple of times, in China. It was inspiring to have her as the very first visitor in the exhibition. She gave me choclate smelling flowers from her garden! Thanks, Anne! I look forward to tomorrow, and the opening!posted: 2008-09-05 19:06:02 Another day in NorwayI realise that I'm pretty tired, from working really hard for...a year. Yesterday, at the hotel, I went into the shower with my underware on. It felt different. But today I feel fine, went to bed very early yesterday. And I'm very happy with the exhibition, it looks good. Some of my really big tapestries don't hang perfect on the wall, I have to do something about that. Later. Right now I just have to accept it and don't talk about it with everybody and draw attention to it. Now I'm off to the museum. The press is invited at noon, let's see if anyone shows up.posted: 2008-09-05 09:09:54 Building the exhibitionJust had a nice breafas at the Maritim Hotel in Tønsberg, where the museum is located. Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. It's raining, but I will ignore that and take a walk uphill to the huge museum building now. My tapestries arrived yesterday, and we will start hanging them now. I'm very exited about Definitey Gold, since it's brand new and never have been up on a wall before. I really hope it will look ok...posted: 2008-09-04 09:22:59 Exhibition in NorwayRight now I'm in the cafeteria on a ferry from Moss to Horten, in Norway, heading for Vestfolds Kunstmuseum Haugar. On Saturday a show with my tapestries will open at two o'clock. See www.haugar.composted: 2008-09-03 22:12:20 Newcastle - SydneyThis is the evening of my last day in Australia - and I've spent it in Sydney! After my visit to Newcastle uni yesterday, I took the train to Sydney (2 h). I'd booked a room at a hotel in Darling Harbour. Which was sooo nice! I had dinner and just relaxed in my room. Watched tv, made tea, listened to an audio book, made plans for today. I decided to get a ticket for one of those hop-on hop-off buses you know, just to be able to get around and see all the places I wanted to see. And it worked out perfectly. I've been absolutely everywhere! Around the city, but also to the beaches, like Bondi and Bronte. Beautiful weather and beautiful views! I ended up at Circular Quay, where the Opera House is. Took a ferry from there back to Darling Harbour. In the sunset. You can't believ how beautiful it was, with the opera house and the Harbour Bridge and all the boats and ferries! Made me almost cry. An absolutely perfect ending of this Australia trip. I'm just sorry I didn't have the time and/or the energy to get in contact with either Mona or Penny. But I hope it will be another time, soon! Now I'm back at the hotel. Bought a chicken wrap instead of an expensive hotel dinner. And booked an airport shuttle bus for tomorrow. I think Sydney is absolutely great! But I look forward to be on my way back home soon...posted: 2008-05-08 12:38:24 Canberra - NewcastleOn Sunday I landed in Australia - mentally. I took the morning off, even if I should have been at a seminar, and went to National Museum of Australia. I've been there before, 5 years ago. It's a very special place, very "busy and loud", visually. But I like it, and it has a lot of useful info about Australia and the Australian way of living. In the afternoon I listened to a seminar about community tapestries. Later, Brett and I took a taxi to the airport, climbed into a very small plane and took off for Newcastle. It was really nice to be back in Brett's and Mark's house again. Feels like home. On Monday I just browsed around in the city and in one of the shopping malls. Took a walk along the harbour. Tuesday was great - a winyard tour in Hunter Valley!!! First stop - Lindeman's! (All of you who have noticed our wine preferences will understand how exiting that was.) There were four of us + a driver/guide in a mini bus. Very exclusive tour. Two ladies from a travel agency in Brisbane, a girl from Taiwan (who never had tasted wine before and didn't really like it, exept the sweet desert ones) + me. It was very fun and informal - at least after the second winery... Absolute beautiful landscape and a marvelous weather! Lucky me. In the evening Brett & Mark took me to a seafood restaurant with a beautiful harbour view. That was my last night in Newcastle. Wednesday was busy, at the university. I met some really interesting people, like the head of school of art, and people in charged of a very interesting project on Art & Health!!!posted: 2008-05-08 01:13:31 Another DayIt's early morning here in Canberra, still dark outside. In Sweden it's Friday evening yesterday. (Talking about outside: Yesterday when I went to the School of Art, I saw a large group of extremely big white parrots in a park! Like our crows or pigeons!) I've been awake for an hour, thinking of what to have for breakfast...Hope they have those lovely porched eggs they had yesterday...and that youghurt with melon cubes...Mmmm, I'm very hungry! Actually I've been kind of hungry all the time here. I've still not been able to buy food to keep in my room. Been to busy. I went for a quick walk to some shops one day, but I had only time for the most important shopping: A hairbrush! My hairproblems increased, and after I've worked through it for an hour with my extra toothbrush I realised I just had to get a brush. The comb I'd cut out from a piece of cardboard wasn't strong enought. I'm not very much of a Robinson Crusoe person. Well, yesterday morning the seminar with all the lectures started in the lecture theatre the ANU School of Art. I was the first one on the list, which I think was good. The rest of the day I could relax and enjoy the other speakers. It felt like a privilage to listen to so many interesting talks, all related in one way or another to tapestry. Both historical and contemporary. In the evening there was a reception at the Art Gallery of the school, focused on the Lao exhibition which is one of the displays related to the Tapestry 2008 conference. Valerie Kirk, who runs the textile department, has a very close connection to Laos. At the reception many Lao people were present, both textile related and diplomats. So - we drank wine, ate nice and tastey things that was carried around on trays, and talked. It was a big crowd. Afterwards many of them were having dinner at a Lao restaurant, but I went back to the hotell. I was sleepy, and I thought that I might try to get into the restaurant. Maybe there would be an emty seat close to the exit or so. It was. I had a mushroom soup and some fish with rice. At lunchtime I didn't eat much. We were served a very delishes sub sandwich, but I had problems eating it because so many people wanted to aske me things because of my talk. Wich was very nice. Ok, time for a shower and those porched eggs! And then another day of lectures.posted: 2008-05-03 00:00:00 Day...4?Yesterday and today I've taken part in the master class on Peruan pre-colombian tapestry weaving. Susan and Archie are very skilled at this certain way of doing things - for example creating a weft with four selvedges! We got this task to create in frog(!!!) in this special technique. Without doing any drawing or anything. I did my frog twice - it became too vague the first time. The warp is just 8 centimeters wide, but it took me the whole day anyway. Today we were supposed to do another frog in another Peruan technique. But I had to leave by lunchtime and get back to the hotel - I just couldn't keep my eyes open! I'm totally jetlagged. So I slept all afternoon, and was awake all night...Now it's 5'o clock in the morning. Been working with my powerpoint for Friday's lecture. Now I will have a cup of tea and try to sleep for 2 hours or so. Happy valborgsmässoafton!posted: 2008-04-30 21:23:59 Australia, Day 2Got finally to Canberra yesterday evening, but it took for ever! TWO (!) flights were cancelled, due to broken aircrafts. Doesn't sound very good if yoy ask me. I flew with Quantas from Frankfurt, but this short trip was with Virgin Blue. All passengers got a voucher for food and drinks. 6 AUD. I spent my on a glass champage. Just to cheer things up! And I planned to have a nice and long dinner in Canberra later. Finally we took off, around 5 o'clock, and landed an hour later. When I waited for my bag, a young woman came up to me and asked if we should share a taxi in to the city. I had talked a little with her at the airport. (Just very little, things like "what did they say in the loadspeaker THIS time?" It was so hard to get the information. Finally I approached one of the girls at the Virgin Blue desk, from where they constantly had to give us bad news about our flight, and asked her to repeat the message. "I don't understand", I said, "because I'm an Alien!" I just tried to be professional, I've learned that's what foreigners are formally called - in United States. This girl looked at me with a look in her eyes that said: "Ok, that's it, I've had enough!) Anyway, the woman who wanted to share a cab was German. I said yes of course, and asked her where she was staying. At YMCA, she answered. And she told me that she worked for the government. I was surprised, and thought it was a little cheap of the government to let her stay at YMCA. I didn't dare to ask if she ment the Australian or the German government... We decided to split the cost to her place, and I would go on to the uni in the cab. When she got off (after finished singing "Klappa händerna när du är riktigt glad" to me, which she learnt from some Swedish packpackers in Perth), it turned out that she didn't have any cash. I'm staying at Unihouse, which is a hotel, sort of, on the campus site. I like it. A big room which a closet looking like prop from Narnia. It's a bit far from the city center though. I checked in and asked for the restaurant. It was fully booked! I asked for a shop of some kind, to buy some bread and fruit or whatever (Damn I spent that voucher on champagne!) Sorry, no. Vending machine? A what...aha, no sorry. "So you mean I have to eat the peanuts in the minibar for dinner after a 30 hours trip, hehe?" Yes. Sorry. I took a bath, ate the peanuts, and texted Brett. He wrote back: "Ask the reception to help you order some take away!" Of course. I dried my hair with the dryer, realised I've forgotten my hairbrush. Tried to comb the hair with a pencil. Didn't look good. So I went to bed. Slept 4 hours. Noticed that I've got a text message from Linus: "Mom, I've just seen your look alike. Very creepy!" Yes. Maybe I'm not in Australia after all. Now I've just had a very nice breakfast. Very tired though. Soon off for Archie & Susan's masterclass. If there's a slide lecture, I will maybe fall a sleep. No, that must NOT happen! Better drink another cup of the instant coffee I found in the Narnia closet together with a kettle. I've paid 10 dollars per day extra to get internet. So - more later!posted: 2008-04-29 00:56:41 Australia!Wow, once again do I have the privilege to visit Australia! There will be a conference in Canberra, at ANU (Australian National University)with the title Tapestry 2008. Actually I'm almost there. Well, I'm stuck in Sydney for the moment, but at least, after 25 hours flight, I'm at the right continent. The 11 hours from Frankfurt to Singapore was nothing compared to 7,5 hours at Sydney airport! The flight to Canberra was first delayed, then canceled. Doesn't really matter, I just have to be in the right spot tomorrow morning...But I have problems staying awake. (Compared with the babies in the waiting crowd, they have problems falling asleep. At least I'm not crying.) And the bag with the computer becomes heavier and heavier... But it's great to be here!!! I heard a romour that it's 11 degrees C in Canberra. Like home...?!posted: 2008-04-28 00:00:00 Women's Day!I celebrated The International Women's Day on the 8th of March together with a group of women in Olofströms Folkets Hus. I was invited to show slides of my work and my sources of inspiration and femail role models. It was a great joy to meet old friends and share some thoughts with them!posted: 2008-03-10 14:49:43 Linköping UniversityOn March the 6th I took the train to Linköping and gave a lecture at the university, about my work and it's relation to time, patiance, craft skill...posted: 2008-03-10 14:45:24 Micala SidoreThis morning I said goodbye to Micala, a tapestry artist and writer from Massachusetts, US, who spent a night in our house. She is travelling in Europe for as couple of weeks, visiting textile artists and workshops. It was such a pleasure to get to know you, Micala, I hope we'll meet again soon! Micalas homepage: www.hawleystreet.composted: 2008-03-02 21:06:14 Artapestry juryI had the very big privilage to be in the jury for Artatapestry 2, a European Tapestry Exhibition, touring museums in Europe. In the jury was: Dr. Edit Andras, Art historian, Hungary, Prof. Wlodzimierz Cygan, Tapestry artist, Poland, Fiona Mathison, Tapestry artist, Scotland, Bernard Schotter, Administrateur général du du Mobilier National et des Manufactures Nationales des Gobelins de Beauvais et des Savonnerie, France, and myself. I absolutely loved the discussions and struggle to make an exhibition as interesting as possible. I met really great people! Read about the project at ww.tapestry.dk/ARTAPESTRY%202008.pdf The exhibition opens in November 2008 and will travel to at least 3 other venues in Europe.posted: 2008-03-02 20:58:48 Culture Café talkYesterday evening, in a rainy Sölvesborg, I visited the culture café that takes place in the art hall once a month. I showed some images and talked about what I've been up to last year. A very nice crowd! Met some collegues and former students, wich was fun!posted: 2008-01-24 08:01:17 Lecture at HDKOn Wednesday the 9th of January I took the train to Gothenburg. I was invited by Professor Nina Bondesson to give a master forum lecture at HDK, which is the School of Craft & Design at the University of Gothenburg. It's always nice to return to the institution where I spent 5 very good years in the late 80's and early 90's... I also spent the night on Hönö (Chicken Island!) with my friend Birgitta Nordström and her family. Met their dog Grim for the first time which was a very nice experience. And also for the first time I entered into Birgitta's new studio which she has built in their garden - practically with her own hands. I am very impressed and very happy for her!posted: 2008-01-14 13:07:43 Lithuanian Drama...I´m back from Kaunas, Lithuania, and have been back for a week. It was a great art experience - but a really traumatic experience otherwise. A very good friend of mine, was attacked at midnight after the opening ceremony. He was hit in the face, and kicked in his head when lying down. Happely, he survived. with a broken nose, some scares in his face and a really bad experience. Things kind of changed... I mean, the priorities... Anyway, The Kaunas Project is absolutely the best!posted: 2008-01-02 00:00:00 Got an Award Today!I'm really happy for the Region Blekinge Culture Award I got today! You can read about it at http://www.blt.se/nyheter/olofstrom/annika-ekdahl-far-region-blekinges-kulturpris(370986).gm It's really great with that kind of support I got from my home region! Thanks!!!posted: 2007-12-12 20:09:11 Textile 07, LithuaniaTomorrow I'm departing for Kaunas in Lithuania, where the international textile art biannual is having the grand opening on Friday. I look forward to it very much, it's always a pleasure to meet the Lithuanian artists and all other participants from around the world. Brett Alexander, for example, from Australia... I'll tell you more about everything when I get back home next week!posted: 2007-11-28 10:30:56 Weaving pro's visitingToday 27 ladies, all of them very skilled weavers, visited me. They came walking through all the yellow and red autumn leaves falling around my house, with a beautiful red orchid as a gift. They all belong to a weving socity having a meeting today close to where I live. Loved to have them here!posted: 2007-10-06 15:31:26 A trip to WarsawSeptember 20-22 I spent in Warsaw, Poland, together with curator Torun Ekstrand, artists Helene Hortlund, Malgorzata Markiewicz & Julita Wojcik. We were planning for the project "Stitch Together" that will take place on October 18 - on the ferry between Sweden and Poland! This event is supported by Stena Line, The Polish Institute in Stockholm and Blekinge Museum. It will be an adventure! (It was also an adventure to sleep in a guest room in an old medical library & museum in Warsaw since all hotel rooms were occupied. The library was garded in the night by a man sleeping in a collapsible bed and equipped with a tv set, a blanket, a pillow and a very small, black kitten.)posted: 2007-10-01 14:38:03 First Prize in Riga!On the 6th of July I attended the opening of the 3rd Textile and Fibre Art Triennial in Riga, Latvia. I participated with the tapestry "The Theatre in the Park".(You can check on www.annikaekdahl.se/binoculars.php?ImId=2 if you want to see the tapestry.) There were prizes and awards - and I won the first prize! I was so surprised and happy! The prize was a very beautiful, special designed piece of jewellery and a diploma. And: A one man show at The Museum of Decorative Arts adn Design! Sometime in the future! I love that special place. It used to be an old church before it was turned into an exhibition space. Goes perfectly wit my tapestries. The triennial was in another and bigger museum, Arsenals, the fine art museum. And it was a great show1 Very beautifully exposed, with a good cathalogue. I really love these events. Meeting friends and collegues from all over the world, making new acquaintances, strolling around in towns and cities abroad. Riga is a very interesting place, I've been there a couple of times before. And Old Riga has really become a tourist magnet! It was absolutely crowded1 I stayed at a small and nice hotel which I found on the internet. It happened to be located close to BOTH an airport bus stop AND the museum, just at the edge of Old Riga! I spent some good time with Kari Guddal from Copenhagen, a very skilled and clever tapestry artist, and her very nice and fun husband Herbert. And I met Silja from Finland and Laima and Lina from Lithuania and Kazuyo from Japan and Inyul from Korea... And of course all artists and organizers from Riga. Ieva, Edite, Velta, Alida... The next day there was a seminar at a hotel, with some really interesting speeches. I also made a short speech, you can read it if you want to. Look at www.annikaekdahl.se/press/speech_riga_07.pdf if you want to read it. Well, I had a great time in Riga!posted: 2007-09-07 00:00:00 A week in BerlinI've just returned back home from Berlin. My friend Birgitta Nordström (www.birgittanordstrom.se) has a studio there for three month - which of course is of great joy even for her family and friends :)! She showed me everything in this city; museums, coffee places, monuments, bus stops, churches, subway entrences, railway stations, galleries, restaurants, shops... We were on the move 24/7. I think everybody will understand that I just HAD to buy new and comfortable shoes - twice! We also went by train to Kassel and Documenta - a huge exhibition of contemporary art taking place every fifth year, since 1955. We stayed for two days and saw almost everything. Loved it! Have a look at www.documenta12.de and see for yourself! Thanks Birgitta, for being such a great artist that you got this Berlin grant!posted: 2007-07-03 10:46:11 Form/Design Center in MalmöMy tapestry "The Baroque Party" is this summer a part of an exhibition at Form/ Design Center, Lilla Torg, Malmö. The title is HANDICRAFT TAKING SHAPE (SLÖJDEN TAR FORM) and shows the meeting between handicraft and design in many different ways. About 50 designers and artists are taking part. Look at www.formdesigncenter.com/html/slojden% 20tar%20form.htmlposted: 2007-06-20 10:20:27 Ildikó DobrányiIn the mail today I got a letter from the family of Ildikó Dobrányi, a very gifted Hungarian tapestry artist. Ildikó died in Budapest on the 5th of May, 59 years old. She was the founder and president of the Association of Hungarian Tapestry Artists. I'm so sorry for her family and friends.posted: 2007-06-12 11:47:39 External opponentMay 21-22 I'm invited as an opponent on Bachelor Degree's projects at the University of Borås, School of Textiles. Together with Maria Käld, Finland.posted: 2007-05-20 14:25:43 Articles in local papersYesterday there were two articles about my work, one in BLT and one in Sydöstran, http://www.sydostran.se/index. 54233---1.htmlposted: 2007-02-27 08:47:33 Radio interviewToday I met with Leila Rudelius, a freelance radio reporter. She maid an interview for the regional radio channel.posted: 2007-01-26 13:28:26 Article on the webThe DN article from January 20 is now on the intenet. www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp? d=2206&a=609215posted: 2007-01-25 06:23:07 Today's DAGENS NYHETERIn today's DN, the culture department, is an article about me and my work written by Malin Vessby. I'm really happy about that!posted: 2007-01-20 16:41:14 ArticleIn the beginning of January was the deadline for a short article I wrote for the news magazine SOND at the Växjö University, The Design Program.posted: 2007-01-17 22:11:30 Opponent on Design ProgramOn November 22 I will opponent on a presentation of a project at the design program, Växjö University. The students have been working on the color theme. The title is "Hommage á Gerrit Rietveld". It will be fun, I have never visited that program before. (I'm not an expert, have to do some research...but Gerrit Rietveld - isn't that the Dutch architect guy who made the red blur chair? And the zig zag dito...?"posted: 2006-11-20 22:03:23 End of exhibitionNow the exhibition "Darlings" in Gothenburg is over. Yesterday I was at the gallery to get my things. It has been great, a lot of visitors according to the gallery owner. I'm happy for the opportunity to show my work in this city!posted: 2006-11-17 10:41:03 Article in NorwayIf you go to http:// www.metallicavocado.com/projects/ tekstilkunst2006.pdf (and if you can read Norwegian!) you will find the latest issue of the Norwegian magasin Tekstilkunst (Textile Art) with an article about my work...posted: 2006-11-09 08:26:44 Exhibition in GothenburgOn Saturday October 28 my show "Darlings" opens at Galleri Anna H in Gothenburg. Aschenbergsgatan 19. You are all very welcome!posted: 2006-10-20 16:22:08 Quit my uni job!I've handed in my resignation to Blekinge Institute of Technology, the university where I've been working part time for the last 4,5 years. Why? because of the grant I got! I love the interaction with all the great students - but I love my art practise even more.posted: 2006-10-16 09:23:29 WebcamThe place where I will show my tapestries tomorrow has a webcam. I will srtat working with the one-day-exhibition at 8am. medieteknik.bth.se/ostrapiren/ galleri/ webcam1.php (I think you have to type it in)posted: 2006-10-06 16:34:21 1 day exhibition"Darlings" is the name of a one day exhibition with my tapestries that will take place at Blekinge Institute of technology, Campus Karlshamn. It's an arrangement connected to The Night of Culture, held every year in this town. Starts at noon, at 6 pm I will talk about the pieces, and at 10pm it's all over.posted: 2006-10-06 16:13:57 GOT BIG GRANT TODAY!WOW, I'm really happy! The Swedish Arts Grants Committee has distributed grants. I got one! FOR FIVE YEARS!!! And after that I can apply for another five years. See www.konstnarsnamnden.se. Can you imagine how happy I am? It really means a lot to me & for my art practice. Even though I applied for a grant, I'm so SURPRISED! And such a HUGE one! Champagne, s’il vous plaît!posted: 2006-10-04 20:16:29 Summing it up.My trip to New York, Philadelphia & Washington has been wonderful. On the airplane from Iceland to US, two weeks ago, an American lady asked: "Are you going on vacation, or seeing family, or in business?" I told her: All three! And that's how it is. I've been The Perfect Tourist, I've visited my beloved son Ola, and - for the first time - I've been lecturing. I'm SO happy with the whole project! And I've made new friends, seen new places, learned a lot of new things about NY. It's definitely my Special Place. I'll be back in a year or so.posted: 2006-10-04 19:53:26 NY diary, last days.I'm back home in Sweden! Had some internet problems my two last days in NY, wrote down some stuff in my note book instead. Here it is: Day 14 Went down to Greenwich Vikkage, to get the business cards I ordered the second day. With just my website address on! (I'm so cool. :-) It turned out that they were not cut. Surprise. Went to a printing place. They wanted many dollars for cutting the cards - the I-not-speak-English-trick didn't help. But they showed the confused European woman with the odd catds to a paper cutting thing were I could do it myself for free. So - now I have a bunch of cards in differnet sizes, with the text on different places. Got a bit of the Ära-vare- Gud-i-höjden-detta-har-jag-gjort-i- slöjden feeling when I looked at the result. Not so cool. Anyway, I had the most wonderful late lunch with Jaqui afterwards. At a French, really cosy place at 7th Ave. My first hamburger at this trip! It's really a different thing from the McDonald version of a the H! The waiter asked: "How do you want it, rare, medium or well done?" Have never been asked that at Taxigrillen i Olofström. "And do you want green cheese bread with it?" We shared a hamburger and also a plate with mussels. The bartender suggested rose wine to go with this strange mix of food. She came with to different brands for us to taste. Jaqui know the owner. ("The wine is on me!") And the bartender girl. (Who showed us photos of an enormous bruise on her bottom...Quite a new experience at a restaurant.) After lunch I rushed up to Guggenheim and had a look at the Zaha Hadid exhibiton that has been this summer's big thing at this museum. She's a very famous female architect. I think she's originally from Iran. But doesn't she live in UK? Have to check at www.zaha-hadid.com. Suddenly I remembered an important thing: Yu ZhanHui from Beijing is in New York right now, studying at New York University. I know that from an Albuquerque (yes I've checked the spelling!) artist i know, Nancy Kozikowski. I emailed ZhanHui (pronounced John Way) and told her about tomorrows lecture. It would be great if she showed up. Day 15 She showed up! 1 minute before I started my slideshoe at School of Visual Art, where The Handweaver's Guild of New York meet, she rushed in throught the door. We haven't seen each other for 4 years, in Beijing. Also Ola and Jaqui were there. Ola's present made me a little nervous - I don't think he has ever listened to me when I talk about my art practice. (He said he liked it, he's such a good son!) It all went good. Very nice people - also two Swedish ladies. It's my last night here. And, yes! - We're going to the opening of "The Queen" movie! Last day. Yesterday, after the movie (which was good, Helen Mirren is super!) we brought home the most wonderful chicken soup I've ever had! From a Chinese restaurant. Today: Ground Zero day. Have to look at how much it has changed since last time. I will catch an airport bus around 3 o'clock, from Grand Central Station to JFK Airport. Sad to leave. Glad to get back home to Peter. Oh...yes, that's right. He's going to Croatia on Wednesday... Well. Have to feed the cats then.posted: 2006-10-04 19:28:51 Day 13It's Friday and it's my 13th day here. That's GOOD luck, right? Yes, I went for the boat ride yesterday. Walked all the way to Pier 83, by Hudson River. The line to the ticket booth was SO LONG - I thought I should miss it all. But suddenly I guy approached me (German, I think, from the accent) and said: "We have an extra ticket, You get it for half the price". So - I got onboard! The ride went on for 3 hours, all around Manhattan. It was great, aspecially to see what the island is like on the north east side, where you never get as a tourist or a temporary visitor. It was amazingly green up there. And also south from Manhattan, around The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, is nice to be. The water was pretty crowded, with tourist boats, sailor's, rowing exercise in project (I know, it sounds like British boarding school. Looked like it too.) Also the air was populated. By helicopters. The Police, sightseeing, and news helicopters. (Two days ago, went I got back tyo Ola's, the police had blocked 7th anevue between 22nd and 23rd. And the air was full of helicopters. Well, at least three. I told Ola, and he said that the helicopters probably were media. And it was. The police left half an hour later, we never got was it was about. But it surely made a mess in the traffic.) There was a guide on the boat. Or a tour leader. He had like a captain's uniform on, but were a real entertainer. Walked around the ship with a michrophone, telling about Manhattan, his private life and US history, in a total mixture (he moverd here 22 years ago from Pittsburgh...). We went under 20 bridges, I think. Ok, my internet access time is running out... (Starbucks again. Coffee and fruitsallad for breakfast.)posted: 2006-09-29 15:59:23 NY diary, day...12Anita Grede has been in the city, on her way from Philadelphia to Houston. The idea was that she should come with me to Mt Kisco. But we have had such ridiculously huge problems getting in contact with each other - despite the fact that we both had mobiles! The cellphone I borrowed didn't work for a couple of days. And Anita had problems recharging hers. Finally, yesterday we met! Anita said: "Isn't it strange: In Sweden, in two different old vicarages in the countryside, two men are sitting alone, while their wifes - both tapestry artists - are running around Manhattan, trying to find each other..." We had a very nice lunch at Rockefeller Plaza (the name of the artist who made the big steel plate mirror over there is Anish Kapoor, by the way. Have a look at http:// www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/archives/ 003711.html). And a coffee after that at Starbucks. Anita is leaving NY today. It would have been fun to have her along to The Handweaver's Guild in Westchester. I showed them a couple of photos from Anita's exhibition - they just loved her pieces. The nice people I met up there, asked a lot of questions, mostly about technoque. I told about my way of doing things, my way of tapestry weaving. It involves a little bit more work, is a little bit more time consuming. But - I've said it many times: If we want things quick and easy we should not choose the tapestry technique in the first place. We should rent a movie or something instead. Sleep, maybe. And also: Life is too short to waiste people's time (and your own) with making and showing boring and predictable tapestries. So - developing the technique, to be able to do what ever you want with it and through it, is crucial in this business. Mt Kisco was a really nice little town. Like an American Olofström, but less than an hour from New York. We had lunch at a very cosy restaurant called...what was it? The Happy Pig? The Lucky Pig? The Flying Pig, I think. Actually I think I even ate pig... It was some kind og pork sandwich thing, "typical for the place". I was driven to this restaurant by a beautiful lady with a small, white, two- seated sportscar. A very glamorous thing - I again got the feeling I was in a James Bond movie (Roger Moore. Definitely). She told me it was a gift from her husband on their 30th anniversary. And the licence plates said: STILLTH1. Still the one. So romantic. (Ok, Peter, I never expected any sportscar for our 30th anniversary in June. I'm happy with YOU! - and the Saab Combi!) Now I have to tell you what I did yesterday afternoon, after my meeting with Anita: I went to the very famous Hotel Chelsea! For a facial treatment! It was Jaqui's project, she set me up for a time with Marta, the facelady. I had to admit to Marta that I never in my 51 years have had such a treatment. Oboy, did I feel retarded! I liked it, so: Thanks, Jaqui! And it was interesting to see this hotel from the inside. It's supposed to be an artistic free zone. With people from all over the world. (I bumped into a group of Norwegians. Very exotic.) Isn't the hotel also known for being a place where a lot of rock muscians OD:d? Have to study more about it on www.hotelchelsea.com. Today it's Thursday and I have no plans what so ever. It's a gå-dit-näsan-pekar- dag. Guggenheim is closed on Thursdays. Maybe a boat ride around Manhattan? Have never done that. We'll see. Saw a trailer in TV for a new movie called "Queen". Helen Mirren does Queen Elisabeth. It's coming to the cinemas on Saturday. I wonder what the odds are that Ola would come with me to this MamiMovie...posted: 2006-09-28 16:11:23 Is it day 10?Hi, folks! Got back from my second lecture at Handweaver’s Guild of Westchester a couple of hours ago. It was a very interesting trip upstate, via Harlem 125th street & White Plains. (I know, all of us who are addicted to Friends know that's from where Pottery Barn get their apothec chests...) Anyway: Interesting day. But I'm soooo tired, I'll tell you everything about it tomorrow! Sleep well, I know I'll do!posted: 2006-09-27 01:52:47 Dear Diary, day 8I'm in Washington DC. Ola gave me a flight trip here and one night at Four Points Sheraton Hotel. Just got back from breakfast, making plans for today. I'm going back at 7, from Reagan Airport, which is really close to the city center. When I came yesterday morning, a saw the US Capitol and The Mall very well. I'm really a Washington Rookie. Didn't know where to start. The subway is called Metro, ("Pretentious? Moi?") and has a REALLY different design. All stations look the same - made from moduls in grey concrete. Like a secret rocket factory in a James Bond movie from the seventies! The first thing I did was to go to The White House. Yes, it is actually in the center! I spent some time looking at The Treasure Department, thinking: "The White House looks different in reality!" When I finally got to the right spot, it looked EXACTLY as it use to! I also spent some time at the visitor's center, looking at a movie about the restoration and development of the building. I'm the perfect tourist! I was temted to buy a coloring book with the first ladies, but got control over myself. Do you want to know how I spent the evening? Alone in a city which is NOT as safe as NY? (Yes, NY is actually the safest city in US, according to recent statistics.) I bought a ticket to a sightseeing tour called "The Monuments by Moonlight". The bus looked like something from a circus, and had no windows. (A really warm evening!) The driver's/guide's name was Mr Holiday. Is that really a name? He looked and was dressed like Crocodile Dundee. The tour was for more than 2 hours - I've now seen it all! Earlier, in the afternoon, I wrote in my notebook while I was having a glass of Chardonnay at Union Station: "Since I've already started the cineast theme: I wonder were Clint Eastwood sat, in the movie In The Line of Fire... There were some big stairs, and he saw the Washington Monument - the great obelisk - in the distance... and wasn't it some water? Was he at the Supreme Court? No. that's not possible, the Capitol should have been in the way... I'll see if I can figure it out." Well, I have figured it out. Yesterday night I sat in the same spot. It was at Lincoln Memorial, and the view across the pond The Reflecting Pool, towards the Monument was amazing. The only thing I wondered about was WHY Clint was there? It's nothing going on there, it's just like a big tempel. He (and his lady collegue) must have spent like an hour coming there. Driving through the traffic, finding a parking lot, walking a pretty long way along paths, climbing all those stairs - just for that minute in the movie... And - didn't he eat ice cream? I have to rent that movie! Ok, now I'm off to two museums: The Textile Museum and The International Spy Museum. (I'm going along with the James-Bond-from-the seventies-mood.) Then, before the airport, some shopping at Pentagon City.posted: 2006-09-25 15:39:11 NY diary, day 6Got back from Philadelphia around 10 last night. (Yes, Philadelphia is defenitely the name of a movie! I always think of Tom Hanks when this city is mentioned. Yesterday I learned that Philadelpia historically is known as the City of Brotherhoodly Love. I get it! The movie took place there for certain reasons.) A great day! Took a walk to Penn Station right under Madison Squere Garden, got a return ticket (120$!) and managed to get in the right line to the right escalator to the right track to the right train. We went throught a tunnel at first, under Manhattan, but when out of it, in New Jersey, you could see Manhattan's skyline in the distance. (God, I miss the Twin Towers!) I remember the first time I came to NY, 16 years ago, and saw that skyline from the airport bus approaching the Queens Midtown Tunnel from JFK. In that moment I knew this was going to be my special place. Well, I have to share it with 8 million other people, of course. And don't forget the 1 million dogs. Anyway, getting off the train in Philli was great. (The train was bound for Washington DC.) You should see that station! Absolutely wonderful! Probably not bigger than Stocholm Central Station, but the building was beautiful. I got the feeling I recognized it...from a movie? Ok, here we are again, in movie memories. Well...it wasn't The Untouchables, because that was Grand Central, wasn't it? Was it Witness, with Harrison Ford and the Amish people? Anyway, I bought a map in Philli. Chosed the cutest one - a pop up map! - which ment I have to ask the way a lot... Took the subway south to the American- Swedish Historical Museum. Hard to describe the interior. But- if I tell you that you in one single photo shot could get a Swedish flag, a huge dala horse AND a painting of Axel von Fersen, you will probably get an idea. Anita's exhibition was wonderful, and Anita looked great! Dressed in linnen and lace - and, surprisingly, wearing an "I'm-off-to-my- prom"-orchid pinned on her shoulder. (Later, it had slipped down a bit, looked like a big butterfly sitting on her back...even that looked great) She gave the most elegant and poetic speach, and everybody present was totally struck to the floor by her tapestry art! I also got to meet Agneta Troell. I've heard a lot of her, from Anita & Kjell. And I know she has ment a lot for Anita's US tour. (She's already been in Chicago with this exhibition.) The museum had a gift shop. A bought a book. Maybe I shouldn't have. Or maybe it was good. You see, it made me angry. But - I will be able to qoute from it, and let me start right now: The title: Scandinavian Humor and other myths. (Yes, you see why I had to buy it!) One chapter is called "Therapy - Godess of rosemaled toiletseats". I didn't get that, had to read it. Here we go: "It only stands to reason that in a culture that produced Danish Design, Ibsen's and Strindberg's plays, Munch's paintings, Bergman's films and Aalto's buildings, there would be an artistic backlash."..."What generally is not understood is the valuable role Therapy and her arts and crafts play in the well being and the survival of the Scandinavian community. In the enforced isolation of the winter months, she compels many people to make clever things with yarn, string, thread, or anything else that the more sensitive souls might otherwise use to hang themselves out of boredom and desparation." Well, Mr John Louis Anderson, maybe you are too sensitive for your own good. And - hanging yourself from a thread? That won't work. Take a look at Anita Grede's tapestry show instead. That will make you want to live!posted: 2006-09-23 16:49:48 NY diary, day 5It's 9 in the morning. Breakfast at Starbucks. (Isn't that a name of a movie? Or maybe not.) Have to tell you a bit more about yesterday. My timing was so good: After I left Harold Squere and the ice- problem, I went to Macy's. Love that store. Saw a lot of things I would like to buy. (Relax Peter, I'm not buying a new set of China or small costumes for our cats - yes, they had those! And for dogs. NY has 1 million dogs1 That number has encreased a lot since 9-11) Anyway, I took the really old wooden escalator downstairs where they have kitchen stuff. And guess what was going on downthere? They were just on the way to start shooting a cooking program! There was a fully equiped kitchen, a real chef, camera guys and all. And an audience. 40 chairs, one empty, so I sat down, hoping that you did not need a ticket. (When things like that happen I always pretend I don't understand English.) A lady introduced the chef and explained that the show should be broadcasted at NBC later that night. She asked: "We need to know if there's any of you who don't want to be on TV?" Believe it or not, but a lady just IN FRONT OF ME raised her hand. A note was taken, and the camera guy was instructed to avoid that lady. And of course that also included me just behind her. I wanted to ask her:"Why don't you watch the show at NBC instead?" But since I'm a grown up, I didn't. Anyway: The chef's name was Russell Moss, The Art Institute of New York City. He made roast lamb with pomegranate pepper sauce. I HAVE THE RECiPE! We all got to taste it and it was great. He also made potato pancakes and water melon feta and basil salad. Didn't need any lunch that day. Later in the evening, around seven, I went to the opening of Nancy's show at 57th street. She works with wires, and the pieces was very elegant and sophisticated. A lot of the tsgny members from yesterday was there, it feels like I now have a bunch of friends here in NY and I like that feeling. Now its Friday, and I'm off to Philadelphia to Anita Grede's show at the American-Swedish History Museum. www.americanswedish.org. Looking forward to see Penn Station, the inside of an Amtrak train, Philli, Anita and of course her art. Hey, hoy, what's that? Somebody is speaking Swedish here at Starbucks. And it's not me, I'm not talking to myself. Two ladys beside me. OK, I'm off. Bye.posted: 2006-09-22 15:20:56 NY diary, still day 4I definitely have a hearing problem. I was in Harold Square, a mini park where 6th Avenue and Broadway meet. Just at Macy's ("The world's largest store"). I wanted something to drink and felt a little bit adventures. So I ordered an "Ice Mocha". The guy in the kiosk asked: "What's ice?" Well. I asked: "What's ICE???" He, said, louder: "What's ice"? I said: "Ok. Are you asking me what's ice?" He said: "Yes. Small or large.". What size.posted: 2006-09-21 23:28:51 NY diary, day 4Yesterday was a very busy day. I had the alarm set for 6, just to have plenty of time for more preparations for the lecture. I was finished at 3 in the afternoon. I went to a place where I could print my manuscript out from my USB memory. It took for ever! It didn't work, and finally the whole crew at this Fedex place was involved in my outprints. At last someone discovered that we (that's "I") hadn't switched to American paper format... Anyway, i got it! The lecture started at 7, at A.I.R. gallery in Chelsea, on 25th street. Just a couple of blocks from Ola's. Everything worked! The computer, the powerpoint, the projector, all the cables and cords and adapters. Half of my suitcase was filled with that stuff. And Ola's carving in the plug was successful, too. (He's in Chicago now.) Afterwards we went to an Italian restaurant, and had a very nice evening. And I finally got to meet Archie Brennan and Susan Martin Maffei, world famous tapestry weavers! They were at the lecture. By the way: the only thing I regret with the lecture: I pointed out Kyrkhult on a satelite photo of Europe. Someone in the audience said: Do you need water? (remember I told you yesterday I had asore throught?) I said: "yes please!" - and all went very quiet in the room. Then I realized she did say: "Do you live near the water?" well, I said "twentie kilometers " with a very samll voice. It took me a couple of minutes to get back on track... Today I'm just walking around. For the firts time really. I'm at Mac Store now, by the Park. Great place! (I've seen a computer bag I want. Green.) I had fruit & cheese breakfast at Starbuck's. Love to just walk around. I've also been at Rockerfeller Center and look at the big Sky Mirror (by an artist I don't remeber the name of right now.) Spectacular piece. And tonight, at seven. I will go to the opening of a show by Nancy Koenigsberg, the chairman of textile Study Group of New York, at a gallery on 57nd street. (www.zabriskiegallery.com) Talk later. Love to all of you!posted: 2006-09-21 16:58:09 NY diary, day 2The evening of day 2. A sore throught. (air condition!) It's wonderful to be here! Ola and Jacqui has the cutest apartment! ("Jacqui?" Ok, long story. Tell you later.) In the middle of everything, wich means Chelsea. Rihjt now I'm with Ola at Barnes & Nobles, drinking ice tea and looking at books. Soon we are off to see a show: "Don't tell Mama!" Today I've been browsing around, just feeling good. And also looking for an adapter plug. No success. Why is it so difficult? Now Ola has to carve in the one I brought. Sounds a bit too dangerous too me. It's a traffic mess in the city. Due to the UN assembly meeting. Roads are closed etc. The President is here. Watched his speach at Ola's wide screen tv. He looked as usual. Ok, more later! Bye.posted: 2006-09-19 23:20:07 NY diary, day 1Ok, I’m transported from Kyrkhult to Copenhagen (Denmark) to Reykjavik (Iceland). Haven’t slept much tonight. Watched the outcome of the general election. And decided to take an extra early train (probably in a mood of general disaster). Bad decision. The train driver never showed up! They had to call in another. A bunch of people, dazed with sleep, carrying suitcases, were stuck at the station: ”What? He overslept??? Well, WE are here, take us to the airport, please!” At Kastrup there were a million people. A big international diabetes conference ended today. 15 000 extra travelers. And this year, this airport has its 60th birthday. So, they were giving away hipes of croissant, to cheer people up. (as long you are not a diabetic, I assume). A lot of FFP (Fat Fingerprints in Passports), I can tell you that! Anyway, Keflavik on Iceland is a bit more pieceful. And I felt happy in a peculiar way when I arrived. You know, ok, I’m on Iceland for 5 hours, that’s…great! I’m an expert at killing time. I will look at EVERY arm watch. And EVERY T-shirt. Visit EVERY ladies room. Investigate ALL the different styles of ceramic vikings. Now I’m in a bar. Decided I should celebrate my journay with a glass of Champagne. (Well, sparklingh wine, I’m still in Europe…) The bartender informed me that they only have ordenary wine here. So I’m having a glass of ordenary wine. Which cost me 4 000 Icelandic crowns. What’s the matter wich their currency? But they have NICE knitted garments. Cost millions. All for now. No, one more thing: I forgot my mobile phone. That’s bad. I gave that number to all my contacts in New York. But I brought the reloader… Bye.posted: 2006-09-18 16:07:03 Lectures in New YorkOn September 18 I'm traveling to New York. I will give three lectures. On the 20th at Textile Study Group of New York (www.tsgny.com), on the 26th at Handweaver's Guild of Westchester (1 hour north from NYC) and on the 30th at Handweaver's Guild of New York On the 22nd I'm going with train to Philadelphia, to The American Swedish Historic Museum, where Anita Grede, Swedish tapestry artist, opens her show. Isn’t that a coincidence? (www.americanswedish.org) I will stay at Ola's (my son's) place in Chelsea. If you want to follow me on this trip, look here! I will write a diary on this spot, with the beginning on the 18th.posted: 2006-09-11 08:23:54 A Textile Art Gallery?Ok, a short report from the Hunnebostrand seminar: The issue was: Is it a good or bad idea to work for a Nordic Textile Art Gallery, located at the old Folkets Hus (a public building, a meeting place) in Hunnebostrand? As usual, it was wonderful to meet all collegues and friends from Sweden and also from the other Scandinavian/Nordic counties. It was obvious that we all have a huge need for seeing each other, ask personal questions (How are you? How are your kids doing?) beside discussions about more professional decisions. From the program: Nina Bondesson, professor in textile art at HDK, University of Gothenburg, held a great lecture about the textile art discipline and its relation to the academic context where it’s suppose to function. Monica Nilsson told us the story about FAS – Fiber Art of Sweden. (There’s a link from this website to their. go to the hand icon above.) And Helen Backlund, artist and now a days the boss for Dalslands Museum and art hall, told us about how the Nordic Watercolour Museum was transformed from wild idea to a very succesful reality. Elsa Agélii, former Professor in textile art, was the one who initiated this textile seminar. Thanks, Elsa! You’ve always been a trigger! Anyway, it all ended with the decision to GO FOR IT! (Didn’t it?) And the beginning will be an exhibition next summer. We were more than 100 participants, all with their own visions and hopes. Of course we didn’t agree about everything. But personally, I love the idea! It means hard work of course. But a lot of fun too. And I’m sure there will be an audience visiting a gallery like this. So, look out for The Nordic Textile Art Gallery in Hunnebostrand!posted: 2006-09-10 16:42:19 Speak at Textile Art meetingOn the 15th and 16th of August there will be a Textile Art conference in Hunnebostrand on the Swedish westcoast. The idea is to establish a Nordic Textile Art Gallery at this beautiful spot close to the sea. The project is initiated by Elsa Agelii, artist and former Professor in textile art at HDK, University of Gothenburg. This year there will be a conference as a starting point, with lectures by Monica Nilsson, Nina Bondesson, Raija Jokinen, Lisbet Tolstrup, Maria Fridh, Helen Backlund and myself. If you check this column after the conference, I will tell you ALL about what happened!posted: 2006-08-06 00:00:00 JAB reviewIn the current issue (no 2 2006) of the Australian magazine Textile Fiber Forum is a review of the JAB exhibition in which I took part at Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Australia. It's written by Marta Herbertson, and I'm really happy for it. Good images also. Thank you, Cara, for sending me the magazine!posted: 2006-06-05 12:27:36 A couple of days in a studioFrom Thursday to Sunday this week, we - my collegue Birgittta Nordström and I - have rented one of the beautiful guest studios belonging to The Nordic Watercolour Museum on the island Tjörn on the Swedish west coast. We will take part in a pedagogy class, arranged for artists and designers by The university of Gothenburg. But we also intend to paint! We have decided to just bring two colours each. And papers. I have chosen an odd magenta guache kind of stuff I have in a big bottle. And blue ink. Yes, I like the x- factor!posted: 2006-05-09 07:25:25 Good bye, Veronica!A collegue of ours, Veronica Nygren, passed away a couple of days ago. Veronica was a role model to a lot of us - as an artist, a designer, a university professor - and a collegue and friend. She was very strong and goal-oriented when it came to fight her cancer, but finally she got tired. We all understand. So - we hope you will have a good rest now, Veronica! Good bye. See you, eventually!posted: 2006-05-06 18:42:51 Lecture, NyckelviksskolanOn Wednesday, the 3rd of May, I will give a lecture at Nyckelviksskolan in Stockholm, a well established school of art, craft and design. Read more about the school on www.nyckelviksskolan.se. It will be fun! The day after I will browse around among the students. Very interesting to see what they are up to!posted: 2006-05-01 16:24:25 AmsterdamTomorrow, April 16, I'm following my students on a bus trip to Amsterdam. We will focus on architecture and urban planning. My contribution is to tell about some of the really famous Dutch artists, like Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Mondrian... This year it's 400 years since Rembrandt was born! Follow the anniversery on www.rembrandt400.composted: 2006-04-15 10:00:09 Lecture at StenebyOn Monday night, April 10, I will together with journalist Susanne Helgesson, talk to students at Stenebyskolan. The title is Formulate, Develop, Grove, Appear... (or something like that.) Susanne is editor at FORM - the design magazine. Stenebyskolan is connected to HDK, University of Gothenburg and is focusing on art craft. Read more on www.steneby.seposted: 2006-04-09 17:08:09 Pink FluffI'm finally finished with the design for the next tapestry. The title is "The Culture Department/Pink Fluff", and it will be 3x3m. You can see the digital design in the album (binocular icon), one of the first images. I'm not sure what the pink fluff is, but it definitely needs protection. I've put it in a glass bubble, like a snow dome (which I collect, by the way...) And it's soft, warming, and brings out good memories. It definitely belongs to the occurrences and activities supported by the Culture Department. (The Swedish Minister of Culture is also present.) If you want to comment on this, welcome to my guestbook!posted: 2006-03-17 14:05:34 From Stockholm to GothenburgThe exhibition at HV Gallery is soon over, but it will be exposed in October this year at Gallery Anna H in Gothenburg. I look forward to that.posted: 2006-03-01 21:56:23 HV exhibitionMy exhibition, "The Theatre in the Park", at HV Gallery in Stockholm, is extended to March 2.posted: 2006-02-22 21:04:30 Gallery talkOn Monday the 13th of February, 18.00, I will talk about my exhibition "Parkteatern", at HV Gallery, Djurgårdsslätten 82, Stockholm. This gallery talk is arranged by HV Vänförening and is a part of their members meeting.posted: 2006-02-04 13:12:06 Photos from AustraliaOkay, now you can look at 10 of my favorite photos from Down Under! I will replace some of them with new ones in a week or so. Go to the binocular icon! (If you've been there many times before - go backwards, and you will be in Australia almost at once.)posted: 2006-01-30 00:00:00 HV gallery, StockholmOn the 14th of January, which is a Saturday, is the opening of a small exhibition of mine at HV Gallery, Djurgårdsslätten 82, Stockholm. (Just opposit Skansen!) It's a small gallery, and the idea is to show my latest tapestry (The Theatre in the Park), along with sketches, designs and samples from the loom on my next project. The working title for that piece is The Culture Department, Kulturdepartementet. The gallery is connected to HV workshop, where really skilled weavers and embroiders create textil art for public places. Read more on www.hv-atelje.com! And very welcome on the 14th, if you are in Stockholm!posted: 2005-12-29 18:57:45 Gods & GårdarAn unusual context for me: In the current issue (8/2005) of the Swedish magazin Gods & Gårdar (something like Country estates & Manors...), my tapestry The Baroque Party is featured on a whole page. The theme of this issue is luxury, and the tapestry is introduced as something really hot and EXPENSIVE! "Annika Ekdahl's cool tapestry requires a large wall and a large wallet". I must say that I actually like that attitude, for a change.posted: 2005-12-17 00:00:00 Back homeIt's five thirty, Sunday morning. I've just made coffee, fed the cats and turned on the Mac. (I will try to get som photos from Australia into the photo album - the binocular - during the day.) It's good to be back. The flight was all right - took the train from Copengahen, it was -9C! The next day Peter, my husband, had his oral defence of his doctoral thesis. Big party followed! Food, live music, DJ... Friends and family. And family to 100%: All of a sudden Ola showed up. Big surprise! He lives in New York, and had told us that he couldn't come due to work. But there he was! (It's good we have strong harts.) He was very late, due to difficulties at Heathrow, London. It was so foggy that the planes couldn't land or take off for hours! But he made it to Copenhagen, rented a car (a really fast BMW - why are boys always the same?) and drove here. Now he's gone again, back to NYC. Well, this is the last note in this travelling diary - for this time. I'm so very happy for my Australian journay, it has all been wonderful. Thank you, everybody, all the people I met, who took care of me, supported me, spent time with me, showed me around, explained stuff to me... A special big THANK YOU! to Brett & Mark, Kate & Brian and Mona & Paul - for your hospitality and friendship. Hope to meet you all soon again!posted: 2005-12-11 05:43:27 Sydney AirportOK, I'm at the airport. I checked in really early - but so did everybody else... Unfortunately I got a seat by the window. Good for looking out, bad for walkabouts... It will be 10 hours to Kuala Lumpur, I think, another 10 to Vienna. The taxi driver (Hong Kong gentleman) from Annandale to here said: "Why can't you overseas people organize yourself? This is the seventh time I go to the airport today - and it's just afternoon!" Funny guy. Look forward (?) to the flight. (Seriously I do.) Now I have to Go to gate. Bye, Australia! Love you!!!See yah!posted: 2005-12-07 07:47:48 Doreen & GilesMona's mother, Doreen, is a great artist. Wonderful drawings from places where she used to live - all made from memory since she hardly can see at all. The most wonderful old lady! And, in the evening, I had the privilege to be present at another big art event! Giles, one of Mona's and Paul's sons, had his Master of Visual Art diploma show at Sydney College of the Arts. It was a big exhibition, with both graduate and under graduate students. The college is situated in what used to be a mental hospital. Beautiful place, it reminded me of a monestary, a cloister. Great, big studios and exhibition spaces. A lot of people, of course. Happy people - students, family, friends. I actually got to met Magenta, Giles' and Pamela's daughter! I've heard so much about her. So cute! (Magenta - isn't that a perfect name or what?) Giles' work was great. He probably wouldn't agree, but to me his work was very textile, even if it was made from aluminium or something. It was hanging beautifully out from the wall, as if it had no weight at all, and as if the wind could move it around if you opened a window... Well. It's now Wednesday, 12 o'clock. In a couple of hours I will take a taxi to the airport. My biggest problem right now is what to wear. It's still REALLY hot here (I jumped out from the shower, walked to Mrs. Mac's which take 5 mins, sat down at the computer, totally wet!) I suppose it will be colder in Copenhagen when I arrive on Thursday... It has been a wonderful journey! It will also be wonderful to come home!posted: 2005-12-07 02:06:21 To pet an opera houseBack at Mrs Mac's again, Tuesday morning. Yesterday was absolutely great. Mona and I went to the Powerhouse Museum (www.powerhousemuseum.com) where we had a good look at the absolutely amazing exhibition "Cutting Edges", about Japanese fashion design. Well, beyond that, I would say. About folding, stretching, wrapping, covering, smocking fabric and cloth, transforming the body. Show respect and disrespect at the same time. Very inspiring. Mona went back home to see her mother, I took off to Darling Harbour, to get a ferry to Circular Quay - where the Opera House is! It was a fantastic ferry ride, under the Harbour Bridge, approching the Opera House from the water. Since we all know about the big frustration and disappointment to Utzon, the Danish architect (if not, check info about the building at www.sydneyoperahouse.com), I found it very touching to see all people in the ferry stand up when we came closer, to take photos, of course, but it looked like we were all giving a tribute to this absolutely wonderful creation! Oh, have to run, I'm going with Mona to an opening of an art exhibition at Mona's mother's home for elderly! (She is 95.) Talk later.posted: 2005-12-05 23:52:56 Sydney = a hot spot!I's 9.30 in the morning, I'm at Mrs Mac's convenient store. Mrs Mac is a Chinese lady who also have 4 computers. I'm now in Annandale, wich is a very nice suburb not far from Sydney center. Mona & Paul Ryder lives here, and I'm staying in their guest room, and I sleep in the most spectacular iron bed. Makes me feel like The Princess on the pea. I arrived in Sydney on Saturday. Kate & Brian drove me out to the airport. It's really a precious thing to have someone wave to you through the window when you take off. I departed from a very small airport (Avalon) so I could actually see Kate and Brian from inside the aircraft. Mona's and Paul's house is a charming town house, 6 meter wide and more than 50 meters long, I think Paul said. With a back terasse garden. And animals! Two oriental cats which would make Kerstin look like something from Monter's Inc. And a beautiful, old dog. Looks like a retired ballerina, sleeps on the caffe latte coloured leather couch, waiting for somebody to write her biography. Yesterday we all (humans) went to a picnic at Watsons Bay, a park pretty high up, near the entrance to Sydney harbour. A group of people (friends of Mona's mostly) under a tree, with the harbour as a panorama view in the background, sailing boats, ferries, cruisers, and people bathing at the beach below. I could hardly believe my eyes. On our way back Mona & Paul took me to Bondi Beach - just because I was so curious! So, that's the place were all young and beautiful people go! Well, I took a photo and jumped back into the car. Italian food in an outdoor restaurant in the evening, fell a sleep like a child. It was so very very hot the whole day! We were all exhausted. But don't expect me to come back with a tan - Sun protecing factor 30+ will take care of that. Now I'm off for the Powerhouse Museum in the city, together will Mona. Paul will drive us there on his way to work. (Lecturer in the business disciplines.) Talk later.posted: 2005-12-04 23:49:36 Bye, Melbourne!I woke up in the middle of the night, when my mobile rang. It was Torgny ("Champion of the guards") at Blekinge Institute of Technology, asking me to give back my key to the uni, "since you're not an employee anymoore". I told him I was in Australia. "Yeah...right...and did you bring the key..?" Well, I tried to explain that I'm actually still working at the uni. On a permanent basis now. But of course I think it's great that they are on their toes! I've also go an email that says my email account is going to be shut down, since I'm not working at BTH anymoore. HELLO! MY EMPLOYMENT IS NOW PERMANENT, IT WAS BEFORE TEMPORARY! THAT'S GREAT AND I WANT TO KEEP MY KEY AND MY EMAIL ACCOUNT! Maybe someone from the staff office can inform the champion of the guards. (I found that word in a dictionary, think it's great.) Well, I had problems getting back to sleep. Listened to the possums jumping at the roof, tried - failed - to take a photo. (Kate has asked me to explain to them that they are welcome in the garden, being protected (fridlysta) and all, if they just don't eat from the trees. They didn't pay any attention.) It was hot all throught the night, but today it has been raining cat's and dogs (as they say in Britain). In the morning, Kate and I went out to a coffee shop, having coffee and scones. (Yes, of course with jam and whipped cream = a Brittish theme today?) After that, we visited the State Library, a beautiful renovated building with art exhibitions, a wonderful tapestry made at the Victorian Tapestry Workshop, a lot of people, and - yes, books! Brian met up with the car, and we went to Williamstown, which is a very nice suburb by the water. There we had lunch together with Clara Brack, a lovely woman and a friend of Kate's and Brian's. Clara lives in Williamstown and is a writer. And a book maker! We had a very pleasant lunch at a crepe place (I had my crepes with asparagus and blue cheese) while we discussed everything from why people talk so loud in public places (well, we were not exactelly wispering), website estetics, Bill Gate's really big house where you can get lost, people say - and a lot of other things. This crepe restaurant was a bit special. In the rear end there's a - church! Connected to a - bar... Kate told us that a collegue of hers had her wedding there. If it wasn't so far from Sweden to Australia, this would be a great place to have our 30th wedding anniversary next summer, wouldn't it, Peter? We went back to the city, and Kate and Brian dropped me off. I just wanted to spend some time there, this last Melbourne day. I ended up at Fed Squere again, trying to collect/memorize sounds: Jazz from sound checking at a stage. Pop music from a bar. Sirens from a fire vehicle. A guy drilling in the schaffolding holding up the screen roof at a restaurant. (I think he was putting up more armature. You know, even if it's summer here at christmas time, the evenings are dark. Which is hard to understand for a Scandinavian. To us summer temperature goes together with light evenings and nights.) At another table sat a man who looked exactely like Richard Gere. He drank coffee and smoked. OK, now I will take the tram back to the Derum residence! We are going out somewhere for dinner. And tomorrow it's time for me to fly back to Sydney!posted: 2005-12-02 00:00:00 Hot & Melancholy dayToday it's Thursday, and AT LEAST 35 C. Blue sky. Yesterday was also great, but I spent most of it indoors, at tapestry weaver's paradise - The Victorian Tapestry Workshop! That's where Kate works now, since she left the Monash uni as a lecturor. It's like HV in Stockholm, but bigger, and focusing only on tapestries for public places. In the evening I had the privilage to give a talk and show images of my own work. It was great fun, since the audience was very aware of what's it all about, most of them were weavers from the workshop.(There's at least one male weaver at the workshop, by the way, I wonder if there's any at HV?)Well, I've also done more museums. On Tuesday afternoon I went to the Australian part of the National Gallery of Victoria. That's at Federation Squere. Do you know how the Lonely Planet guidebook describes the architecture of this squere? "...it looks something like a cross between a postmodern patchwork and a futuristic prison in a John Carpenter movie." (Maybe that's not so funny if you don't know what a patchwork is. All textile people would know, the rest of you just have to do some research, don't you?)Anyway, at the gallery I spent most of the time in the Aboriginal part. There were the classical stuff, of course, but also some great contemporary things. I wrote this down in my note book: "Vincent rang, Rover rang, Art rang, and Boomerang." From a painting by the aboriginal artist Trevor Nickolls, refering to when he was in Venice, representing Australia at the art biennale 1990. (Vincent = Van Gogh, Rover = another aussie artist at this Venice event, Art = Trevor's son...)But today has been a more melancholy day. You know, sometimes things just goes through your armour and right into your skin. I will tell you about it, and it's on three different levels. 1) Have you heard about Van Nguyen back home? The Australian-Vietnamese guy who is going to be hanged tomorrow in Singapore, for trying to get heroin through the customs, to help his twin brother with a gambling debt. Australian authorities have tried to save him, his mother is fighting for her right to give him a last hug... 2)While this was all going on in my head, I saw a huge painting in the National Gallery. Remember the lady I told about, the volontary guide? She described this painting as heartbraking - she managed to influence us all to just look at it through our fingers... It showes a mother sheep (!), trying to protect her baby lamb (!) from really nasty black crowes (!). I know, it's stupid. 3) Today I went to the Immigration museum. Very interesting, to read/see/hear about how white people first came, how the immigration changed, what it looks like today. One of the exhibitions was about reasons for leaving ones home country. I was ears dropping, I must admit, when a school teacher talked to some kids: "There's ten reasons for leaving home. Job opportunity. Natural disaster. Climate. War & conflict. Reunion. A better life. Land & property. Freedom. Love & marriage. Adventure." I just couldn't help thinking of Ola, my oldest son. (He lives in New York.) Made me sentimental, proud, happy and sad at the same time. So, this day has been about motherhood, I suppose. Can't believe how lucky I am. Wish I could spill some of it over to Van Nguyen's mother. But unfortunately she would probably associate herself more to the mother sheep in that painting. Bye for now!posted: 2005-12-01 07:57:02 Green shoesYesterday's - Monday's - project was National Gallery of Victoria. (Victoria = the state Melbourne is in) I went there by tram, like those in Gothenburg. Crossed the Yarra river, passed by the Opera House, and there it was, with a water fall as a curtain at the entrence. Very impressive building, aspecially the glass roof over a big hall, referring to how the light comes down between the leaves in the rain forrest! Mostly I walked around at the museum, I didn't go into the big thing there right now, the exhibition about Brittish art from the 60s. I'm in Australia, I'm not here to see art from Tate in London, ok? Instead I went on a guided tour on the highlights of the museum's collection. We were a bunch of people, from Japan, Europe and some Aussies as well, who were taken care of by a wonderful, elderly lady, carrying a tag around her neck: "Volontary Guide"! (It felt good to know she was there volontary, and not a slave or anything.) She was great. Like being back in school! She walked and talked very slowly and carefully, we were kind of hypnotized at the end of the hour. Walked after her like a LUCIATÅG! Yes, I walked a lot yesterady, in the city and in the museum, my feet were really in a different shape when I came back to the house! Today, Tuesday, I'm heading for the art museum at Federation Squere! (www.fedsquare.com - there's a webcamera there if you want to see what kind of people are browsing around...) But for the moment I got stuck at a wireless internet café, in an armchair and with a caffe latte... Brian found it for me on one of his morning walkes. So, right now I can use å, ä and ö! And that makes it possible for me to tell you, that on my way here, I bought some ÄRTGRÖNA sandals! They will be good for walking, even if I will look like a five-year-old in them...(It's nice in here, you would like it! But not much of an AC, I have to leave soon to get some air...oh, now it's Roy Orbison in the loudspeaker! "Anything you want, you've got it!") Tonight, I'm going to take Kate & Brian out for a meal in their neighbourhood. (Mongolian, perhaps...?) (Ok, now the loudspeakers have changed to Dolly Parton. I've got the feeling they were playing RAVE when I came... maybe they try to choose music suitable for a middle aged lady...? I'm the only one in here for the moment. The underfed guys with knitted hats have left. "Islands in the stream, that is what we are...") See you later, mates!posted: 2005-11-29 00:00:00 So this is Melbourne!(So, you have snow back home?) Second day in Melbourne! I arrived yesterday morning, really early. Mark & Brett drove me to the airport, and Kate picked me up at Melbourne Tullamarine (one of the airports). The flight took just a little more than 1 hour, just time for a cup of "coffee" (have you ever tried coffee bags? I have now...Interesting experience for 2,50 dollars.) Kate and Brian lives in a charming house on walking distance from the city center. I'm staying in like an extra little guesthouse in the back of the garden. Fantastic! Yesterday all three of us visited Melbourne museum. (http://melbourne.museum.vic.gov.au) I love those places, and will probably go back another day. Great exhibition with aboriginal basketery, for example. And William Morris. (Not that he was very Australian, but Kate told me about his connection to Australian tapestry weaving... Relax, I'm not going into that here!)In the evening we had a great meal at the Derum residence - that's Kate's and Brian's house. Rosted marinated lamb, asparagus, rosted potatoes, Australian wine. Early night - I went up 4 in the morning to get the flight... (I will try to take a photo of the possums climbing the tree outside "my" window. What's a possum? Look at http://www.hotkey.net.au/~perrelink/Possum.htm) Now it's soon 11 in the morning. I'm browsing around, just to get to know M a little. In my head a lot of new ideas are spinning, I think I know how to attack the design for my next tapestry, which is supposed to take shape in my computer while I'm here... Right now I'm looking for patterns...in the street, in the leaves, everywhere. I'm taking photos, and thanks to " Mac for Dummies", which I bought in Newcastle, I'v undersood how to get the images from my camera into my Powerbook. It's not easy to change computers/lives. Anyway, I think this will be all for now. (This Chinese internet cafe doesn't have the best monitors, I can hardly see on this one - yes I'm wearing my glasses!) Maybe I try Brians modem tonight!posted: 2005-11-28 01:01:03 Opening night & workshop day &The opening of ther JAB show went very well. Artist Greg Leong, from Tasmania, opened the exhibition. Greg is a Chinese-Australian artist who have done a lot of amazing things - We were really happy he could come and give a speach this night! (I have to say that I'm SO happy hearing him say that my work has brought the wow-factor back into textile art! Wasn't that sweet of him?)After the opening - with not only speaches but also champagne and SNITTAR (all swedes will know...)we had dinner, 20 people or so, at a restaurant which used to be a bank...Yes, we ate next to the bank voult! Really good food, the dessert was absolutely unnecessary great. Today, Saturday, I went back to Maitland Gallery (by train) to give an artist talk in the afternoon, and have a workshop around the table cloth. It all went very well. Puh! Back in Newcastle (went with Kim in her car, she lives in Newcastle) I went with Mark & Brett on a littel shopping tour to a wine store. Can you imaging, here's drive in liquer stores! You just stop the car, grab a box with twelve bottles of great Australian wine or so, pay (a little) and then drive off. No wonder B&M said when they visited Systembolaget in Sweden: It looks like a wine museum... So, now is the last night in Newcastle. Tomorrow morning I will fly to Melbourne. The only worry I have now is to get in contact with Kate Derum - I'm going to stay at her place - since she doesn't know when I arrive and I don't have her address... It will probably be ok, I'm not seriously worried! It's a bigger problem that my VISA card only works 4 times out of 10. OK, Bye Newcastle - for this time!posted: 2005-11-26 09:55:46 They've arrived!Five thirty in the afternoon today (thursday) the metallic tube with my tapesties arrived on a truck. It was heavily damaged (the tube) and it was pretty hard to get the tapestries out of it. But they were ok, and are now hanging on the wall. Peter, the installation and technical gallery coordinator, is absolutely great! Everything is ready for the opening tomorrow! We - Brett and I - came back to Newcastle around eight. Too tired for cooking, so we ordered pizza.(Not that I've been much of a cooker in Brett's house, but HE is a great chef!) And watched Inspector Rex on TV (Oskar would know exactelly what that is!) For the first time, I watched this Austrian show TOGETHER WITH A DOG! Bullet was sitting in my lap, following every move of the hero. (Wich is a dog, for all of you who haven't realized the quality of this fantastic show...) So, now I'm at Brett's computer, with a cup of hot...what did he call it again? Taste like chocolate... and a christmas ginger bread. Going to bed soon (woke up 4 this morning). I wonder what I will wear tomorrow...?posted: 2005-11-24 12:11:36 Where's my art?Arrived yesterday to Newcastle, Brett and Bullet met me at the station. Bullet is the cutest dog I've ever seen! (I will take some photos.) I was soooo hot in Newcastle, and even hotter in Maitland, where we went by car (40 mins from Newcastle), bringing Brett's art pieces. He has made a totally new body of art which looks really good - as always! At the gallery, I realized that my tapestries wasn't there yet.They were shipped more than a week ago. Kim Blunt, coordinator, had spent a lot of time in the phone with the Australian customs authorities. My stuff has arrived to the country, but they will not let my things through! First I thought it had to do with the material (they don't want any strange fibres into the country) but it obviously had to do with money. They are afraid I will sell the pieces and don't pay taxes. (If it would be so easy to sell half-a-million-SEK tapestries, I would be rich) Anyway, Kim got a promise the things will be at the gallery on Thursday. The opening is on Friday, so... Well, let's see what happens. I just have to comment on the fact that Australia is very careful with what they let into the country: They have a very special but also sensitive wildlife and flora here. You can't bring in any food or seeds or soil or plants or stuff like that. Try to cross the border with a peanut in your pocket, and specially trained dogs will stop you! (Peanut dogs...?) Anyway, the first time I came here, two years ago, a guy came up to me when I was waiting for my luggage at the airport and asked: Do you have any food? I asked: No, I'm sorry! I thought he was hungry!posted: 2005-11-23 00:37:38 Some jetlag thoughts...Went to bed 8 o'clock. Woke up around midnight!!! Went up, turned the TV on (TV-shop. Cindy Crawford wanted me to buy some anti aging stuff - she kept on for 3 hours, before I managed to change channels to CNN!) I did some embroidery on the big table cloth, which I brought with me in a hockey trunk. (The overweight, remember?) I embroidered IASPIS. (Some of you will understand...) It took me 5 hours. Meantime I was thinking: You know how we are at summertime. Relaxed, happy, focused on having a good time... And think about how we are at Christmas time. Focused on having a good time. Eating good food. Decorating our environment and our selves. Trying to be as nice as possible... In Europe we have these events 6 months apart from each other. But here it happens at the same time! No wonder people are in a good mood! Well, I'm checking out soon. I imagine I will fall asleep on the train to Newcastle (2h 30mins), better activate the alarm on the mobile...posted: 2005-11-21 22:02:14 Mona!I've had a great day with Mona! On my way to see her, I had the perfect walk through the Sydney center. I also went into the Queen Victoria Building - just for a quick look... (This place takes "shopping" to a new dimension, I knew that, I was prepared. Even so, I ran into some shoes I just HAVE to have, but couldn't afford. And the most surprising sample of what we in Sweden call GOSEDJUR I've ever seen! I REALLY think I have to bring that guy with me to Kyrkhult...) I waited for Mona for pretty long outside the Art Gallery of New South Wales. I thought I maybe was at the wrong museum, since she didn't show up. But finally she came, and told me that there had been a brak in into their car! Mona is absolutely the best! We went through the lovely gallery, both in the temporary and the permanent departments, but spent most of the time in the cafeteria...TALKING! Then we went to my hotel, passing by the Expensive Shoes and the Gosedjur - I just had to show Mona my new friends. It turned out that she ownes a pair of those shoes (I'm not surprised) and she LOVED the Gosedjur. She also showed me the bottom level of the Queen Victoria Building, were all the bargains are... I bought a small embroidered pillow case, with the text: "After all, tomorrow is another day..." Can't explain why, but I find that statement SO funny. Tomorrow I will take the train to Newcastle and Brett Alexander. And that will be a totally different story. OK, friend, remember that after all, tomorrow will be another day!posted: 2005-11-21 09:28:03 The Olympic Park is big!(Found another internet cafe. The first one was suddenly out of business, I hope it wasn't my fault...) Yesterday was my thematic Water Day! I spent most of it at the Olympic Park and the FINA World Cup (that's swimming!) It was GREAT! I got this special feeling of happiness when I was sitting in the audience by the pool side. The noise, the smell, the humidity - just loved it! I bought a ticket on site for the heats in the morning. Just one Swede made it for the finals...In the middle of the day I went on a ferry tour. A bit cloudy, but warm winds. Interesting to see the houses by the water. And the huge private boats. In the evening I went back to the Aquatic Center in the Olympic Park. I already had a ticket for the finals, I bought that from home. Therese Alshammar came in third in 50 m free style! (I was surprised to see that she actually changed bathing suite BY THE POOL SIDE! You know, with a towel swept around her, crawling and twisting out of the wet one and into a new...and those shark items can't be the easiest to get into!) People were happy, drank bear and wine (I'm so naive, I had bought a bottle of mineral water. It was a sports event for God's sake!)Wonderful atmosphere. A cab back to the hotel. Turkish driver, EU discussion. Now it's 10 o'clock on Monday morning and I'm on my way to meet with Mona Ryder, artist living her in Sydney. We will go to some museums. More later. Cheers.posted: 2005-11-21 00:00:00 Day 1 in Australia(I found an internet cafe close to my hotel.)OK, finally in Sydney, after 20 hours flight and a touch down in Kuala Lumpur. Everything is GREAT! The hotel in the Darling Harbour area, the spicy Indian food I just had, the weather (29C at 21.30) and my mood! (I was a bit depressed at Kastrup when I had to pay 3 800 SEK for overweight - for luggage that is... brought a piece of art. And books.) Now I look forward to tomorrow. Tell you later about that. I'm going early to bed tonight. The jetlag doesn't feel too bad right now, but I know it can hit you later...posted: 2005-11-19 00:00:00 DiaryHere you will be able to follow what I'm up to in Australia - providing I will have internet access. It all begins on the 18th of November. Yippiii!posted: 2005-11-08 00:00:00 IASPIS takes me to Australia!I’m going to Australia in November! IASPIS is helping me with the cost for airfair, living expenses and shipping of art. IASPIS is primarily an artist-in-residence program in Stockholm. But it’s also a government funded institution supporting Swedish artists exhibiting abroad. The main goal is to support creative dialogues and collaborations between artists from Sweden and from other countries. Read more about all that on www.iaspis.com!posted: 2005-10-29 00:00:00 New photos!Today I've added some photos from my trip to Kaunas in my photo album = the binoculars!posted: 2005-10-26 00:00:00 Swedish School of TextilesOn Friday the 28th of October, I will give a lecture on this theme: "Why do I weave huge tapestries?" Isn't that a good question? I look forward to hear me explain myself... It will take place in Borås, at The Swedish School of Textiles. You can get information about this school, a part of The University College of Borås, on www.hb.se/ths. A great school for textile lovers!posted: 2005-10-24 00:00:00 Lecture, Kaunas Art InstituteI will talk about my art to students and lecturers at the textile department, Kaunas Art Institute, on the 19th of October. Later that day is the opening of Student's Work Exhibition. It all ends with a party at one of the cafés in the old town. It sounds wonderful!posted: 2005-10-15 00:00:00 Textile 05, LithuaniaOctober/November will be a great textile art period in Kaunas, Lithuania! A biennial opens on October 21, and there's a lot of spin off exhibitions all over the city! I will have a show of my own at the Meno Parkas Gallery. Lucky me! Read more: www.smic.lt/textileposted: 2005-09-30 00:00:00 |