This is an image I captured last month that I wanted to share with the readers of this humble blog. I feel so happy to have discovered all of you.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
With eyes of those Yet to be Born
I spoke at a protest rally this weekend for human rights. A rally which I also helped plan. At the rally I spoke about how society has forgotten solidarity and the growing mistreatment by government bodies of to those dependent on welfare and of those that are asylum-seekers.
After the manifestation we gathered at a café run by a local Christian church. A well known poet in Sweden; Bengt Berg, read some of his work. While he read his poetry, another man translated. The people at the rally and at the café were mostly middle-eastern of origin. I remember the faces of the women there. They were full of life. Proud. Some wore Hijab, some didn't.
Bengt Berg also recited a passage in which the latin-american poet Otto René Castillo encouraged us to "view life with eyes of those who have yet to be born." That this would give us the inspiration to create a better world with care for each other and the nature which sustains us.
Later he gave me that same book.
Today I am thinking about compassion. I am reading a text at the newly founded Charter for Compassion and seeing it as parts of a larger whole. As I do with the the cause of the rally. All initiatives small or large have the potential to point towards values and a world beyond our present. This is some of the beauty there is to it.
After the manifestation we gathered at a café run by a local Christian church. A well known poet in Sweden; Bengt Berg, read some of his work. While he read his poetry, another man translated. The people at the rally and at the café were mostly middle-eastern of origin. I remember the faces of the women there. They were full of life. Proud. Some wore Hijab, some didn't.
Bengt Berg also recited a passage in which the latin-american poet Otto René Castillo encouraged us to "view life with eyes of those who have yet to be born." That this would give us the inspiration to create a better world with care for each other and the nature which sustains us.
Later he gave me that same book.
Today I am thinking about compassion. I am reading a text at the newly founded Charter for Compassion and seeing it as parts of a larger whole. As I do with the the cause of the rally. All initiatives small or large have the potential to point towards values and a world beyond our present. This is some of the beauty there is to it.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The sounds of Jupiter
A friend of mine pointed my attention towards an unlikely source of music. The planet Jupiter. Allegedly the NASA Voyager once picked up: "The complex interactions of charged electromagnetic particles from the solar wind , planetary magnetosphere etc. create vibration "soundscapes". The result below is a kind of ambient induced sweep of sounds which alters slowly. And I love ambient.
Here is a track from the 1990 album Space Sounds released by Brain/Mind research.
I sincerely doubt that this track is a unedited and raw recordning. But after reading a little from the people of NASA themselves, it seems that this is not fiction anymore. Leaving science. It has been done officially and NASA has some clips of sounds to listen to.
This of course could provide a fascinating backdrop for those who want to seek insperation from other sources then the usual. Maybe especially for those who are into sci fi and space exploration. Many ambient musicians have a keen interest in field recordings of natural sound, which they use in their music. I too own an old minidisc and a sony stereo microphone to record sounds. But most of us admittedly stay on the earth.
Artist Proton Kinoun did not use any audible material from any space exploration program to create his vivid and stunning album Apeiron. But the inspiraration is similar. With a rich imagination and the images of the Hubble Space Telescope he created one of the most beautiful free ambient albums that I have had the privileige to listen to. The netlabel Omnisphere recommends complete darkness and the use of headphones when listening to it. I can only agree.
Here is a track from the 1990 album Space Sounds released by Brain/Mind research.
I sincerely doubt that this track is a unedited and raw recordning. But after reading a little from the people of NASA themselves, it seems that this is not fiction anymore. Leaving science. It has been done officially and NASA has some clips of sounds to listen to.
This of course could provide a fascinating backdrop for those who want to seek insperation from other sources then the usual. Maybe especially for those who are into sci fi and space exploration. Many ambient musicians have a keen interest in field recordings of natural sound, which they use in their music. I too own an old minidisc and a sony stereo microphone to record sounds. But most of us admittedly stay on the earth.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Surreal Beauty
Portrait of Judy Garland
I recently stumbled across the art haven fthr productions, while enjoying the swedish artist Mosaik's newest EP out on Softphase netlabel. I liked the Mosaik release so much that I wrote a review of it for the netmagazine Original Sound Versions, which I hope will surface in due time on their website.Behind Fthr productions is graphic artist Antti Jädertpolm, who creates a kind of modern surrealist art with some extremely interesting use of collage techniques. I wrote him to ask if I could put a couple of his stunning images on my blog, to my happiness he thought that this was fine.
Saturday night Hammock Collage
Like you can see in Portrait of Judy Garland and Saturday night Hammock Collage, there is a whole lot of attention to details. The common theme found in his images seems to my mind to be the amount of layers that can be found in almost every image and a very quirky kind of beauty.
Spring
Spring
There are both lighter and darker motives and a whole lot in between. What many of them share though is the overwhelming imagery . You can browse Antti's quite massive collective of fine art here. I warmly recommend you to view them in full size. It does all the difference.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
The Greens and the Röyksopp
This last week has been intensive. I've had important meetings about my working situation and my engagement with the local section of the green party has deepened.
It is clear that I will have an opportunity to work in those areas that I have visions for. The future of my engagement is not yet written, but as it is now I will contribute to the leading document for what the party wants to in the field of culture in Karlstad.
Most of my readers may know that I am very interested in culture, and believe in the art to enrichen society in a way that can contribute tremendous amount of meaning for people and break down walls and barriers of race, age and gender. Especially when it is open and contributory in nature, such as in Creative Commons. I also think art has a special meaning and purpose for individuals and groups which live under social stigma.
This document in question will provide the foundation of the party's work in the municipal government after next years election; for the continuing four years. I have also been invited to work on documents in regional health care and see the the greens work in the city's social committee.
I am actually kind of surprised as to how my person has been received. To be able to contribute on such important fields this early, well, is something I did not quite expect to happen. I am also actually going to be a candidate for the green list for Karlstads municipal council. The order of the people who will run for office is not done right now, and where that will lead me is not quite clear.
I must admit that I am more then a bit nervous. Big things are being set in motion right now. With all this in mind I really needed a break this weekend. So I eloped to Stockholm to see Norwegian electronica-duo Röyksopp live, featuring Robyn and Anneli Drecker on vocals. They were amazing. The show was amazing. I danced and I danced, more then I have done for several years. I danced until I was nothing but rhythm and thought vanished.
So what better way then ending this post with one of Röyksopp's amazing songs: Only this moment.
It is clear that I will have an opportunity to work in those areas that I have visions for. The future of my engagement is not yet written, but as it is now I will contribute to the leading document for what the party wants to in the field of culture in Karlstad.
Most of my readers may know that I am very interested in culture, and believe in the art to enrichen society in a way that can contribute tremendous amount of meaning for people and break down walls and barriers of race, age and gender. Especially when it is open and contributory in nature, such as in Creative Commons. I also think art has a special meaning and purpose for individuals and groups which live under social stigma.
This document in question will provide the foundation of the party's work in the municipal government after next years election; for the continuing four years. I have also been invited to work on documents in regional health care and see the the greens work in the city's social committee.
I am actually kind of surprised as to how my person has been received. To be able to contribute on such important fields this early, well, is something I did not quite expect to happen. I am also actually going to be a candidate for the green list for Karlstads municipal council. The order of the people who will run for office is not done right now, and where that will lead me is not quite clear.
I must admit that I am more then a bit nervous. Big things are being set in motion right now. With all this in mind I really needed a break this weekend. So I eloped to Stockholm to see Norwegian electronica-duo Röyksopp live, featuring Robyn and Anneli Drecker on vocals. They were amazing. The show was amazing. I danced and I danced, more then I have done for several years. I danced until I was nothing but rhythm and thought vanished.
So what better way then ending this post with one of Röyksopp's amazing songs: Only this moment.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Gardening for the formerly Homeless
Tomorrow I will work a couple of hours in a city run home for people who have lived lives in homelessness. It is one of several homes run by the city in which I live, and I cannot stress enough that I think that they are doing a very important job. Before I had only read about these projects. Now I have seen a little with my own eyes of the conditions they are living under, and worked on gardening the surrounding area.
The work I do is not spectacular. It consists of trimming overgrown bushes, taking care of the fallen leaves, getting rid of the immense amount of weed that has grown there, etcetera. Later we may go further into replacing or repairing a small wooden fence that has since long seen its best days. And I must admit that the work I do there every Friday fills me with a sense of satisfaction.
Summery Son, captured 2009.
The feeling of doing something good for people whose lives have been filled with hardships is very rewarding in itself. It is no understatement that I am thankful for being able to do this work. A gospel kind of thankful. Having gotten the chance to eat dinner and talk a little with a few of them also gives interesting perspectives on things.
On a personal level I am also happy to tell that I am going to have a few of my photographs on exhibition in a café hopefully not long from now. I have refurbished a couple of frames I got from second hand to go with them. I also got it clear today that I will have the opportunity to exhibit my photography in another café run by a city supported non-profit organization next late year. Something I wouldn't have believed of myself doing not long ago. But I am determined to continue my life towards a positive path.
The work I do is not spectacular. It consists of trimming overgrown bushes, taking care of the fallen leaves, getting rid of the immense amount of weed that has grown there, etcetera. Later we may go further into replacing or repairing a small wooden fence that has since long seen its best days. And I must admit that the work I do there every Friday fills me with a sense of satisfaction.
Summery Son, captured 2009.
The feeling of doing something good for people whose lives have been filled with hardships is very rewarding in itself. It is no understatement that I am thankful for being able to do this work. A gospel kind of thankful. Having gotten the chance to eat dinner and talk a little with a few of them also gives interesting perspectives on things.
I also have a few more or less visionary ideas involving art and this group of people. Wouldn't it be fantastic if there was a direction towards establishing more artistic projects with music, photography, painting and whatever sparks their interest and curiosity available for people who have lived or live under these conditions? It could be a way of regaining hope in yourself and realizing your own potential which may have been forgotten. Time will tell if or when I will put forward these ideas and what kind of response it will gather. I have a voice in the local section of the green party now after all, as I have written about before.
On a personal level I am also happy to tell that I am going to have a few of my photographs on exhibition in a café hopefully not long from now. I have refurbished a couple of frames I got from second hand to go with them. I also got it clear today that I will have the opportunity to exhibit my photography in another café run by a city supported non-profit organization next late year. Something I wouldn't have believed of myself doing not long ago. But I am determined to continue my life towards a positive path.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Cynthia prima fuit
I am really satisfied with the result of this image. At times I find myself capturing something that goes beyond the restrictions imposed by the technology of my camera. The essence of the moment. This is one of those occations.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
