Guerrilla Gardening, phase 2 (year 2)

Guerrilla Gardening: Vasaparken, Falun 2009-
Photodocumentation of phase 2 (year 2)
Dimensions variable




































Last weekend Karin and I visited Falun and we were happy to see that our yellow crocus trail is back on the slope of Vasaparken. It looks slightly different from last year so perhaps only one of the two flower types used survived this year's cold winter - or the remaining ones have yet to wake up from their winter sleep.

It's only the trail's second year and already it offers a sense of familiar recollection. Like seeing an old friend.

For project history see the earlier posts, starting from November 2009 (Guerrilla Gardening: Vasaparken, Falun 2009-)

Fotboll, images and press

Cykel och tuta, 2011
Text piece

Soccer may be a complete commercial spectacle. But as it is the world's most popular sport, activating several million people, it leaves few without more or less banal memories of their own to relate to. These are mine.









As I find it hard to translate this to English and still retain the intended tone, I've picked out two key passages:

During primary school I cycled the three kilometers from Hälsingberg to Korsnäs once a week to get to soccer practice. I guess I had borrowed shoes from some friend of the family, and we affixed the shin guards under our yellow socks using masking tape. /.../

/.../ Despite the neocolonial european demands the south africans didn't ban the vuvuzelas from any world cup matches. It felt refreshing. I picked up my own old horn and joined in their "see if we care!".

Installation view of text piece and accompanying original artifacts (bicycle and vuvuzela)






















Gallerist Johny Kronwall (far left) just before the exhibition is officially opened by a local soccer celebrity





















Media coverage /reviews (in Swedish)

"Fotbollspremiär på Galleri J i helgen
Mest originell är inflyttade amerikanen Anthony Mills som format en boll av skärp som hänger från taket med titeln 'Bend it like Beckham', formodlingen lånad från filmen med samma namn. Moa Lindh ligger inte långt efter med 'Cykel och tuta'. Hon har helt enkelt ställd ut en riktig cykel och en vuvuzela från VM-aktuella Sydafrika. Moa bodde en tid i Kapstaden under sin utbildning och skaffade tutan då. Cykeln använde hon till träning och matcher när hon växte upp i Falun..."

Published in the paper version of Hallands Nyheter Saturday 2 April 2011 (unfortunately not available online)

Upcoming exhibition Fotboll - opening 31 March 2011

Once again I'll be joining Galleri J in Falkenberg. This time gallerist Johny Kronwall hosts Soccer, "a themed exhibition with artists from north to south". What makes this show unusual is its co-organiser, the soccer team IFK Göteborg!

Sneak preview from Thursdag 31 March 2011.
The opening event is on Saturday 2 April 2011 at 11h30.
The show stays on until 30 April.

Galleri J
Storgatan 19
Falkenberg, Sweden
Tel: +46 (0)70 690 0603

Opening hours:
Thurs & Fri 14-18
Sat 11-14

Design for Hagabion

Hagabion (tote bag design), 2010
Digital image
Dimensions and colours variable















Over the last few months I have been part of a small design group at Hagabion, Gothenburg's independent cinema, with the mission to develop a new design for a tote bag to be sold at the cinema. Work began in early April and since then we've had several feedback rounds on a wide variety of individual designs. Many proposals were discarded, others developed further, and a few made it all the way to the final round where one of my designs, inspired by the sign above the cinema entrance, was chosen for the first load of tote bags which has just returned from the production.

Bags can be bought for 40 SEK at the cinema ticket office, and are avaiblable in an off-white print on black fabric as well as purple on green (limited edition).

Hagabion
Linnégatan 21
Gothenburg, Sweden
Tel: +46 (0)31 42 88 10

Opening hours:
Mon - Fri 17-21
Sat - Sun 13-21


Other designs of mine, at various stages of development (might show up on other forms of printed material in the future).

Guerrilla Gardening, phase 2 (year 1)

Guerrilla Gardening: Vasaparken, Falun 2009-
Photo-documentation of phase 2 (year 1)
Dimensions variable


Photographs by Karin Nordmark




































Spring has arrived in Falun! The result of Karin's and my efforts in October last year, as part of our Guerrilla Gardening project, has begun to reveal itself as planned and a trail of yellow crocus flowers now stretches from Vasaparken down to the road island.

As crocuses are perennial they will continue to surface on this spot in coming years. There's also a possibility that Karin and I will make additions to this project in various ways.

Background info and photodocumentation of phase 1

The Industrial Religion, images & press

Golden calf, 2010
Jute string, wire
16 x 22 x 10 cm
Installation view & detail


This slightly physically disabled (/cyborg) calf has been equipped with a wire wheel and is otherwise crocheted using jute, "the Golden Fibre". The Golden Calf is commonly understood as a symbol of idolization, or as a critique of the pursuit of wealth. The hebrew word for calf can (according to a currently unconfirmed source) also mean circle.





















Images from the opening









Curator Magnus Sjöbleke (right)









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Media coverage / reviews (in Swedish)

"Religiös kitsch är temat - Galleri J inviger sin påskutställning idag
En temautställning om religiös kitsch startar i dag på Galleri J i Falkenberg. 14 konstnärer från när och fjärran finns med i 'Den industriella religionen – den religiösa evolutionen'. Ordet kitsch är ett låneord från tyska eller jiddisch och syftar vanligen på konst, hantverk och litteratur som är producerad på ett billigt sätt och utan konstnärligt engagemang. Men som samtidigt kopierar och gärna överdriver former från dyrare verk..."
Read the article

The Industrial Religion - opening 1 April 2010

The group exhibition on the subject of religious kitsch that I'm participating in, entitled The Industrial Religion - the Religious Evolution, opens at Galleri J in two weeks time. The show is curated by artist/critic/journalist Magnus Sjöbleke who sends the following press release:

Den industriella religionen - den religiösa evolutionen
utställning om religiös kitsch i Falkenberg

Utställningen är skapad av konstnär/curator Magnus Sjöbleke.

14 konstnärer deltar med verk som på olika sätt förhåller sig till religiös kitsch, den religiösa evolutionen samt den industriella religionen.

Utställningen i vilka följande konstnärer deltar:
Gertrud Alfredsson, Leanne Bridgewater, Noah Ljungberg, Anna Fröman, Moa Lindh, Fredrik Persson, Ann Strömland Väggö, Martin Svansjö, Camilla Rosberg, Johan Svensson, Susanne Petersson, Peter Davidsson, Magnus Sjöbleke, Paula Pantolin

Presentation av kyrkoherde Peder Jarnvall kl. 16:00
torsdagen den 1 april 2010 på Galleri J Falkenberg

Opening event and presentation by vicar Peder Jernvall on Thursday 1 April, 16h00.
The exhibition stays on until 1 May.


Galleri J
Storgatan 19
Falkenberg, Sweden
Tel: +46 (0)70 690 0603

Opening hours:
Thurs & Fri 14-18
Sat 11-14