Oslo | 8 degrees | foggy
hop on the bus
early
no moon
to illuminate the way
driver’s headlights
rake miles of
seried tree trunks
driver
chats all the way
about my stay
about the weather
(unusually mild)
about the museums
I should visit
about the vikings
about british
TV programmes
norwegians like-
‘top gear’
‘downton abbey’
a young boy get’s on
he’s sweedish
asks if I am british
and chats away
about how marvellous
the castles are
in england
and how simply
wonderful the fort
in konsvinger is
although he’s
about 16
his english accent
suggests he’s seen
too many movies
from an era
when everyone spoke
like celia johnson
in brief encounter
off bus
onto train
reach Oslo
before 9
bleary eyed
and thick
with unfinished
sleep
have coffee
at the station
drag the heavy case
on wobbly weheels
up the long main road
to the palace
round the corner
is cochs pensjonat
home for
the next few days
walk along
old patterned floor tiles
up a dark wooden stairs
up in a coppery lift
a small room
a peachy bedsit
with beds, sofa-bed,table,chairs
hotplate, fridge
en suite with heated floor
cosy, clean
make tea
sleep on bed
for half an hour
head to waterfront
to most modern
gallery
astrup-fearnly
piano’s builing
all drooping glassy sails
+ venetian blinds
..not exactly art friendly
inside
acres of smooth concrete
and flat white walls
the art is
usual safe fare
disappointingly so
exhib on appropriation
koons – all meticulous
candy coloured surfaces
yawn
sherman – borrowed types
of female roles
prince – cowboys, pastiches
car bonnets
gober – odd sinks
supposedly eerie
tho’ it’s
hard to be eerie in
a white concrete box
just one photo
catches my eye
charles ray
2 small self portraits
side by side
man fixed to wall
by a plank
in the collection
usual suspects
keifer, polke
hirst, emin,
ho-hum
plus painting from
later period of
american pop artists
(born in 70’s)
it’s as if
all american artists
can say is
…hey we’re into
the world of advertising
and isn’t it something …
banal in every way
no humour
though there is one
entirely covered
in blue hair
no subversion
no sideways look
little text panels
tell you exactly what
is there
no surprises
no unimagined insights
no space for speculation
or contemplation
sit in
media lounge
with looped video
of a man
in sparkly blazer
falling off a chair
over and over and over
accompanied by
electric organ music
sit in forcefully designed
red chair
flick though
glossy art books
enjoy one
on brazilian contemporary art
containing art
embodying
everything that is
absent from exhibition
variety, complexity
confusion, exuberance
playfulness, tactility
that’d make a
good exhibition!
walk through the fog
past nobel peace prize centre
..that’s happening this week
back up through
the city
it’s really quite small
low-key
nothing fancy
steady + assured
at the centre is
the winter market
vinterland
a ferris wheel
decked with tiny lights
stalls in wooden chalets
sell knitted goods
and doughnuts
hot dogs
and waffles
gluehwein
and something
that smells fishy
+ socks, hats, shawls
all v jovial
back at base
eat a hot
panini and
a cup of tea
take photos
of the
v white bathroom
then plan
tomorrow’s excursion
