Looking at the departure board at Arlanda airport, we mused about where to go next.
Collaborating with other artists, is not just about exhibiting in their home town, it’s about swapping cultures, lifestyles and building friendships.
It was only four days, but we managed to pack a huge amount into that short time. I don’t think I could fit the whole experience into just one blog, so I’ll try to condense it – revisiting at a later date.
We arrived Thursday night, met by artists Susanne Torstensson and Sophie Elmen. We had collaborated with Susanne several times already, having initially meeting her and members of ArtMobile at Supermarket, the Stockholm Art Fair.
There were 3 works of theirs in our cases when we arrived, reminders of a past Liverpool Biennial exhibition – too heavy and delicate to post back.
Sleeping at Sophie’s, we were picked up Friday morning by another two members of Artmobile – Emma and Tapani, eager to show us the museums, galleries and sites of Vasteras.
Friday night saw the most bizarre and strangely intriguing exhibition I have ever taken part in.
We are so used to installing a certain way – measuring up, standing back, checking…taking into consideration what is either side of the work etc…. But artists arrived throughout the night, banging a nail in the wall, and hanging their work wherever there was a gap.
A toolbox lay in the middle of the floor all night, with everyone politely walking around it.
Music began. A deadly serious male, who looked like he had come straight from the office, playing what sounded like feedback and loud buzzing for an eternity, before rudely being interrupted by a man jumping about wearing a lace tablecloth and pith helmet. The second performance had begun.
The 2nd musician began his electronic sounds (which I liked a lot!) merging into Susanne’s alter ego, Barbie Swe, roller skating (badly) around the gallery area, urging us all to dance to Kraftwerk with her.
I seriously don’t think I have enjoyed a private viewing as much as this.
