Last week Project Me turned 13 – it is now a teenager. I don’t remember when I first starting thinking about how many years ago I began this blog, I know it was a good few years ago. It feels as though I have become more conscious of each passing year the less that I actually write it. Belated Happy Birthday wishes Project Me!
This time last year I was writing an article for the Supermarket Art Fair magazine about artists’ preparations for what seemed to be Britain’s immanent departure from the EU. One year on and I have just submitted an article to the same publication about my feelings as we fast approach the new and certain date. In many ways I remain as concerned about the future as I did last year – with one major difference, this year I have dual nationality so know that come what may I can continue to live and work in Sweden as well as other European countries.
I am curious about what will happen at 11pm on Friday evening – will it be fireworks and celebrations, protests and riots, quiet relief that it’s finally happening? Writing now I almost wish that I was going to be there, though I don’t know if I would want to be with friends and family in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Wiltshire or Devon. I am not part of any British community here so I’ve no-one to share the evening with. Will it be televised? Do I stay up late and watch the coverage? It feels so momentous and yet I have no idea of what I want to do. To go to bed and simply wake-up to a new order seems too passive and anti-climatic.
For the first time in a long time I do have plans for Saturday night … and they include dancing! As part of their Happymess (sic!) season the Haka artists’ group are having a party at Köttinspektionen. I am really looking forward to it, I know some other artists who are also going and as luck would have it I am house (and cat) sitting in Uppsala this week so I don’t have to worry about getting home afterwards – perfekt.
Ah yes Uppsala! The idea of moving here is still buzzing about my head. For many and varied reasons it is neither a quick nor a simple decision to make. On Sunday I looked at three flats that I could possibly afford (providing that the bank will give me a modest mortgage). They were very small. Could I really downsize to such a scale: live in a compact bed-sit? My entire life would change and I am not one hundred percent (or even seventy-five percent) certain that I want all of the changes. To be honest I want about fifty percent of the changes. I want a more stimulating and cultural environment, is that enough? Not only would a flat here be considerably smaller but probably any studio too. I would have to commute to work in Enköping three days a week and I already know that I am not a natural commuter. In Enköping it is no more than a ten minute cycle (which I do year round) from my home to the studio, the gym, and to work. Even if I were to find work in Uppsala it seems clear that the distances between the four major centers of my daily life would dramatically increase. Cycling back ’home’ (to my temporary residence) after a meeting yesterday evening it occurred to me that perhaps my initial approach – looking at flats – was a false start, a step in the wrong direction. What if I started to look for a studio here instead? Find a suitable studio could take some time as there only a few studio associations here and all have waiting lists. I neither want nor have the resources to take on a whole premises myself so investigating the group studio possibilities would be a good thing to do. If/when I find a studio perhaps thinking about my living/working would be easier. I could even have a studio here while still living in Enköping – for a while at least – especially if I could spend the odd night at the studio!
- Other options:
Get known as a willing house/cat/dog sitter here in Uppsala
Slowly build up a social and cultural life here before making any snap decision
Sublet my flat and rent something here
I have a lot of other things going on at the moment and wondering about moving and all that that entails is probably a bit of a displacement activity from more the pressing, but less fanciful, things that I have to get done such as my Swedish VAT return and decorating the bedroom. I’ve also got proof-reading for Supermarket to do and the first 2020 show at Glitter Ball to put on!
This really is no time for daydreaming Stuart! Give Klas a great Glitter Ball experience and (proof) read a few short texts each evening! It’s only a number of days before I have a week away for some very much needed sun – that’s when I can take it easy and fantasise about the future!
http://glitterball.se/showroom/index.html
http://kottinspektionen.org/
https://www.supermarketartfair.com/
