Within minutes of arriving I was sitting in the shared kitchen at a table in lively conversation with others artists finishing their late breakfast and drinking strong coffee. Two other artists were sitting at another table, some others were at the hotplates and sink on the large island that is dwarfed by the expanse of the room. I felt immediately welcome and ’at home’.
Three of the artists had arrived from Berlin on Thursday, two to play at a concert on Friday, the other to see the art/residency centre. One of them will stay for the residency the other two left early this morning. Another artist is from Iceland, he arrived yesterday and spent last night in the room where I will be staying. He is also on the residency so is moving to another room … I have no idea why Kaspars (who runs the programme) added this move but I am starting to get the idea that he likes to be a little mysterious.
Other than the dates, and a very last minute email confirming that bedclothes and a towel were provided I have received no information about the residency programme. Walking around the old town in the afternoon with two artists – one from Berlin and one who arrived from Ireland – it became apparent that their email questions about the residency had been ’non-answered’: there would be no-days off, and the content would be revealed when everyone was here.
We wandered not exactly aimlessly around the town, one of the artists has been here often but not on the residency, and they guided us through the street towards the river pointing out traces of the medieval city as well as the soviet occupation, and even the peaceful protests that lead to the Baltic countries liberation. The city is amazing. I have never been somewhere with such a range of architecture, nor such contrast between abandoned and modern or restored buildings.
The building we are staying in is the 1970s extension to a soviet military facility from the 50s. From my windows I can see the vacant 50s building through the silver birches that are now bare. My room is about 6 by 9 meters – I paced it out. That’s 54 square meters just for sleeping, my new apartment in Uppsala is 53 square meters in total! Of course it is not just for sleeping, I am sitting here at a simple table writing now and hope to do so frequently if not daily over the course of the residency.
Yesterday was a long day, I woke at 1.30am to finish packing and catch the 3.15 night bus to the airport. The flight was only one hour and we can’t have been more than 20 passengers. By the time we got back after dinner out, the concert and a drink it was midnight. This morning I went for a run by the lake here, now I have showered and it’s approaching time to meet up with everyone in the kitchen for breakfast.
I have the feeling that I need to be here more than I knew when I made my application.
