MOONRISE, SPIRAL JETTY

SPIRAL JETTY, THE GREAT SALT LAKE, UTAH

These pictures were taken yesterday evening as the SUN was setting over the SPIRAL JETTY. After leaving the Jetty on Thursday we decided that we wanted to go back to see it during the sunset the next day. Both E and I agree that it was totally worth it. The first day there was no wind and it was very warm. It was so quiet and still that it was STRIKING, even for a Norwegian. When we arrived yesterday there were small waves on the lake and the wind was blowing gently. As I was balancing on the stones on my way out on the Jetty, trying not to get my shoes wet, I suddenly realized how ridiculous it was that I was wearing shoes. The wind and the salty water made me feel like I was by the OCEAN, and that totally changed my feelings about the situation. Instead of thinking of the Jetty as only a piece of ART that I was balancing on, it also became a tool to relate to and experience the nature surrounding it. With that shift the shoes had to go, and I had the best time walking around feeling the water, sand and rocks under my feet and the wind and warm sun on my face.

THE GREAT SALT LAKE, UTAH

Yesterday E and I started our LAND ART ADVENTURE. For a little over a week we will be driving through AMAZING LANDSCAPES visiting some of the world's most well known Land Art pieces. Our trip will take us From Salt Lake City trough Utah, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico before we end up in Phoenix where we fly back to New York. There will be more pictures than I can post here (there always is) , but I will try to share some of my favorites with you. Like these that I feel illustrate the unbelievable quiet that we experienced yesterday at the GREAT SALT LAKE when we were there to see the SPIRAL JETTY by Robert Smithson.

BROOKLYN SUNSET

I'LL BE SITTING IN A CHAIR, ISCP, BROOKLYN

I'LL BE SITTING IN A CHAIR, DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE YOU ARE IN NOW.

The room sits in the middle of the building and has very high ceilings. Its two windows, placed almost at the top of one of the tall walls, face into the common area where other residents have their snacks and socialize. In spite of the heigh ceilings and beautiful hardwood floors the lack of a view presents a challenge in terms of providing a harmonious workspace.

Matthew Antezzo's installation of a hyper-materialized chair is a well suited response to the values and challenges of a contemporary residency program. A residency is always a unique opportunity to spend time in a new city, meet people and interact with a different branch of the international art community. A room with a chair, however, is just a room with a chair. “Get out into the city and spend your time there”, Matthew seems to be telling me. 

Antezzo's work deals with the balance of an object's material and conceptual qualities. The work could be understood as a critique both of the somewhat maligned "studio based practice" and the artistic use of readymades. Neither a sketch nor a model, the sculptural work sits uncomfortably between the primary physicality of its material rawness and the heightened ideological context of its installation. 

                                                                                                                                                   

  

- Erlend Hammer, New York September 22nd, 2012.

WHERE DID THE BUILDING GO?

A few days ago we spent a very nice day in WILLIAMSBURG. I have only been there once before and that was about five years ago so it was nice to revisit and see how the area has changed. While we were there we also visited our friend Matthew's family's loft. After a tour around the loft Matthew made us VODKA TONICS and sent us up to THE ROOFTOP to hang out there while he finished up some work (he was working on an artwork that's now on display in E's studio at ISCP, it's very nice, will post some pictures later). The rooftop has quite an amazing view over Manhattan. I guess people living here get used to it and don't think about it that much, but as you probably can tell from my pictures I am still fascinated by the NY buildings and the different skylines. Looking at the skyline and the new Freedom Tower that's under construction, I realized how people in this neighborhood would have had a straight view to the disaster that had happened just there. When Matthew joined us later he showed us where, a little over 11 years ago, he had been standing with his then three year old son on his arm, watching the first tower collapse. When the smoke started to disappear his thoughts were interrupted by his son asking 'where did the building go'?

IT STARTED WITH A MESSAGE TO THE UNIVERSE

Today I was sitting by my computer trying to figure out a new 'About Me'- text for the blog, to say a little bit more about it, and me, for new readers. Doing that made me think of the actual conversation that led to this blog. I started writing and the text became way too long and maybe too weird to function as a 'hello welcome to my blog', so I thought I would share it with you as a separate text instead. So here it is;

I remember sitting in MY BED not long before going to BERLIN, having a conversation with myself. I think BIG LIFE CHANGES sometimes call for these conversations, not the small ones you have with yourself all the time, at least I do, but a real SIT DOWN TALK with yourself. So there I was, in my bed, thinking about my future, thinking about what I wanted it to bring. A friend of mine had recently given me a book called 'THE SECRET', in short it's about letting the universe know what you want, and if you make your message strong enough, the universe will give it to you. My friend basically had given me the book because I had been going through a phase where I was afraid to be optimistic, because I had been, optimistic that is, and that in a big way, and then some shit that I didn't see coming hit me really hard. So yes, I was going through a phase where I was thinking that at least if you expect the worse and don't get too excited, at least you will not run into the wall full speed without ever seeing the wall coming. A very negative way at looking at the world, but it felt like self-preservation at the time. 

BUT, so with this new change in my life, something good, I was thinking that it maybe was time to start wanting something again, wishing for something good. So there I was, in my bed asking myself what it was I really wanted. Because you know,  I couldn't really tell the universe before I knew myself. After sitting there for a while the clearest thing that popped into my head was I WANT TO TAKE PICTURES. As simple as that. For the last two and a half years I had been working on my MASTER'S DEGREE in ART HISTORY ..and I had hardly taken pictures since I left photography school. (I am not good at focusing on many things at the same time, at least when it's something that I am passionate about). I should tell you that it has been a tendency in my life to SHIFT between writing and working with art ( my educational background is basically one and a half year at the university, two years in art school, two years at the university, one year at an art school and then yes, two and a half years in university again).  …..So after this last period of time spent at the university 'I WANT TO TAKE PICTURES'  wasn't really an out of character WISH, still it was a bit of bad timing, since I had just finished my education…. NOT as a photographer, but an art historian. Well…

So there I was, in my bed, I had figured out a pure wish for my future so I sent it out to the universe as strongly as I could. With this wish as my only future goal I went to BERLIN and did just that, started taking pictures. And this blog is where the majority of those pictures have been shown. After now almost three amazing years taking pictures I'm thinking that I maybe  should have altered my wish slightly, maybe into; I WANT TO MAKE MONEY FROM TAKING PICTURES. But I guess thats just a minor detail, but one that I will have to start channeling more clearly to the universe from now on;) 

All this talk of sending messages to the universe might sound really WEIRD to many people, but for me it it's mostly a matter of speech …or thought. What I took with me from the book 'the secret', was the faith in that you will not be able to reach you GOAL unless you clarify to yourself what it is  …and for ME, sending my wish out to the universe makes it at least feel like I have told someone so it makes it more REAL, and I also feel that when you take a LEAP OF FAITH to do something you believe in, it's somewhat comforting to think that the universe is on your side, wanting to give you what you want for yourself.  And as 'I believe in Santa' as it might sound, that faith is sometimes what I need to make wishes that seems hard to make, actually come true.

SUNDAY BALCONY DINNER

AT THE BEACH, WILLIAMSBURG

BLUE CORNER, WILLIAMSBURG