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KYIV UNDER SIEGE
While Kyiv was under siege last night, I had dinner in Malmö with a friend at a Swedish restaurant that will soon change owners and serve Lebanese cuisine. The conversation fluttered back and forth, wonderfully boundless. We talked about Putin. Of course, we did. My friend asked me what the United States would have done if Russia had installed short-range missiles in Mexico? Had Biden kicked back and chilled? Hardly. My friend locked up and without wavering pressed on,
– But Joakim, don’t you think that the situation in Ukraine is reminiscent of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
I agreed. Then I took a few seconds and a deep sip of beer to gather my thoughts before saying,
– But the starting point, the Russians’ seemingly incurable, pathological wet dream of world domination is not “same same”. The United States only wants to dominate as long as it benefits American companies and prevents the spread of communism. The motives are plain to see. It’s not colonialism or a dictatorship fueled by insecurity and paranoia.
I can feel that I’m on a roll and continue, albeit somewhat hesitant about defending the country where I was born but have an increasingly difficult time relating to…
– The political system in the United States is lightyears from flawless, but it’s still considerably more transparent than the Russian has ever been. The Kremlin is just way better at whipping up nationalism and propagandizing myriads of myths.
My friend’s silence shouted agreement. We changed the topic to chat about art, traveling, and many other interesting things until it was time to pay the bill and leave.
The path back goes along slippery cold, desolate streets, many miles from Kyiv. Along the way, bright, flickering lights from living rooms with enormous television screens. I wander along the night’s gentle sea and let barely audible waves lull me home.
PUTIN INVADES UKRAINE
So, Putin invades Ukraine. The hotel I’m staying at is crowded with Polish guests. There are several high school classes and accompanying teachers from a city with far too many consonants in a row for me to try pronouncing. More importantly, however, is that the city they come from borders with Ukraine.
While the high school students are too young to remember what it was like to live under Brezhnev, Andropov, Cherneko, Gorbachev, and the boozer Yeltsin, I’m pretty sure the older teachers remember those grumpy old men far too well. Some of them may even consider that once Putin has annexed Ukraine, he might point his chubby index finger at Poland. And maybe then towards the Baltic countries. I get chills down my spine when I think about it.
A brief reminder: On September 29th, 1938, Hitler’s demand to annex Sudetenland, the German-speaking part of Czechoslovakia, was approved.
I feel a little nervous because Putin is so erratic. He has long had an unhealthy Stalin complex and the world’s history is filled with old men with various obsessions and hubris. It usually does not end well.
“Grumpy old men,” wrote a friend this morning after first sending the text “Damn fucking idiot!”, which I think is a fitting summary of Putin. As if it wasn’t enough with the pandemic, the climate crisis, and that Top Gun 2 won’t premier until May 27th…
The image above is from my visit last summer to Birkenau, the death camp near Krakow.
Cranking Creaky Gears
The above cranking, creaky gears belong to the clock movement in the belfry of the Vilnius Cathedral, the oldest clock and clocktower in the Lithuanian capital. It was installed waaaaay back in 1672. I can’t remember if I was there to photograph Karolina for a Swedish fashion brand or to oversee the production of a book.
While I was standing there, high up above the square in Old Town, I remember being fascinated by the ingenuity and craftsmanship of all those ancient, interacting gears and levers. But what was even more beguiling was considering why there was even a need to know the time of day back then. I mean, how would being made aware of whether it was 8:23 am or 9:12 am make a difference to the average person in Vilnius in the late 16th century?
Well, I’m back in Malmö again. Finishing up a rather large project and beginning another, smaller, albeit considerably more creatively challenging.
Resurfaced: Tbilisi 2022
Here’s a new Resurfaced artifact, “Tbilisi 2022”. Sometimes when I write 2022, it’s hard to take in those numbers as this year. With so many twos, it just seems so futuristic.
Ancient, Old & Decrepit
While out on a long walk the other day, I thought of why over the last decade or so I’ve become so utterly fascinated, mesmerized even by just about anything ancient, old, and decrepit. Particularly the decrepit. Is it an aesthetic “self-alignment” to my own inevitable physical degradation? If that theory holds its own, then does it therefore essentially explain why when you are younger, that new and shiny stuff is more appealing as it is a more relevant reflection of oneself? In any case, the vintage door or gate above with its sturdy, unbranded lock, beckoned me to capture it.
SURFING THE BIG WAVE
Another capture from the Big Wave Surfing Competition in Nazaré. One of several new images from my visit there. All shot in color and converted to monochrome. I’ve been working on a book about surfing for several years and I’m not entirely sure if they should be added as an additional chapter, or if I perhaps now have all the images I need to start actually compiling it.
I just realized that the process of producing photographs for a book and painting a painting isn’t very dissimilar. At some point, you just have to call it quits, draw a line and probably stop using the collection phase as an excuse to continue procrastinating. I think I might just be there. I am not so much your typical procrastinator, but I am very easily distracted…but definitely need to work on maintaining focus on what’s important and less on superficial stuff that might provide some immediate gratification but that never really leaves you with a long-lasting feeling of accomplishment.
Wave of Nazaré
From an inspiring visit to Nazaré, the fishing village about two hours north of Lisbon and during the winter months, world famous host to Big Wave Surfing championships.
Ice Scream
I’m not particularly picky when it comes to gelato. Fact is, I can pretty much enjoy just about any flavor and taste as long as it’s not rum or eggnog. Adding rum to gelato (or ice cream) is as bad as putting pineapple on a pizza or using canned tuna for a pasta dish. Culinary blasphemy, I say. If I had to choose one single flavor, I’d pick pistachio any day of the week.
In Lisbon, there’s an American fellow named Larry. Larry’s from New York where arguably some of the best gelatos can be bought, in no small way thanks to all the Italian Americans living there. Larry moved to Lisbon about four years ago to start an artisan gelato business. He’s got a couple of places now and judging from the line outside his Popbar parlor not too far from where we live, Larry’s doing just fine. His Popbar‘s pistachio gelato on a stick is phenomenally tasty. Gelato on a stick, you ask? Yup. Pretty neat, huh?
As I’ve been told, the main difference between gelato and ice cream is that ice cream, as the name implies, is made with more cream than milk. This means it’s already been fluffed up quite a bit and is filled with a lot more air (about 50% more) and contains more calories. Gelato, on the other hand, is made mostly with milk, which makes it denser and allows it to absorb more deliciousness from whatever flavor you use, all the while being less fatty. According to Larry, pound for pound, gelato is a much better deal for both your palate and your wallet.
So, if you’re in Lisbon, check out New York Larry’s Popbar. It’s another fine reason to visit this gorgeous city.
Resurfaced: Marvila
Captured this Resurfaced piece on my way to Lisbon’s art district Marvila.
The Swedish Hoarder’s House
From the somewhat related, like second cousins, documenting the Swedish Hoarder’s House yesterday morning was an intriguing albeit challenging experience, physically and mentally. It was my first, firsthand hoarder’s house, but I feel I’ve captured my visual impressions in both still imagery and filmed footage.
Resurfaced: No Doubt Nr 473
Generally speaking, I have my fair share of doubts. I think it’s part of the creative process, the evil twin or, the nagging parrot that tries to convince you of the utter irrelevancy and/or unimportance of your artistic expression. It can be a good thing, though. A necessary filter or gravity to keep the work as grounded as it should be.
I rarely feel any lingering doubt about the Resurfaced project. The work feels so real, tangible, accessible, and profoundly simple for it not to be worthy of the time I spend on it Much more so than any other art project in recent memory.
Scum
Short with my phone during a walk along the beach in Vejbystrand yesterday. Just couldn’t resist the jiggling foam (or, calling it “scum” instead of “foam”).
Resurfaced: Swedishness
Here’s a new piece that reminds me of a strange word: Swedishness. What does that even mean? It’s an old internal Ikea-adaage, but I honestly don’t know what it refers to anymore. It seems to be harder to locate new Resurfaced Artifacts. Might be the time of year, or, the fact that the surfaces I capture them on are constantly evolving as new material is added to them.
Arrived in Scandinavia late/early last night. Gusty air currents yanked the plane up, down and sideways. The cockpit crew settled us down very smoothly on the tarmac at Kastrup. Train to Malmö ran on time and by 01:30 am I was in bed. After nodding off a few times during the flight, I struggled a while before falling asleep. It’s going to be a windy, cold, sunny and busy day in Malmö.
Resurfaced: Under the Bridge
Captured this layered artifact (and a few others) for the Resurfaced series under a bridge in Lisbon, quite unexpectedly. Then again, this happens all the time. When and where I least expect to find something noteworthy, it just appears.
Resurfaced in Trafaria: Ancient Volkswagon Bus Type 2
Here’s another interesting find from my visit to Trafaria the other day. A VW Transporter Type 2.
If you’re my age, or, at least thereabouts, there’s a decent chance you’ll remember the old VW bus like the one above. There’s a new, all-electric model available these days, but from a design perspective, I think it looks shallow when compared with the original. I’m guessing the above abandoned VW Transporter Type 2 was made sometime in the 1960s or 1970s.
The house where the bus was permanently parked was in itself intriguing. I couldn’t determine if someone was still living there or not. There were some telltale signs that the building wasn’t completely deserted, but through a side window into what I am guessing was just one of several bathrooms, I saw a dove or pigeon walking undisturbed on the black and white tiled floor. Near the VW bus were two other vehicles, but both were entirely covered with tarpaulin.
In my younger years, I might have climbed the fence and walked through the house to see if there were any salient clues as to why such a beautiful house had been abandoned.
Resurfaced: Trafaria
I spent the better part of a sunny day in Trafaria, the same small town where the gigantic storage silos are and where we took the ferry to Lisbon a few weeks ago when Elle visited. It was my second visit to Trafaria and I was determined to investigate if the town had something more to offer me visually than what I had seen during my first visit. Turns out it did. Not in an overwhelming way, but still, I did locate and capture few Resurfaced artifacts which made the excursion worthwhile. Like the piece above.
Resurfaced: Plates in Algarve
I have no idea why someone (or, several people) decided to place a plethora of dinner plates on a concrete wall somewhere outside of Sagres in Algarve, Portugal. It’s one of life’s many unsolved mysteries, despite consulting Google about this interesting installation.
Resurfaced: NFT Nr 333
I just barely comprehend what non-fungible tokens (NFT) are and the concept seems so abstract, that not grasping how it works makes it feel like the generational gap is widening. At what point do you just shrug and let stuff like this just go? My gut feeling is to keep my mind lean through learning and understanding. But jeez, sometimes (often) the virtual world can be so fluffy and hallucinatory. Like being on some psychoactive drug and taking all the craziness you think of during a trip dead seriously.
Anyway, here’s a new piece for the Resurfaced series, aptly titled, Resurfaced NFT Nr 333.
Resurfaced: Layer Cake
Things are unusually topsy turvy right now. We’re somewhere in the midst of this thick, multi-layered, gooey cake packed with wants and wishes, needs and hopes. Everyone is pushing in different directions and though we’ve long known of the cake’s inedibility, new layers are continuously added. Kinda like the above Resurfaced image.
Trafaria
Shot today in Trafaria, a tiny, tired hamlet with a surprising amount of beautiful old houses and art deco buildings near the ferry to the Belém district in Lisbon where we ate the year’s very first lunch.
The big building behind the café shows a partial view of the giant silos at Trafaria Port Terminal. According to the owner Silopor’s website, the monstrous facility has a storage capacity of 200,000 MT and can dispatch up to about 10,000 tons of various agriculture products per day by road. It’s an ugly-ass eyesore for sure, but as a backdrop for this shot, I think it fits pretty well.
Oh, the old dude sitting to the right outside the café in the foreground was still quietly nursing a beer, when we returned three hours later.