A reflection on art and perception, and what happens to creativity when perfection becomes effortless.
What happens to art when machines not only copy human skill, but surpass it โ and when perfection no longer costs anything?
Technically, the answer is already here. Artificial intelligence creates images quickly and accurately, in ways no human can match. It seamlessly transitions between styles and expressions โ without doubt, fatigue, or the need for time.
Art isn’t just about results; if it were, everything would be decided. It’s important to keep this idea open instead of closing it off.
The history of art isn’t just about technical progress. In fact, It is often the opposite. Key moments happen when something becomes unnecessary. When precision isn’t needed anymore, it allows for new ideas. When reality doesn’t have to be shown, it can be understood in different ways.
In that light, artificial art seems less like a threat and more like something that reveals something about it. It shows, quite harshly, how much of what we call art is really just variations of existing patterns. What may lose significance is not the art itself, but what was already predictable.
It’s hard to say the change is neutral. The constant access to perfect images influences both what is made and how we perceive things. Our eyes quickly adapt.
What takes time and thought may seem less valuable compared to things that provide instant satisfaction. This change happens not in the art itself, but in how the observer sees it.
Against this backdrop, the question shifts from competition to a more basic one: what cannot simply be optimized? Perhaps it involves elements of riskโthings that could have failed. It highlights not just results, but a process where something significant was at stake.
This is not a sentimental view of the โhumanโ, but a distinction in what a work is, rather than how it appears.
The question isn’t about whether artificial art can replace human art, but about understanding why it matters if it can’t. If someday the answer is no, it doesn’t mean the art itself is to blame. It’s tied to our ability to perceive.
Maybe it is not art that changes, but our perception of it?
The rise of artificial art is clear and will continue in the future. But when will it stop? Are there any limits, or are the boundaries few? The questions may seem broad, but what truly complicates things is my own thoughts. An artist’s hard work and material choices can easily be overlooked in this algorithm-driven world.
Experiencing the creativity of others and the amazing variety of artworks is one of life’s greatest joys. Standing in front of a piece makes you curious, leading you to ask the artist questions like: how did you create this? How long did it take? Or how did you make it so perfect?
As an art historian and analyst, I seek deeper questions, but if algorithms create the art, do these questions become insignificant? What does it mean for creativity and authenticity when brush strokes come from code?
Nowadays, artificial art is everywhere, leading to increased skepticism. I often find myself spending more time checking if an artwork is AI-generated instead of focusing on its content, themes, and story.
Such a situation is challenging for me as an observer and disheartening for real artists. Their work often goes unrecognized or unappreciated, leading to skepticism among viewers. This overshadowing by AI artists like Salvador AI or Vincent van AI can be frustrating for those who care deeply about human creativity.
As long as art galleries display talent, human-made can stand out. With the growth of digital media, more people are curious about art, which may encourage them to visit exhibitions and appreciate art in its true form.
My goal is to attend many exhibitions each year and often visit museums and historical sites. I document each visit with reports on this blog. The images, locations, and historical contexts are real. Castles aren’t created by algorithms, and brushstrokes don’t come from keyboards or screens.
Note:The image for the post is, of course, AI-generated – if you were wondering?
Frozen moments in a trembling hand The icy catch of the sea in the silence of the stones The ice, a silent blanket, in a lullaby for the soul The icy view of the bay in the absence of waves The shroud of white cliffs, like ice in the drink of life Slippery places are in the grip of the coast Weak polar winds and the proximity of frozen lips No turning back when frozen moments seduce
Christmas markets are delightful and awaken a longing within me when I think of my old workplace. The annual Christmas market outside the museum entrance has an irresistible charm. The weight of nostalgia feels overwhelming. The grand county museum, with its fantastic exhibitions, stirs strong emotions in me. Every visit is a melancholic journey. Every step I take reminds me of the memories and moments I have left behind.
Once inside the museum, the excitement hovers. Many fantastic exhibitions to explore. One of the exhibitions, “Out of the Shadows” โ an art exhibition by Johan Thurfjell, captures your attention. It gives a strong sense of connection and touches you deeply.
Fhoto: Bjรถrn Blomqvist
“The door is a solitary object but also a symbol. A door is never just a door: it is a portal, a threshold, an interface. It separates outside from inside, but also offers a path to the other side. What hides behind it?”1
Alone in the dark. Only me, the door, and the light that speaks with an intense voice for both of us. Small in the sense of the room, yet so enchanting in its depth. Behind the lonely door hides something longing to reveal itself. The hidden seeps out like a loving whisper, as if the work itself challenges the boundary between presence and absence. In Johan Thurfjellโs exhibition Out of the Shadows, a scene is born. It is a powerful symbol of the spaces that are usually kept in darkness within us.
The installation contains two works, The Door and Backstage. But it is The Door that captivates the gaze and awakens profound questions. It stands there, seemingly ordinary, yet it pulses with a mysterious sense of what is happening inside, or behind. An intriguing movement seems to have just swept past. A secret activity might be unfolding, hidden from our eyes.
In encountering the work, the thought arises that every human being carries their own inner universe. This universe is a landscape of winding corridors, narrow corners, and unexpected openings. The door becomes a marker for the point where reality and imagination meet. What we think we know is unsettled by what we only sense. It is in this in-between space. In the very moment of doubt, the work opens itself and begins to speak.
Upplev 1700-talet pรฅ Ljungs slott i รstergรถtland. Besรถkare fรฅr utforska stรฅtliga salar, kรถk och hemliga rum, och Axel von Fersens kรคrleksbrev till Marie Antoinette fรฅr nytt liv. En eftermiddag fylld av skratt och historisk atmosfรคr โ en tidsresa utรถver det vanliga.
Slottet, fรคrdigstรคlldes รฅr 1779, men byggandet pรฅbรถrjades redan 1776 pรฅ initiativ av fรคltmarskalken och politikern Axel von Fersen den รคldre. Arkitekten bakom det lokalt producerade slottet, var Jean Eric Rehn1. Slottet รคr byggt av sten och tegel frรฅn trakten.
Skรฅdespel, skรฅdeplats
En teatervandring genom slottet gรถrs av guider frรฅn fรถreningen Ljungs Slotts Bevarande. Sรฅklart iklรคdda 1700-talsklรคder. Allt bรถrjar i husets hjรคrta. I kรถket pรฅ nedervรฅningen.
Uppradad lรคngs ena kortsidan i kรถket fick man fรถlja skรฅdespelet. Ett storslaget kรถket med spis, skafferi och porslinsskรฅp. En scen ur 1700-talets vardagsliv utspelades bland kรถkspigor och tjรคnare. De klagade pรฅ maten, skรคmtade om falska rรฅttor i kรถket och nรฅgon tog en klunk โmedicinโ. Skรฅdespelet fortsatte.
Pรฅ nedre plan finns รคven ett kafรฉ, en utstรคllning om Jean Erik Rehn och en museibutik. Entrรฉhallen รคr i rokokoinspirerad stil.
En trappa upp, i den s.k. adelsvรฅningen, hรถll Axel von Fersen den รคldre2 och hans familj till. Vรฅningen รคr inredd i ren gustaviansk stil3.
Adelsvรฅningen
I den stora matsalen med sina lรฅngbord, stรฅr en kakelugn och รถppen spis i vardera kortsida vรคgg. Under 1700-talet kom kakelugnar att bli populรคra. Pรฅ vรคggarna hรคnger portrรคtt av Fersenslรคktens medlemmar.
Matsalen, belรคgen pรฅ slottets norra sida, har fรถnster mot norr fรถr att hรฅlla rummet svalt under varma dagar. Efter en kort scen ur ett teaterstycke med ensemblen gรฅr man vidare till hertigens sovrum.
Axel von Fersend.y.4 var lรฅng och stilig, men sรคngen var bara 1,65 meter lรฅng. Den hade sรคnghimmel fรถr att skydda mot drag och kyla, och fรถr att ge en viss avskildhet. รven i sovrummet utrรคttades behoven.
Under den pรฅgรฅende fรถrestรคllningen kom jungfrun in och tog fram en pottskรฅl under hertigens sรคng. Kรคrlet bars sedan upp till vinden och tรถmdes fรถr att fรถrhindra att lukten stรถrde slottsinvรฅnarna.
Frรฅn sovrummet ledde en dรถrr in till Axel von Fersen den yngres fรคngslande arbetsrum. Hรคr skrev han brev till sin รคlskade Marie Antoinette med osynligt blรคck. Jungfrun, som flitigt skรถtte om kontoret, avslรถjade parets hemliga kodsprรฅk i breven.
I de eleganta salongerna dansade herrarna och damerna. De rรถrde sig till hovfolkets musik. Musiken var troligen barock eller inspirerad av 1700-talets folkvisor. Den spelades frรฅn pianot intill. Deras perukprydda huvuden rรถrde sig i takt med melodin. Jag kan dock inte med sรคkerhet sรคga vilken musik de dansade till.
Guvernanten lรฅg i nรคsta rum och vilade, plรฅgad av huvudvรคrk och illamรฅende. I sin omtanke erbjรถd jungfrun henne ett huskurat vinblandat lรคkemedel. Jag minns att det innehรถll rรถtt och vitt vin. Det hade ocksรฅ kanelstรคnger och nรฅgot mer. Det lรคt som en trรถstande rosรฉfรคrgad glรถgg. Den skulle kunna lรคtta hennes besvรคr.
Guiden visade upp sina tidsenliga klรคder, med strumpor, kjolar, underkjolar och nattlinnen prydligt lager pรฅ lager. Hon gav oss en inblick i 1700-talets mode. Hon fรถrklarade att en mouche var en viktig del av modet. Det var ett litet skรถnhetsmรคrke format som en fluga. Mouchen hade bรฅde praktiska och estetiska syften och symboliserade status. Guiden placerade sin mouche pรฅ hรถgra kinden.
Avslutning
Den timslรฅnga guidade turen, med inslag av teater, avslutades med en kรคnsla av tidsresa. Vi fick mรถta 1700-talsdamerna i deras praktfulla drรคkter och lyssnade fascinerat pรฅ de gripande berรคttelserna om bรฅde slottet och Fersenslรคkten.
Tillbaka pรฅ nedervรฅningen, bland rokokodetaljerna, รฅtervรคnde jag till 2000-talet. Mitt fokus skiftade nu till museibutiken och Ljungs kyrka, dรคr mรฅnga Fersenslรคkter vilar.
Jean Eric Rehn (1717โ1793) var en central gestalt inom svensk arkitektur under gustaviansk tid. Han fรถrde รถvergรฅngen frรฅn lekfull rokoko till stramare nyklassicism inspirerad av antikens ideal. Efter studier i Paris blev han hovintendent och professor vid Konstakademien, och hans stil kom att prรคgla den gustavianska estetiken.โฉ๏ธ
Axel von Fersen den รคldre (1719โ1794) var greve, militรคr och diplomat. Han var ambassadรถr i Frankrike och medlem av riksrรฅdet. Som en ledande fรถretrรคdare fรถr hattpartiet drev han en profransk, monarkistisk politik. Han var far till Axel von Fersen den yngre.โฉ๏ธ
Gustaviansk stilย รคr den svenska tolkningen av fransk nyklassicism under Gustav III:s tid (ca 1770โ1810). Ljusa fรคrger, raka linjer och klassiska motiv som urnor och band prรคglar stilen, som fรถrenar enkelhet och elegans.โฉ๏ธ
Axel von Fersen den yngre (1755โ1810) var adelsman och officer med internationell karriรคr. Han umgicks i franska hovet och blev nรคra vรคn med Marie Antoinette โ ryktet sรคger รคven รคlskare. Han deltog i planeringen av kungafamiljens flykt under franska revolutionen och blev senare riksmarskalk i Sverige. Hans brev och dagbรถcker ger en unik inblick i 1700-talets Europa.โฉ๏ธ
Julita gรฅrd, med anor frรฅn 1100-talet, speglar svensk kulturhistoria genom medeltida klosterliv och herrgรฅrdsliv frรฅn 1900-talet. Guidade visningar avslรถjar gรฅrdens hemligheter och berรคttelser frรฅn Arthur Bรคckstrรถms tid.
Vinden blรฅste hรคrligt frรฅn vรคster och vรฅgorna pรฅ sjรถn รljaren var hรถga. Jag sรฅg verkligen fram emot en fantastisk utflykt till Julita gรฅrd. Platsen har en historia som strรคcker sig till 1100-talet.
Julita gรฅrd รคr en betydelsefull historisk plats som ligger drygt en timmes bilfรคrd hemifrรฅn. Idag ingรฅr den i Nordiska museets samlingar, dit den donerades av sin senaste รคgare, lรถjtnant Arthur Bรคckstrรถm.
Vandring i tid och rum
Ensam och fรถrvรคntansfull stod jag dรคr (sommaren 2024). Bara jag och guiden. En privat visning, nรคstan som en drรถm! Vad jag fick veta frรฅn guidningen, รคr det jag kommer delge er hรคr. Det รคr mina intryck och mina betraktelser!
Det sรฅ kallade stora huset, dรคr guideturen startar, รคr betydligt yngre รคn platsen, vilket ger den en spรคnnande historia. Huvudbyggnaden uppfรถrdes pรฅ 1600-talet. Huset brann ned under mitten av 1700-talet, men ett nytt hus uppfรถrdes pรฅ samma plats, senare under 1700-talet.
Gรฅrden kรถptes pรฅ auktion av Arthur Bรคckstrรถms fรถrรคldrar, รฅr 1892 frรฅn familjen Palbitzki. Vid kรถpet var huset helt tomt. Det gav familjen Bรคckstrรถm en fantastisk mรถjlighet. De kunde sรคtta sin egen prรคgel pรฅ gรฅrden โ bรฅde pรฅ exteriรถren och de tillhรถrande byggnaderna. De gjorde รคven inredningen personlig och skapade ett varmt och inbjudande hem. Enligt guiden.
Tiden fรถre Arthur
Klรคdd i tidsenliga klรคder berรคttade guiden med en fรคngslande passion om huset โ enbart fรถr mig. I det inledande anfรถrandet sades det att kung Knut Eriksson donerade gรฅrden Sรคby รฅr 1180. Gรฅrden omfattar en betydande del av Julita socken.
Donationerna tillfรถll cistercienserorden. Munkarna uppfรถrde ett kloster pรฅ den plats dรคr herrgรฅrden nu stรฅr. De konstruerade ett valv pรฅ den plats dรคr den sรถdra flygeln รคr belรคgen.
I den sรถdra flygeln, ovanfรถr valven, finns ett imponerande kรถk, dรคr maten till alla pรฅ gรฅrden tillagades med stor omsorg. Ett andra kรถk finns ocksรฅ i den norra flygeln. Ibland fungerade det รคven som ett vรคlkomnande soppkรถk fรถr luffare och andra fรถrbipasserande.
Under reformationen pรฅ 1500-talet, nรคr Gustav Vasa regerade, stรคngdes klostren. Tidigare hade klostren varit viktiga fรถr lรคrande och andlighet i Sverige. Landet blev lutherskt, vilket fรถrรคndrade det religiรถsa och politiska landskapet. Staten fick mer makt รถver kyrkan och dess tillgรฅngar. Julita blev ett kronohemman, vilket pรฅverkade den lokala befolkningen och ekonomin. Kungamakten fick styra klosterjordarna och omfรถrdela resurser fรถr att stรคrka sin makt.
Jag vet en del om Gustav Vasa. Men jag hade ingen aning om att han tillbringade sina sista tvรฅ veckor pรฅ just Julita. Under tiden han var dรคr, var han sjuk. med sig hade han ett fรถlje pรฅ 200 hรคstar. Det รคr inte helt klart om sjukdomen han drabbades av under resan dit var den som ledde till hans bortgรฅng. Guiden kunde tyvรคrr inte ge nรฅgra svar pรฅ den frรฅgan.
Arthurs Bรคckstrรถms tid
Arthur Bรคckstrรถm รถvertog gรฅrden 1902 efter sin far, Johan Bรคckstrรถm. Arthur arrenderade den med stor entusiasm och hรคngivenhet fram till sin dรถd 1941. Detta skapade en stolt tradition som fortsรคtter att inspirera. Under Arthurs tid byggdes bland annat en kuskbostad, ett stall samt ett vagnsgarage.
Arthur hade inga egna barn, men mรฅnga hundar. De var inte bara husdjur, utan ocksรฅ en integrerad del av hans liv och hans familj. Enligt vad guiden sa, vilar hundarna pรฅ samma heliga plats som Arthur sjรคlv, i evig gemenskap.
Arthur var verkligen en omtรคnksam person! 1 600 luffare kom fรถrbi hans gรฅrd under ett och samma รฅr. Han brydde sig om de fattiga och hungriga ๏ผ en bra gest, enligt guiden. Hans รถnskan att hjรคlpa till var genuin. Han ville se till att alla levde gott, bรฅde de som behรถvde stรถd och de som arbetade pรฅ gรฅrden. Han ville att alla skulle kรคnna sig vรคrdefulla.
Portrรคtt av Arthur Bรคckstrรถm, mรฅlat av Bernhard รstergren 1935.
Stora huset
Fรถrsta vรฅningen (markplan) i huvudbyggnaden var Arthurs privata del. Guiden berรคttade รฅterigen, entusiastiskt om hur viktiga hans hundar var fรถr honom. Varje morgon njรถt han ocksรฅ av rabarberjuice, en god start pรฅ dagen, helt enkelt. Pรฅ bordet bredvid sรคngen stรฅr en kanna som bekrรคftar berรคttelsen.
Jag stรคllde mรฅnga frรฅgor, vilket gjorde att jag lรคrde mig mycket och kรคnde mig inspirerad. Vad fick jag mer veta?
Jo, i ena รคnden av vรฅningen finns Arthurs frukostrum, och i den andra รคnden finns hans sovrum. Dรคremellan finns ett sรคllskapsrum dรคr dignitรคrer mรถttes fรถr att prata, njuta av cigarrer och spela kort. Kanske diskuterades affรคrer och politik dรคr?
Pรฅ vรฅning tvรฅ mรถttes jag av en vacker salong och en matsal. De var fyllda med Rรถrstrands-porslin och glas med Arthurs sigill pรฅ. Jag frรฅgade sรฅklart guiden om glasen kom frรฅn Reijmyre glasbruk, som grundades รฅr 1810 och ligger inte sรฅ lรฅngt hรคrifrรฅn. Guiden visste inte, sรฅ den frรฅgan fรฅr framtida besรถkare sjรคlva undersรถka.
I det sรฅ kallade Julitarummet hรคnger en imponerande mรฅlning av Julita krutverk. I krutverkets verkstad tillverkade man lรคderkanoner. Ja, hรถr och hรคpna! Detta var en banbrytande uppfinning som avsรฅg att gรถra kanoner mycket lรคttare att transportera pรฅ slagfรคltet. Tyvรคrr blev projektet ett misslyckande, eftersom krutblandningen ofta exploderade.
Mรฅlningen รคr en kopia, berรคttade guiden. Originalet kan beskรฅdas pรฅ Rijksmuseet i Amsterdam. Jag besรถkte det museet vรฅren 2023. Jag beundrade verket utan att tรคnka pรฅ att det var originalet till verket jag nu stรฅr framfรถr. Vilken slump?
Pรฅ รถversta vรฅningen finns ett underbart bibliotek, ett gรคstvรคnligt gรคstrum och en rymlig salong. Biblioteket rymmer รถver 5 000 volymer, vilket sรคkerligen รคr en glรคdje fรถr alla vetgiriga besรถkare. De stora koffertarna vid gรคstrummets entrรฉ, berรคttar om spรคnnande lรฅngvรคga resor.
Det var inte bara besรถkare och luffare som var dรคr. รven de anstรคllda. De flesta av gรฅrdens 150 arbetare bodde i omrรฅdet. Mรฅnga var torpare och hade fรถrmรฅnen att bo i nรฅgot av de 80 torpen.
Henning Forsman
En som ofta omnรคmndes var gรฅrdssnickaren Henning Forsman. Stรถrsta delen av herrgรฅrdens mรถbler รคr tillverkade av honom. I hans verkstad, belรคgen i utkanten, fanns ingen elektricitet, fick jag veta. Allt arbete utfรถrdes fรถr hand och med mekaniska maskiner.
I herrgรฅrden (stora huset) fanns det dรคremot el. Guiden pekade entusiastiskt pรฅ lamporna i taket โ utan lampskรคrmar, just fรถr att kunna visa att huset hade elektriskt ljus.
Forsmans uppdrag var att skapa mรถbler fรถr herrskapet i en rad olika historiska stilar. Mycket av mรถblemanget i huset bรคr hans osynliga signatur av finess och elegans. Guiden visade stolar i empirestil, med majestรคtiska lejonfรถtter. Dekorerade med tofsar.
Pรฅ egen hand
Efter en timmes guidning lรคmnade jag huset. Den stora trรคdgรฅrden breder ut sig framfรถr mig. Ett lusthus รคr synligt i fjรคrran. Det รคr en kopia, som guiden poรคngterade. Originalet รคr belรคget pรฅ Skansen.
Mรฅnga intryck rikare fortsatte jag det spรคnnande utforskandet av omrรฅdet. Nu utan guide och efter eget intresse. Orangeri, museum och kyrka รคr verkligen nรฅgra av de fantastiska byggnader som bรถr besรถkas โ och sjรคlvklart ett mysigt kafรฉ! Kaffet var nรคstan dyrare รคn intrรคdet, men den vรคnliga personalen gjorde upplevelsen vรคrdefull.
Intill kyrkan ligger det fรถrtrollande Julita Skans hembygdsmuseum, en skattkammare av historia och kultur. Dรคr รถppnar Arthur Bรคckstrรถm lyckligt sitt hjรคrta och sin privata samling, som gnistrar av minnen och historier. Men det รคr inte allt!
En mindre, men kraftfull konstutstรคllning har ocksรฅ funnit sin vรคg hit. โรntligen!โ utbrister jag inombords, โlite modern konst som vรคcker liv och kรคnslor.โ Utstรคllningen ligger en trappa upp i museets gastkramande entrรฉbyggnad. Utstรคllningen framhรคver imponerande verk av lokala konstnรคrer i Katrineholms kommun, inklusive Julita. Den arrangeras av den ideella fรถreningen KIKK (Konstnรคrer i Katrineholms Kommun).
Museibyggnaden รคr hรคrligt sammanbyggd med gรฅrdens kyrka via en liten, charmig innergรฅrd. Kyrkporten, som sig bรถr, vetter mot vรคster โ mot det glittrande รljaren.
Det stora huset รคr belรคget i รถster, vilket รคven gรคller kyrkans altare. Besรถkare fรคrdas sรฅledes frรฅn vรคst till รถst โ frรฅn mรถrker mot ljus โ nรคr de passerar genom porten till altaret. Kyrkor har traditionellt konstruerats med altaret riktat mot รถster, den riktning dรคr solen stiger.
Kyrkan, eller snarare kapellet, รคr uppfรถrt i trรค i enlighet med Arthurs egna visioner. Inuti anordnas trรคbรคnkar och ett altare i รถster. Byggnaden, som รคr liten och stillsam, prรคglas av ett fristรฅende klocktorn (kampanil) intill.
Dagen avslutades med ett besรถk i orangeriet och det nรคrbelรคgna tegelbruket. Nรฅgra blommor inhandlades innan sista stoppet. Museibutiken.
Texten bygger pรฅ en tidigare engelsk version, nu bearbetad och รฅtergiven pรฅ svenska.For the original English text, see [Understanding Synesthesia:]
Syfte och metod
Syftet med studien รคr att undersรถka mina egna perceptuella upplevelser i relation till fenomenet synestesi. Studien fokuserar pรฅ hur fรคrg, form, ljud och begrepp samverkar i min vardagliga perception. Genom sjรคlvobservation och jรคmfรถrelse med befintlig forskning identifieras flera synestetiska uttryck, framfรถr allt grafemfรคrgssynestesi, dagfรคrgssynestesi och tid-rumssynestesi.
Min fรคrgstarka fรถrmรฅga
Vardagen รคr inte bara svart eller vit. Den รคr en fรคrgpalett som fรฅngar intryck och sinnesstรคmningar i regnbรฅgens alla nyanser. Om jag frรฅgar vad du heter och du svarar “Erikโ, dรฅ รคr du grรถn. Jag heter Bjรถrn, och รคr blรฅ. B som i blรฅ. Om du heter Anna, รคr du rรถd. Patrik รคr brun. Sofie รคr vit. Johanna รคr vinrรถd osv.
Namn och fรคrger blandas samman. Det visar de fascinerande kopplingar jag skapar mellan namn och fรคrg. Det รคr uppenbart โ det รคr synestesi!
Om mitt namn (Bjรถrn) รคr blรฅtt och lรฅter som en isig vind โ vilka fรคrger sรคtter du pรฅ ord?
Har siffror fรคrger?
รr du som jag?
Vad รคr synestesi?
Synestesi รคr ett neurologiskt fenomen dรคr sinnena รคr sammankopplade. Den vanligaste formen, grafemfรคrgsynestesi, innebรคr automatiska och konsekventa kopplingar mellan bokstรคver eller siffror och specifika fรคrger. Dessa samband รคr ofta envรคgs och utvecklas tidigt i barndomen.
Synestesi kan ta sig mรฅnga uttryck. Den kan exempelvis koppla tidsenheter till fรคrger eller fรถrvandla musik till visuella upplevelser. Man har identifierat omkring 70 olika typer.
Forskning
Enligt forskning vid Karolinska Institutet definieras synestesi som en unik fรถrmรฅga dรคr sinnesintryck eller tankar kopplas samman pรฅ ovanliga sรคtt. Bokstรคver kan till exempel vara fรถrknippade med fรคrger, eller ljud kan framkalla former.
Cirka 4% av befolkningen har nรฅgon form av synestesi. Fenomenet varierar mellan individer och รคr delvis รคrftligt. Forskare menar att synestesi ofta triggas av begrepp snarare รคn direkta sinnesintryck.
Det kan hjรคlpa hjรคrnan att gรถra abstrakta idรฉer mer konkreta. Synesteter uppvisar ibland fรถrbรคttrad minnesfรถrmรฅga och en tydlig kreativ รฅdra โ nรฅgot som fรถrklarar kopplingen till konstnรคrliga yrken.
Synestesi och autism?
Det finns teorier om samband mellan synestesi och autism. Det finns ocksรฅ teorier om samband mellan synestesi och tvรฅngssyndrom. Detta beror pรฅ liknande mรถnster i hjรคrnans kopplingar och detaljfokus. Pรฅgรฅende forskning studerar dessa samband genom tvillingstudier och hjรคrnavbildning.
Synestesi รคr inte en funktionsnedsรคttning. Den upplevs ofta som nรฅgot positivt, eftersom den berikar individens erfarenheter och visar hur unikt mรคnniskor kan uppfatta vรคrlden.
Hur โ pรฅ vilket sรคtt
Hur lรฅter fรคrgen rรถd? Endast nรฅgon med synestesi kan svara pรฅ det. En person hรถr en trumpet och ser trianglar, en annan tรคnker pรฅ basket och kรคnner smaken av vรฅfflor. En tredje uppfattar siffran nio som en sรคrskild nyans av rosa.
Synestesi betyder โsamtidig perceptionโ. Forskning visar att det ofta รคr sjรคlva begreppet eller idรฉn om nรฅgot som utlรถser den synestetiska upplevelsen.
De vanligaste formerna รคr:
Auditiv-taktil synestesi: Ljud framkallar kรคnselfรถrnimmelser som tryck, vรคrme eller smรคrta.
Dagfรคrgssynestesi: Veckodagar upplevs i specifika fรคrger.
Grafemfรคrgssynestesi: Bokstรคver, siffror eller symboler har bestรคmda fรคrger.
Hรถrsel-rรถrelsesynestesi: Rรถrelser upplevs med tillhรถrande ljud, t.ex. ett โsvischโ.
Spegelberรถringssynestesi: Nรคr man ser nรฅgon berรถras eller skadas och kรคnner det fysiskt sjรคlv.
Ljud-fรคrgssynestesi: Ljud eller musik vรคcker fรคrgupplevelser.
Tid-rumssynestesi: Tidssekvenser (t.ex. kalendern) visualiseras som mรถnster eller former.
Spatial sekvenssynestesi (SSS): Siffror, datum eller sekvenser upplevs som placerade i rummet i bestรคmda mรถnster
Min fรคrgstarka vardag
Jag lรคrde mig ordet synestesi fรถr inte sรฅ lรคnge sedan. Tidigare var jag omedveten om att fenomenet hade ett namn. Nรคr jag fick det beskrivet fรถr mig kรคnde jag att hela mitt liv rymdes i det ordet.
I รฅratal har jag sett ord, siffror, datum, tider och bokstรคver i fรคrger. Det bรถrjade nรคr jag var barn.
Mina former av synestesi passar in pรฅ alternativen ovan, 2, 3, 7 och 8. Jag har bรฅde fรคrg och en form pรฅ hela รฅret och dess mรฅnader.
Sรฅ hรคr ser รฅret ut i mitt huvud. Varje mรฅnad har sin egen fรคrg. Dagarna kring jul och fram till nyรฅr upptar den รถvre raden i min inre bild. Tydliga tecken pรฅ (7) Tid-rumssynestesi.
Fรถrst kommer julhelgen. Dรคrefter kommer mellandagarna. Till sist รคr det nyรฅret. Den raden tรคcker en vecka, medan den undre representerar stรถrre delen av รฅret.
Nu รคr det november. Hela mรฅnaden har jag fรถrestรคllt mig att jag befinner mig pรฅ den branta hรถgra kortsidan av rektangeln. I uppรฅtstigande rรถrelse. Inte fรถrrรคn dagarna innan jul, svรคnger det in pรฅ den รถvre lรฅngsidan av rektangeln. Dรคr befinner jag mig รคnda fram till det nya รฅrets fรถrsta dag.
Ordens kulรถr
Veckans alla dagar: Mรฅndag, Tisdag, Onsdag, Torsdag, Fredag, Lรถrdag, Sรถndag
Pรฅ liknande sรคtt ser jag veckodagar, namn, bokstรคver och siffror i fรคrg. Orden fรฅr sina nyanser genom sina inledande bokstรคver och genom datum som knyts till dem. Det omfattar, (2) dagfรคrgssynestesi, (3) grafemfรคrgssynestesi och (8) Spatial sekvenssynestesi (SSS). Som tidigare nรคmnt, har olika namn olika fรคrger, baserat pรฅ fรถrsta bokstaven i namnet.
Exempel: Om du sรคger att vi har mรถte kl. 16:00, รคr det mรถrkblรฅ tid. Om det รคr flyttat till kl. 18:00, รคr det vinrรถtt. Det kan skapa konflikt i mitt huvud, eftersom kl. 17:00 har en ljusare rรถd fรคrg och kan skapa missfรถrstรฅnd. (7) Tid-rumssynestesi.
Den vanligaste formen, (3) grafemfรคrgssynestesi innefattar fรคrger pรฅ siffror och bokstรคver. Som jag tidigare nรคmnt, har jag olika fรคrger fรถr olika namn, med koppling till fรถrsta bokstaven. Siffror รคr inget undantag. รven dรคr fylls de av fรคrger i mitt sinne.
Exempel: Tre datum stack ut i december 2024 och tvรฅ kommande datum i รฅr 2025.
Den 3:e var grรถn ๐ฉ.
Den 4:e var svart โฌ๏ธ โ en djup kontrast som vรคcker kรคnslor av mystik och tyngd. Dรฅ hade ett jag lรคkarbesรถk.
Den 5:e var gul ๐จ โ ljus och varm, fylld av optimism. Dรฅ var det julbord med kollegorna.
I รฅr รคr julbordet den 2:a och det datumet รคr rรถtt ๐ฅ.
Den 4:e i รฅr รคr det APT (oรถnskat), men fortfarande svart โฌ๏ธ.
Fรคrger ger verkligen energi och skickar signaler till hjรคrnan. Dessa signaler hjรคlper mig att minnas. De pรฅverkar ocksรฅ mina kรคnslor och min kreativitet. Mitt poetisk skapande och mitt unika sรคtt att minnas saker och hรคndelser, samt mitt starka bildminne.
Slutsats
Genom mina egna upplevelser har jag insett att jag har synestesi. Jag kopplar fรคrg, form, ord, tid och siffror pรฅ ett stabilt sรคtt. Detta har funnits sedan barndomen och stรคmmer รถverens med forskning om synestesi. Det fรถrstรคrker min upplevelse av vรคrlden och omvandlar abstrakta begrepp till konkreta erfarenheter, vilket fรถrdjupar kopplingen mellan tanke och kรคnsla. Mina upplevelser รถverensstรคmmer sรคrskilt med grafemfรคrgssynestesi och dagfรคrgssynestesi, och synestesi รคr en del av min identitet.
Texten bygger pรฅ en tidigare engelsk version, nu bearbetad och รฅtergiven pรฅ svenska.For the original English text, see [Exploring Modernist Architecture].
Vissa byggnader fรฅngar blicken utan att egentligen vara vackra. De stรฅr dรคr, kantiga och rรฅa, men med en tyst nรคrvaro som man inte kan vรคrja sig mot. Ibland passerar jag ett sรฅdant hus. Det รคr ett stycke modernism med brutalistiska drag. Byggnaden vรคcker fler frรฅgor รคn den ger svar.
Hantverkshuset
En byggnad kan fรคngsla en genom sin karaktรคr. Framhรคvd av dess spetsiga tak och glasfasad som gestaltar modernism. Rรฅbetong som lyfter fram samspelet mellan funktion och form. Det skapas ett rum fรถr reflektion kring tid och material.
Det finns byggnader med medveten arkitektonisk utformning av olika skรคl. Det รคr just den del som syns tydligast, och som jag pรฅ nรฅgot sรคtt tycker รคr spektakulรคr. Inte fรถr att den รคr unik โ det finns sรฅklart andra byggnader med liknande form och stil. Som jag sjรคlv sรคger: โDen sticker verkligen ut.โ
Byggnaden har lรคnge fรฅngat mitt intresse, och med sin fascinerande arkitektur. Den stรฅr ut och fรฅngar min blick nรคr jag gรฅr fรถrbi. Jag kan stรฅ lรคnge framfรถr den och fundera รถver vad den fรถrmedlar ur ett arkitektoniskt perspektiv.
Nรคr jag betraktar byggnaden tycker jag inte att den รคr sรคrskilt vacker. Men nรคr jag stรฅr framfรถr entrรฉn och det utstickande taket strรคcker sig รถver mig, kรคnner jag en viss modernistisk nรคrvaro. Byggnaden utstrรฅlar ocksรฅ en brutalistisk charm.
Personligen tycker jag att den pรฅminner om en tweedkeps med nedfรคllda รถronlappar. Den liknar ocksรฅ en haj med lรฅng, spetsig panna. Det รคr utan tvekan en modern byggnad. Den har ett spetsigt, utstickande tak. Dess glasade fasad betonar dess unika arkitektoniska stil.
Huset รคr byggt 1964 och stรฅr vid ett mindre industriomrรฅde i Oxelรถsund. Omrรฅdet gรฅr under namnet Stรฅlbyn. Jag har inte kunnat hitta nรฅgon information om husets historia eller vem arkitekten bakom det mรฅ vara. Det jag vill undersรถka รคr hur byggnaden fรถrhรฅller sig till olika arkitekturstilar.
En fallstudie
En modern byggnad med en distinkt glasfasad och ett spetsigt tak, representativ fรถr modernism och brutalism.
Jag har tillbringat en tid med att sรถka i min kunskapsbank och i arkitekturbรถcker i mitt eget bibliotek. Analytiskt, baserat pรฅ byggรฅr, material och form, skulle jag sรคga att det รคr modernism1.
Designen visar asymmetri i byggnadens nedre del (vรคnster i bilden) jรคmfรถrt med andra sektioner. Det spetsiga, utstickande taket och dess ojรคmna former anknyter till modernistisk arkitektur. Dรฅ byggnader i modernistisk stil, oftast prรคglas av platta tak, รถppna planlรถsningar, gardinfรถnster och minimal dekoration.
Valet av material โ tegel, glas och betong โ รคr typiskt fรถr modernismen. Det skapar en industriell kรคnsla och betonar minimalism och rena linjer utan dekorativa detaljer. Dessa aspekter visar att byggnaden fรถrkroppsligar funktionalism2 โ kรคnnetecknad av funktion, form, process och industriell design. Den tillgodoser mรคnniskors behov.
Hantverkshuset rymmer olika verksamheter, bland annat en bilverkstad, en vรฅrdcentral, en postterminal och en reklambyrรฅ. Den uppfyller effektivt samhรคllets behov โ ett kรคnnetecken fรถr funktionalismen.
En annan stil som hรคrstammar frรฅn modernismen รคr brutalism3, som kรคnnetecknas av enkla, obehandlade material som betong. En arkitektur stรฅr utanfรถr tradition och konventionell estetik, och uppnรฅr effekt genom rรฅa former och materialens รคrlighet. Tvรฅ centrala byggnader inom brutalismen รคr Hunstanton School i Norfolk och La Tourette Abbey i Frankrike.
Reflektion
I mรถtet mellan betongens tyngd och glasets ljus blir byggnaden mer รคn bara en form. Den blir ett kraftfullt eko av sin tid. Den reflekterar vรฅr egen blick pรฅ den och dess betydelse. Analysen leder mig bestรคmt till funktionalism och brutalism, dรคr det finns gott om utrymme fรถr nya insikter och perspektiv.
ยฉ๏ธ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2025-11-06
Modernistisk arkitektur รคr den arkitekturstil som dominerade den vรคsterlรคndska vรคrlden mellan 1930- och 1960-talen. Den kรคnnetecknas av ett analytiskt och funktionellt fรถrhรฅllningssรคtt till byggnadsdesign. Byggnader i denna stil prรคglas ofta av platta tak, รถppna planlรถsningar, gardinfรถnster och minimal dekoration.ย โฉ๏ธ
Funktionalismen รคr en gren av modernismen som uppstod pรฅ 1920-talet. Arkitekterna fokuserade pรฅ byggnadsdesign utifrรฅn funktion. Detta resulterade i slรคta, odekorerade fasader med platta tak och enkla geometriska former. โฉ๏ธ
Brutalistisk arkitekturย blomstrade under 1950- och 1960-talen. Den drevs av en strรคvan efter funktionalitet och betonade ocksรฅ รคrlighet i materialanvรคndningen. Stilen kรคnnetecknas av rรฅa betongytor, exponerade bรคrande element och ofta enorma proportioner. Brutalismens charm ligger i avsaknaden av utsmyckningโฉ๏ธ
Texten bygger pรฅ en tidigare engelsk version, nu bearbetad och รฅtergiven pรฅ svenska.For the original English text, see [Exploring Stora Sundby Castle].
Stora Sundby skott
Stora Sundby slott reser sig som en drรถm ur sagornas vรคrld, bara en och en halv timme bort frรฅn vardagen. Bakom dess murar dรถljer sig sekler av makt och kรคrlek. Frรฅn medeltida fรคstning till romantiskt sagoslott.
Pรฅ schemat stod Stora Sundby slott! Slottet stรฅr prรคktigt hรคr i Sรถrmland, vilket vรคckte en varm kรคnsla av hemhรถrighet. Bilresan dit tog en timme och trettio minuter. Fast besluten att ta in allt som guiden hade att berรคtta, skulle jag komma dรคrifrรฅn allt rikare pรฅ historiska intryck.
Pรฅ slottet bor 4:e generationen av familjen Klingspor. Av privata skรคl, รคr fotografering inomhus inte tillรฅten. Slottet รคr yngre รคn tidigare slott jag besรถkt. Det bรคr pรฅ en rik historia som strรคcker รคnda till 1200-talet. Slottet omges av en storslagen park och vidstrรคckta jaktmarker. Med en engagerad guide fick jag inblick i slottets rika historia. Jag ser fram emot att dela dessa tankar med er.
En plats med rรถtter i 1200-talet
Stora Sundby har sina anor frรฅn 1200-talet. Sjรถn Hjรคlmaren, vars strand slottet ligger vid, รคr Sveriges fjรคrde stรถrsta sjรถ. Den var betydligt stรถrre pรฅ 1300-talet รคn i dag. Maktkamperna som avlรถste varandra under 1300-talet, fรถrekom รคven hรคr. Det var en orolig tid med kungar och hertigar i konflikt.
Redan pรฅ 1200-talet, uppfรถrdes ett fรถrsvarstorn hรคr. Det fรถrsta egentliga slottet byggdes pรฅ 1500-talet under ledning av Lars Siggeson Sparre. Familjen Sparre kom att spela en avgรถrande roll fรถr Stora Sundbys utveckling. Under flera sekler lade de grunden till ett storslaget arv. Det var pรฅ 1600-talet som den den berรถmda riddarsalen tillkom. Det รคr hjรคrtat i slottets historia.
Den romantisk omvandlingen
I bรถrjan av 1800-talet kom Carl de Geer till Stora Sundby, dรฅ en av Sveriges rikaste mรคn. Hans dotter behรถvde ett eget hem, och planerna pรฅ ett nytt slott tog form. Men Carls hustru, Ulrika Sofia Sprengtporten, hade helt andra idรฉer.
Sofias vision fรถr slottet fรถddes ur de riddarromaner av Sir Walter Scott, hon hade lรคst. Hon drรถmde om ett romantiskt slott som taget ur litteraturens vรคrld. Inspirationen sรคgs vara Walter Scotts hem Abbotsford. Noterat: (att enligt guiden รคr det det samma arkitekt som skapat de bรฅda slottet, men jag รคr kรคllkritisk till det.) รr det verkligen sรฅ? Slottet รคr vad det รคr (ett kalenderslott) och kommer vara det fรถr lรฅng tid framรถver.
Stora Sundby blev ett sรฅ kallat kalenderslott, en symbol fรถr tidens gรฅng. De fyra stora tornen representerar รฅrstiderna, de tolv smรฅ tornen, รฅrets mรฅnader. Slottet har dessutom 52 rum och 365 fรถnster. Det รคr lika mรฅnga rum som รฅrets veckor. Det finns en dag fรถr varje fรถnster likasรฅ. En arkitektonisk hyllning till tiden helt enkelt, eller som guiden sa; “Ett fรถnster om dagen att tvรคtta”.
Fรถrsta stoppet var riddarsalen โ slottets hjรคrta. Att stiga in dรคr, var som att fรคrdas tillbaka till 1600-talet. Vรคggarna pryds av mรฅlningar i lรคder, och som skildrar Kartagos fall, skapade under de Geer-eran.
Pรฅ en vรคgg hรคnger ett portrรคtt av Karl XIV Johan. Han var den fรถrste Bernadotten. Han var ocksรฅ den franske soldaten som blev svensk kung. Taket i salen hรถjdes upp under ombyggnaden fรถr att ge plats รฅt en praktfull takmรฅlning i de Geer-stil. Dรคr i taket, tronar Sparres vapenskรถldar som ett monument รถver familjens historia.
Nรคsta stopp var matsalen โ enkel men fylld av charm. I ett hรถrn stรฅr en kakelugn som tycks ha รถverlevt seklerna utan att fรถrlora sin charm. Vรคggarna รคr klรคdda med kalvskinnstapeter. Guiden berรคttade pรฅ ett poetiskt sรคtt hur varje fyrkant i tapeten representerar en kalv. Det var som om varje del hade sin egen berรคttelse. “I skenet av levande ljus lรคr tapeterna ha skimrat pรฅ ett nรคrmast magiskt sรคtt”.
I fรถljande rum blev stรคmningen plรถtsligt mer familjรคr, nรคstan komisk โ som i en familjescen ur en tv-serie. Slรคkthistorierna flรถdade: vem gifte sig med vem, vilka allianser skapades? I det rรถda rummet dรคremot, har delar av tv-serien Young Royals spelats in..
Slottets hemligheter
Endast ett fรฅtal av slottets 52 rum ingรฅr i rundturen. Man fick hรถra bรฅde skvaller och legender om familjerna Sparre, de Geer och Klingspor. De utsmyckade salarna konkurrerade med berรคttelserna sjรคlva. I ett av de sista rummen skimrade svagt upplysta 1700-talsmรฅlningar av en italiensk konstnรคr. Hans namn fรถll i glรถmska i stunden. Kanske pรฅ grund av den nรคstan spรถklika stรคmningen dรคr.
Plรถtsligt stod jag รฅter pรฅ borggรฅrden, fylld av samtal om spรถken och hemliga gรฅngar. Men finns det verkligen det och ett stort bibliotek? Jo, det finns ett bibliotek, dock inte stort โ och detaljerna kring de hemliga gรฅngarna fรถrblir hรถljda i dunkel. Det gรถr platsen รคnnu mer fรคngslande. Fรถrhoppningen รคr att fler delar av slottet en dag รถppnas fรถr allmรคnheten.
Stora Sundby slott bรคr pรฅ fler berรคttelser som vรคntar pรฅ att bli berรคttade.
Sammanfattning
Besรถket pรฅ Stora Sundby slott var en tidsresa genom 1200-talets och 1800-talets stil. Med sina fyra torn och 365 fรถnster รคr slottet som en levande kalender. Guiden delade familjernas historia, makt och kultur. Riddarsalen och de mindre rummen berรคttade om svunna tider och personliga historier. รven om fรฅ rum รคr รถppna, upplevs mystik och fantasi kring hemliga gรฅngar och spรถken. Slottet รคr bรฅde ett arkitektoniskt mรคsterverk och en del av Sveriges historia.
Art draws inspiration from the past while simultaneously striving for innovation. Every artist carries the weight of history within them, yet they yearn to discover their unique style. This delicate balance between heritage and change is where creation truly blossoms. Tradition transforms into material that emerges as something distinct and vibrant.
Something Iโve always wondered about is the phrase: โAll art is born from art.โ It can be interpreted in different ways. However, for me, it underscores a fundamental truth. This truth is about the cyclical nature of creativity. Just as many great artworks throughout history are built upon earlier ideas, a dialogue continues between different eras. Artworks exhibit various styles, which is similar to the other phrase: โThereโs nothing new under the sun.โ
Todayโs artists draw inspiration from the past by repurposing and reimagining these influences. This creative process allows them to craft something novel and pertinent. This exemplifies the ongoing evolution of art and ideas. Ultimately, it underscores that art is a collective endeavor, with each piece contributing to a larger, ever-developing narrative.
Iโm curious about the multifaceted nature of art. There are so many layers of meaning and significance that require in-depth exploration. Where can I find answers to my questions? Iโm particularly interested in the origins of contemporary artworks. Itโs fascinating to consider how the creative expressions of earlier generations have shaped our current artistic landscape. How have new art styles emerged from the old, driven by a quest for identity and understanding? Who holds the answers to these questions that perplex me? I yearn to uncover the historical insights that can illuminate our understanding of art and its evolution.
On a deeper level, I find myself pondering the intricate distinction between forgery and imitation. This complex question explores the realms of art and ethics. It raises profound questions about the acceptable boundaries of inspiration. It also considers the fine line between resemblance and caricature. The intention behind the creation becomes a pivotal factor in these cases. While a resemblance seeks to pay homage, a caricature often aims to mock or criticize. These subtle nuances can be challenging to define. Yet, they are crucial in shaping our perception. They also impact the valuation of both artistic works and cultural expressions.
The resemblance of a work to earlier works often leads to claims of similarity and inspiration. This phenomenon is not limited to visual arts. It also applies to music and lyrics. Many expressions and themes frequently recur in different versions. For instance, a poem I write may resemble someone elseโs without my knowledge. This can sometimes evoke a sense of wonder. Is it merely a coincidence that influences our creations? Or are there common frameworks that draw us towards similar images and emotions? Only we, as creators, can truly know. We navigate a world filled with influences and ideas, constantly seeking our unique expression. Simultaneously, we are aware of how we shape and are shaped by the works that have come before us.
Itโs crucial to comprehend an artistโs intent behind their work. This applies irrespective of whether itโs groundbreaking, revolutionary, or a reproduction of earlier creations. Each artwork carries a profound significance and context. Every interpretation is unique and can evoke diverse emotions and thoughts within us.
I, along with other observers, cannot provide precise answers. Our interpretations are shaped by our unique perspectives, experiences, and emotions. This inherent subjectivity makes art a dynamic and personal experience for everyone who engages with it. The artwork becomes a dialogue between the artist and the observer, with both parties contributing to its meaning and significance.
In todayโs art world, itโs an intriguing question to ponder. Does the artist possess knowledge of art history? Or are they simply forging their own unique path? Many artists draw inspiration from the past. However, I believe that most have a solid foundation in the traditional art forms. By studying earlier works, they gain insights and techniques that shape their own creations. These references add depth and richness to the art being produced today. They also ensure that it resonates with audiences on a deeper level.
Itโs also crucial to not merely replicate the past. Instead, artists must discover a distinctive and original voice in their creations. The artist seeks to express themselves, while simultaneously allowing the viewer to interpret the work freely. This fosters a dialogue between the artwork and the audience. It enables each viewer to experience the art in their own unique way.
The question of forgery is more about provoking than imitating. Itโs more about provoking because it often sparks debate and questions the norms of what truly constitutes art. The art that has been created contributes to this, as itโs often provocative and thought-provoking.
An analogy serves several purposes. It can pay tribute to the original work, or it can challenge or provoke the viewer. Something that already exists can always be presented anew. It can be shown from a different perspective. This highlights the diversity of interpretations and ideas that art can evoke over time.
The question at hand revolves around the distinction between analogy and caricature. These two artistic forms are frequently employed to convey diverse messages and evoke various emotions. Caricatures, in particular, can be created in a distinct artistic style. This style diverges from the original. It reflects different cultural or social contexts. They possess an innovative and playful quality, often in a naive manner, making them a unique medium of expression.
Caricatures, a long-standing art form, continue to captivate and challenge viewers. While their techniques are ancient, they are constantly evolving to reflect societal changes and the times.
In art history, where can one witness something entirely novel, something not derived from art itself? Is there a realm where the boundaries blur, giving birth to new ideas from the existing?
The question of whether modern art always originates from earlier art is complex, especially considering the intricacies of art history. While itโs true that modern art often draws inspiration from the past, itโs also important to recognize its multifaceted identity. Modern art has revolutionized the medium by breaking traditional norms and exploring new forms of expression.
Modern artists have studied earlier works and drawn inspiration from various art forms, such as music, literature, and film. This cross-pollination of ideas has sparked a dynamic dialogue. It bridges the past and the present. As a result, new artistic expressions have emerged. Simultaneously, this dialogue maintains a strong connection to the roots of art historical development.
Is it truly evident that all art originates from other forms of art? There exists a captivating cycle of creativity and inspiration that continuously unfolds. Can we assert that a particular artwork has never existed in any other form? In a world where ideas frequently build upon one another, it becomes challenging to completely isolate a single piece.
The most insightful answers to these questions come from the artists themselves. Through their personal experiences and unique perspectives, they can shed light on their creative processes. What drives your purpose in creating? Where does your creative power originate, and what motivates you? What experiences and influences have shaped your artistic journey? Who has impacted you along the way, and how has that shaped your style and expression? Or is your art truly entirely unique and personal, a reflection of your own thoughts and feelings?
Conclusion
The conclusion is that all art originates from earlier art. This doesnโt imply that new art lacks originality. Instead, all creativity draws from old ideas, traditions, and expressions. The artistic process involves a dialogue between the personal and the historicalโbetween imitation, renewal, and interpretation.
Real creation does not come from nothing, but from being aware of what already exists. So, art history is not a burden. Rather, it is a foundation for development. Each artwork shows traces of its predecessors and opens new pathways for the future.
How do we interpret art, and what does it truly convey? In this study, Panofskyโs emphasis on symbolism is combined with Alpersโ focus on the viewerโs experience. This approach is employed to analyze both individual artworks and entire exhibitions. The outcome is a novel method. It offers fresh perspectives. It enables a deeper comprehension of the messages conveyed in artworks and their cultural-historical context.
I continue my account of art analysis, explaining my approach. I emphasize the techniques and perspectives I find most effective. My inspiration comes from Erwin Panofsky, who often highlights the context of individual works while also pointing out profound symbolism. I primarily analyze the entirety of an art exhibition.
I analyze how various works interact and collectively convey a larger narrative or emphasize a specific theme. A thorough analysis is reserved for individual works. This in-depth review happens when the entire collection shares a common theme. It also follows a consistent pattern. This approach allows me to understand the overall experience better. I also grasp the messages the exhibition aims to communicate to its visitors.
Panofskyโs iconology provides a framework for describing, identifying, and interpreting artworks. These approaches are essential for comprehending the deeper significance of artworks and their contextual background.
My final step, sometimes omitted, involves understanding the backgrounds and intentions of the artists. This is particularly challenging for works from the past or unknown artists. Without this knowledge, interpretation becomes more difficult. However, it also opens up a more free and personal understanding of the work. This step is crucial for interpreting art. It allows one to navigate between different perspectives. It also helps to truly appreciate the artworkโs complexity and multifaceted messages.
Literature offers valuable insights into an artist’s background, personality, and historical context. This understanding is crucial for appreciating their work in depth. By analyzing the literary sources surrounding an artist, we can gain a more nuanced understanding of their sources of inspiration. We can also see how the prevailing currents of their time influenced their creation.
Iโm interested in discussing Svetlana Alpersโ analytical method, which offers a unique perspective on art. Unlike Panofskyโs more traditional approach, Alpersโ method focuses on context rather than symbols. By examining the time, place, and cultural influences surrounding an artwork, we can gain a deeper understanding of its message. This approach enhances our overall experience of the artwork. I find her four steps quite intriguing. I want to explore how they can be applied to my own analyses of art. This will undoubtedly enrich my perspective and deepen my understanding of the works I study.
Describe the image visually.
Describe how the image connects to modern science and culture.
Examine how images help us learn.
Consider the viewer’s viewpoint and the artist’s purpose.
Our approaches differ in that we focus on impressions versus expressions. We consider our personal experiences with artworks, reflecting on the impressions they leave on us. What emotions and thoughts arise when we contemplate a specific piece? What symbols and stories can we discern within it? What technical details does the artist have chosen to incorporate?
Aplerโs method centers on the expression of the image and the interaction of visual elements to convey underlying messages. It delves into what each artwork offers to viewers, examining its impact on our understanding of the world and science. Additionally, it reflects on the collective desires of contemporary society to communicate through art. By analyzing these impressions and expressions, we can cultivate a deeper appreciation for art and its profound significance.
In the initial step, I find myself at the same level as the subject matter. This unique opportunity allows me to engage deeply with what I observe. Through a carefully crafted visual description, my observational perspective (how) and representational perspective (what) become evident. Interestingly, this work is not about objective reproduction. Instead, it delves into my personal impressions and emotions evoked by the piece. It is crucial to emphasize that these experiences and insights are based solely on my own observations and interpretations. They do not reflect the artistโs subjective intentions or purpose.
The third step, which involves telling, is based on my interpretation of the image. I draw on my knowledge and personal experiences to understand its deeper meanings and symbols. Alpersโ method emphasizes that the existing knowledge in the image should guide my opinion-forming process. I should not impose my own knowledge onto the image; instead, I should rely on the information it holds.
I allow this method to guide my analysis and interpretation. By employing this approach, I can gain a more profound understanding of the artworkโs message. It aids me in comprehending its cultural context. It enriches my comprehension of both the artwork and the era in which it was created.
Thereโs an interesting interplay in step four. We delve into how our diverse approaches can enhance our comprehension of art. By considering both the viewer and the artist, we gain a more profound interpretation of the work. This opens up a wider range of perspectives. Itโs akin to poetry. I create based on my emotions, aiming to convey something unique and personal. However, the reader often perceives things that I havenโt always considered, and I can understand that. After all, each individual brings their own life experiences and perceptions to the table.
I gain a richer understanding of the image by delving deeper into the artistโs background. This allows me to capture subtle nuances. These nuances might otherwise be overlooked. This process is captivating, showcasing how art acts as a bridge between me and the viewer. However, itโs important to recognize that viewers also have their own unique reactions and emotions. I canโt control these responses, which makes every interaction with the artwork an unpredictable and personal experience.
Ultimately, I find my method to be a perfect fit for me. It provides a sense of security in my analyses, allowing me to be both observant and reflective. This approach enables me to comprehend diverse perspectives and nuances. I delve deeply into intricate issues, uncovering connections and patterns that often go unnoticed. However, other aspects of exploration can become overwhelming. Additionally, determining the accuracy of my interpretations can be challenging. Therefore, I prioritize focusing on what resonates with me personally. Through this method, I can still gain valuable insights without being overwhelmed by information or plagued by doubt.
I employ a hybrid approach that draws inspiration from Panofskyโs and Svetlana Alpersโ methodologies. My analysis encompasses both individual works and entire exhibitions, with a particular emphasis on nuanced context rather than superficial elements. This method strikes a balance between factual iconological interpretation and subjective impressions. It allows for a deeper understanding of the artistโs intentions. It also enhances the viewerโs experience. By considering the cultural context, this approach enables a more comprehensive grasp of the artworksโ significance and impact.
By incorporating diverse perspectives, the method offers a more comprehensive understanding of the artworksโ messages. It enables viewers to interpret them in various ways, creating a personal yet universal experience. The artistโs intentions are not necessarily fully known, allowing the observer to actively contribute to the interpretation. This collaborative process enriches the observerโs own experience of the artwork.
In this text, I introduce my art analysis method, which is based on observation and interpretation. The method consists of four steps that help us understand artworks on different levels.
As a word artist, Iโm also passionate about analyzing art. From a young age, Iโve always been fascinated by examining the elements of a work of art. Naturally, this interest continued after I earned my degree in art history from university.
Iโve previously discussed my method in comparison to Erwin Panofskyโs. There are many similarities between our approaches. I follow my own path, yet my method remains similar to his. My primary focus is on the overall impact of an art exhibition and individual works.
My method comprises four straightforward steps: How, What, Tell, and Who. These steps represent a significant journey: Observation, Representation, Meaning, and Background.
In the observations section (how), there are evident similarities with Panofskyโs pre-iconographic level. Initially, I focus on the technique and skill employed. Secondly, I consider the color, perspective, and movement, as well as whether the image is linear or painterly. These elements often provide insights into the construction of the artwork and the underlying meaning of its expression. Observation serves as the foundation โ to truly see before interpreting.
An example of a painting dominated by shades of a particular color uses distinct lines. These lines delineate the boundaries of various figures. These figures, or motifs, appear to hover and are depicted in motion, akin to a car navigating a bustling road. Through careful observation, one can interpret a multitude of elements within the artwork.
Example: Autumn (1912) by Mikhail Larionov at the Centre Pompidou: The bold use of color is striking. The use of blue, in particular, makes representational art stand out. Despite the lack of depth, the image conveys powerful movement through the birds and dynamic figures on the tree. The painterly style is evident in the sharp lines that define the figuresโ boundaries.
Autumn, (1912) – Mikhail Larionov
The representational aspect, as its name suggests, focuses on the subject matter of the artwork. It involves identifying the motifs, figures, and the degree of abstraction present. This step contributes to the overall impression, which is my interpretation of what I perceive in the artwork. While this aligns with Panofskyโs iconographic level, I find the concept of โrepresentationalโ more intuitive.
A house, for instance, isnโt merely a house on a blank canvas. It can be a specific house with a unique history or a symbolic motif. In such cases, questions often arise rather than definitive answers.
Or…
As depicted in the artwork below, this is not just a representation of a woman. Itโs a captivating self-portrait of Frida Kahlo, painted with her own hands. Who was she? The answer lies in the rich and layered background section, which awaits discovery and interpretation in the fourth part.
The Frame (1938) – Frida Kahlo
In the โtellโ section, I delve deeply into the artwork, which is my favorite part. I search for symbols, the meanings of colors, recurring motifs, and iconic traits. I want to comprehend the artworkโs layers of meaning. Every color, figure, or shape can hold cultural or personal significance. My goal is to uncover the deeper meaning hidden beneath the surface.
Example: The image vividly captures a significant theme that demands our attention. To fully appreciate the grandeur of Baroque art and the mastery of Caravaggioโs work, we must examine its elements. The figures in the painting are both prominent and impactful. The use of light is striking. In Caravaggioโs works, light serves a dual purpose: it illuminates the subjects and symbolizes the divine. It emanates from an unseen source beyond the boundaries of the image.
The Flagellation of Christ (1607) – Caravaggio
The meaning: the moment when Christ is bound to a pillar and scourged by three executioners. The light โ the divine โ falls mercilessly upon Christโs body, almost like a spotlight. The composition is tight. The intensity is physical. All superfluous symbols or background details have been removed. The focus is entirely on the human drama.
The background section is crucial for placing the artwork in context. It delves into the creatorโs identity. It explores how the artwork fits into the artistโs broader body of work. It often presents the most challenging aspect of analysis. It is also the most rewarding. This task requires a combination of knowledge and emotional insight to grasp the artistโs intentions, development, and environment.
Ragnar Josephson (1892โ1966) was an influential art historian. He offers a valuable perspective on the creation of art in his book, The Birth of the Artwork (1940). Josephson identifies three interconnected aspects of an artistโs creation: psychological, social, and aesthetic. These aspects interact and influence each other throughout the artistic process. Initially, the artist expresses their thoughts and emotions psychologically. These psychological elements are then shaped and influenced by social factors. Finally, the artist emerges as an aesthetic whole, combining these influences to create a cohesive and meaningful artwork. This perspective helps me understand the artistโs intention more deeply. It sheds light on the creative process beyond the final product itself.
Imagine this: youโve successfully completed steps 1-3 of this artwork. You possess a profound understanding of technique, materials, and knowledge. The vivid hues of blue and yellow immediately captivate your attention. The image exudes remarkable depth and employs a classic central perspective, drawing the motifs together at a focal point. You can almost sense the dynamic movement of the waves and the boats at the quay. Thereโs so much more to discover and appreciate.
Starry Night Over the Rhรดne (1888) – Vincent van Gogh
In the next step, it is unequivocally identified as a bay. This captivating evening is when the stars truly shine. This is no ordinary bay; it is a remarkable location along the Rhรดne River at the end of the 1800s. The view vividly captures the essence of the title, โStarry Night Over the Rhรดne,โ for all who observe it.
The image undoubtedly holds profound meaning and purpose. The darkness effectively represents the time of day, while the bright stars clearly indicate when the scene takes place. While there are additional symbols present, their inclusion adds depth rather than overwhelming the viewer. The colors and motifs are significant elements to consider. In the concluding section, we must acknowledge the extensive documentation of the artistโs life. The biographies provide a wealth of information that enhances our understanding of the artwork.
Summary
By first observing, I establish the foundation: the technical and material elements that form the visible structure of the artwork. Through representation, I discern what is depicted and howโseeking the connection between motif and expression. In the third step, I delve into the symbolic layers that the image conveys. Lastly, the background contextualizes the artwork within the artistโs life and surroundings, situating it within a broader cultural framework.
This approach draws inspiration from Erwin Panofskyโs iconology but embraces intuition and artistic emotions. It aligns with Ragnar Josephsonโs triad, which encompasses psychological, social, and aesthetic dimensions. Art emerges from the interplay between internal experiences and the external world.
Ultimately, my approach seeks to unveil the vitality of art. When observation intertwines with insight, the artwork communicates. This fosters a dialogue between the artist and viewer, bridging the gap between history and the present.
The fourth day concludes our journey from Karlshamn to Kalmar. The road is lined with historical sites and new discoveries. We visit Ronneby Brunn, a 18th-century spa, and Kristianopel, a Danish fortress. At Kalmar Castle, we witness Swedenโs might during the Great Power Era.
Day four, and itโs time to head home. Leaving Karlshamn feels a bit sad. I wish I had spent more time reliving those cherished memories. Unlike our previous journey, this time we took the coastal road along the east coast. The route here was more inland, traversing the entire length of this vast country.
The journey home offers two exciting perspectives. Firstly, embracing the variation along the coastal road adds a refreshing twist to our travels. Secondly, it presents a wonderful opportunity to explore additional historical sites. Each site along the way is eager to share its stories. These stories promise to enrich our understanding of history. They also ignite our curiosity.
I find myself pondering several questions: What have they conveyed to us visitors? What is genuinely new, and what do we already find all too familiar? Are there any genuine historical or lived experience connections between them, or is it merely a pretense?
The historic Ronneby Brunn buildingโs facade, adorned with architectural details and surrounded by lush greenery, exudes a sense of grandeur.
Ronneby Brunn
The first place we stopped at wasnโt particularly spectacular. There was a park, a beach, and a hotel with some older historical buildings, in my opinion. Butโฆ
Ronneby Brunn, a park with over 300 years of history, is one of Blekingeโs renowned landmarks. It boasts lush green spaces, ancient trees, and charming wooden structures dating back to the 19th and early 20th centuries. The parkโs significance grew further in 1705. The first health spring was discovered then. This discovery transformed it into Swedenโs largest spa resort during the 19th century.
Brunnsparken, a protected heritage site since 1996 and a cultural reserve since 2003, boasts a rich history. It once featured bathing houses, a spring hall, and a grand hotel. Although the park declined in the 20th century and spa activities ceased, it preserved many significant historical buildings. Today, Brunnsparken remains an important cultural heritage site and recreational destination.
A tranquil wooden bridge, nestled amidst the verdant greenery of Brunnsparken, a historical park in Ronneby, offers a serene escape.
We had a delightful stroll through the park, surrounded by the charm of old buildings. We received an inspiring tip. Eagerly, we set off to explore the enchanting place known as Kristianopel. It is not far from our location.
Kristianopel
We decided to take a different route and bypassed the national road to Karlskrona. Instead, we opted for smaller, more challenging roads. However, we couldnโt help but wonder if we truly needed to take this detour. Now that weโve arrived in Kristianopel, we canโt help but wonder about the significance of this place. What do the so-called historians have to say about it?
An old cannon is on display in Kristianopel. It serves as a testament to the townโs historical significance as a former border stronghold.
Kristianopel was established in 1600 during the reign of King Christian IV. It stands as the first Renaissance city in the Nordic region. It was designed as a border stronghold against Sweden. The city boasted a rectangular street layout. It was fortified by a wall with nine bastions. By the 1660s, its population had reached approximately 600.
The city underwent reconstruction after an incursion by troops led by Gustav II Adolf in 1611. The Treaty of Roskilde in 1658 reduced its strategic importance. As a result, the walls were dismantled during the 18th century. Throughout the 19th century, the cityโs economy thrived through fishing, trade, and various crafts. The restoration of the walls took place in the 1930s.
Kristianopel offers a tranquil view of its coastal beauty and historical significance, as reflected in the serene landscape.
Hereโs what I discovered about this location. It has limited remaining structures. However, donโt be deceived into thinking thereโs nothing to explore. Delve into its history, and youโll uncover a treasure trove of hidden stories waiting to be revealed. And of course, thereโs an intriguing connection to the next historical site.
We were eagerly on our way to our next destination, our hunger fueling our anticipation. As we journeyed, we crossed a captivating historic border between Denmark and Sweden. It was incredible to contemplate Kristianopel, a city that once belonged to Denmark until the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658. Today, Kristianopel stands as a testament to the past. In contrast, Kalmar Castle proudly displayed the rich history of the Swedish side.
Kalmar Castle, a stunning example of impressive architecture and historical significance, stands as one of Swedenโs best-preserved Renaissance castles.
Weโve found ourselves in Kalmar, Sweden, at one of its most well-preserved castles, dating back to the 12th century.
Kalmar Castle
Kalmar Castle, a magnificent testament to history, was constructed in the late 11th century. By the end of the 12th century, it had undergone a transformation, adorned with imposing fortifications and majestic buildings. Beyond its architectural grandeur, the castle served as a vibrant hub of Nordic political intrigue. Its pivotal role in shaping the Kalmar Union in 1397 underscores its significance in the regionโs history.
Discover the historic interiors of Kalmar Castle, where medieval architecture and rich heritage come alive.
This era is filled with the fervor of the Swedish Middle Ages. It is characterized by the rise and fall of kings. The fierce brotherly bonds echo through time. Among the notable events of this period is the legendary Nykรถping Banquet held in 1317 in my beloved hometown, Nykรถping. This banquet was a true feast of history and passion, leaving an indelible mark on the annals of time.
During the 1500s and 1600s, Kalmar Castle underwent grand Renaissance renovations, adding impressive new wings and towers. This era also witnessed the rise of Kristianopel across the border. However, in the 1600s and 1700s, the castle began to deteriorate and was partially repurposed as a prison and distillery. By the mid-19th century, extensive restoration work commenced. Since then, Kalmar Castle has proudly stood as one of Swedenโs best-preserved Renaissance castles.
The dining hall of Kalmar Castle is adorned with a long table set for a grand feast. It stands as a testament to the castleโs historical significance. It was a prestigious venue for kings and dignitaries. This reflects the castleโs role as a center of power and influence.
In the evenings, you can enjoy free entry, allowing you to leisurely explore the castleโs charming inner courtyard. However, all exhibitions are closed during this time. The cannon-adorned ramparts may not offer much to see. However, itโs still worth visiting the exhibitions within the castle during the day. Remember, thereโs a ticket price of 180 kr per adult (approximately 19 usd). Despite the ticket price, the enriching experiences inside truly make it worthwhile.
We paid our entrance fee and, with growling stomachs, ventured into the endless exhibitions within the castle. The exhibits were overwhelming, and the sheer number of them made it difficult to navigate. In each room, I couldnโt resist snapping photos and immersing myself in the charged historical atmosphere that lingered. Despite our efforts, we left the dining hall and kitchen feeling unsatisfied, if anything, we were left ravenous. The castle was the epicenter of power for kings and dukes. Among them, Erik XIV stood out as the most notable. We felt like mere shadows in his grand tale.
Journey home
If we were feeling tired, itโs understandable. The journey ahead is long, and more than half the distance remains. This means weโll have a few more hours in the car along the E22. A cozy nap in the bed above would be a welcome relief, but of course, that might attract some attention. Weโll have the chance to rest when we finally get home and have satisfied our hunger.
Then, we can fully recharge for all the incredible adventures that await us just around the corner! A vibrant blend of art, culture, and magnificent architecture beckons us, eager to ignite our creativity in extraordinary ways. There are numerous castles and enchanting locations. Poetic experiences are also on the horizon. This presents the ideal opportunity to immerse ourselves once more.
Iโm eager to rekindle the original essence of this blog. I embarked on this artistic journey 15 years ago, brimming with excitement to share my insights with you. While Iโve shared some fascinating content, I recognize that there are countless remarkable discoveries yet to be made. Itโs time to bring these reflections back into the limelight!
The journey south culminates in Karlshamn, the city where it all began. Familiar streets and buildings evoke cherished memories. Museums narrate the cityโs rich history, from 18th-century trading houses to its peak in margarine and punch.
The primary reason for my trip to southern Sweden was to visit family and friends. Additionally, I was eager to explore the regionโs historical sites.
Another purpose of the trip was to joyfully revisit the city where I lived for a few wonderful years. Itโs where I attended high school and proudly graduated. In Karlshamn, cherished memories resurface, and the vibrant history of the city comes alive.
The questions that plagued me were: What are there to revisit?What can I share with others?What is new, or what have I overlooked?
Karlshamnโs historic town hall, with its charming architecture and enduring presence, stands as a testament to the townโs rich heritage.
The square retains its original charm, with the ground, town hall, and church remaining unchanged. They seem frozen in time, like a time capsule. The kiosk in the center now boasts a stylish facade, possibly auditioning for a reality show. One end used to house a Pressbyrรฅn, where you could quickly grab a sandwich. The other end had a sausage stand, the townโs best-kept secret! Now, itโs an Espresso House. Who needs bratwurst when you can indulge in lattes? You can even attempt to decipher macchiatos from flat whites. Itโs a minor change, but it adds a touch of modernity to the square.
Everything else was just as I rememberedโlike a time capsule that had missed the memo about modernization. A church and an old Town Hall still stood, presumably unaware of the need for renovations. The school remained, like an overprotective parent. Stepping back felt like a high school reunion in the 1990s. Yes, my childhood home stood next to the emigration monument, likely rolling its eyes at all the nostalgia.
The interior of a historical grocery store exudes a nostalgic charm, reminiscent of the 18th century. Traditional pottery and kitchenware adorn the walls, creating an ambiance that transports visitors back in time.
There were no significant changes to note. My anecdotes from that time reignited memories for my fellow travelers. Nothing new under the sun. This was true in many places. The police station, hospital, and dentist were all located in the same spot.
The variety of shops, restaurants, and residential areas feels refreshingly new. Even McDonaldโs has made its way here. It wasnโt here when I lived here. Itโs been 30 years since I moved away, and everything has undergone its own unique transformation. The butter factory is no longer standing, and the harbor warehouse where Motรถrhead performed in December 1993 is also gone. That was the same year I graduated.
Skottbersgska gรฅrden, a well-preserved historical shop, showcases artifacts and furniture from its trading days between 1766 and 1945.
Itโs comforting to know that my partner has a deeper appreciation for the diverse cultural offerings. I can still recall my younger self in Karlshamn over 30 years ago, when museums werenโt even on my radar. I was just a wandering teenager, trying to find my place in the world.
With a single ticket, you can visit three different museums in the city. First, head to Skottbergโs Farm shop, a well-preserved general store that has been trading since 1766 until 1945. The rooms filled with furniture and furnishings transport you back in time. The general store is particularly interesting.
The museum in Karlshamn showcases a collection of vintage typewriters, highlighting the cityโs rich history in typewriter manufacturing.
We had more museums to visit, of course. Another thing I missed while living in the city was that the ticket price included three museums. The second one was the city museum. Surprisingly, it looked small from the outside, but inside, the exhibitions seemed endless.
There were room after room, exhibition after exhibition, and a journey through the cityโs rich history. This city had accomplished so much throughout its long history, and I was eager to explore it all. There were a few sights I was familiar with from my stay in the city in the 1990s. But there were also things that I had no idea about, and I was excited to discover them.
This nostalgic exhibit showcases the local dairy heritage in Karlshamn through a collection of butter packaging and dairy products.
Once upon a time, I was aware that typewriters were manufactured here. The factory likely succumbed to the advent of the computer era. The brand was Facit-Halda. I even owned a Facit typewriter myself. I can almost picture myself sitting at a small table with a window, overlooking a breathtaking mountainous landscape. There, I would immerse myself in writing a novel. Imagine the experience of using such an old typewriter. Feel the satisfying clatter of keys as you fill the paper with words and meaning.
They also produced butter here. Most people who have lived in modern times are aware of this. As a child, I recall hearing advertisements for Karlshamnโs margarine on TV. The two farmer brothers would utter the phrase โGott, Gotti gott gottโ in the ad. In English, it translates to โTasty, yummy, yummy.โ
Inside the historic punch museum in Karlshamn, visitors can explore artifacts and tools that reflect the cityโs rich beverage-making heritage.
The commencement of granite slab production at this location marked its international debut. It played a significant role in constructing the esteemed US Marine Corps War Memorial. The memorial is located at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. This memorial serves as a tribute to all who have served in the Marine Corps since 1775.
Granite was supplied by AB A.K. Fernstrรถms Granitindustrier, a Swedish stone industry company based in Karlshamn. The site offered a plethora of attractions, including a museum that I vaguely recall visiting in the past. This museum, aptly named the Punch Museum, holds a special place in Karlshamnโs history. The city has long been renowned for its punch. Its origins date back to 1815.
It was a quick museum visit, just like this post. I headed back to the harbor. The area has changed with new road constructions and a slightly different appearance. Itโs not quite how I remember it from when I lived here. Reliving the city was enjoyable and refreshing. Iโll definitely return someday. The rest of the day was spent hanging out with family and having a meal at some restaurants in Sรถlvesborg.
Tomorrow, we embark on an exhilarating journey homeward, but this adventure is far from over! Along the way, weโll encounter a treasure trove of historic sites, each with its own captivating story to share. Prepare to be enthralled by the tales that lie aheadโฆ
The journey continues to Kรฅseberga, where the landscape meets the sea, and historyโs winds blow. At Ales stenar, we discover Swedenโs largest presterade ship setting, a place steeped in myth and archaeology. The trip along the coast takes us to Simrishamn. We then head to Karlshamn. In these places, memories and the scent of the sea linger in the air.
The journey continues! We spent a few hours exploring the charming cobblestone streets of Ystad. After that, we headed to Ales Stenar, a short distance away. Now, let me explain Ales Stenar in a simple and engaging manner, without boring you.
This close-up image showcases one of the standing stones at Ales stenar, Swedenโs largest preserved ship setting. Dating back to the Vendel period, this ancient monument offers a glimpse into the maritime history of the region.
Ales stenar, a towering structure situated a few miles away, stands amidst hundreds of people. Several hang gliders gracefully circled above us, making it a popular destination for gliding from the cliffs.
From an overcrowded parking lot, the road to the site stretched nearly a kilometer. The narrow path was bustling with visitors jostling to reach the top, while others hurried back to their cars.
What are Ales stenar, then? Itโs a ship setting comprising 59 stones, each weighing approximately 5 tons. The formation measures approximately 67 meters in length and 19 meters in width, making it Swedenโs largest preserved ship setting. The stones date back to the Vendel period (around 540โ790 AD). They are made of granite and sandstone. At the front, there is a prominent white quartzite stone. Despite the absence of a grave, its purpose remains uncertain, but it is widely regarded as a grave monument.
It didnโt seem to end there, and I suppose we werenโt going home just yet. They claimed that a fishing harbor lies along the narrow path down from the 32-meter high cliff. There are fishing shacks, restaurants, and a dockโif you can call it that. We wandered there. I guess we decided to try the local cuisine. We especially wanted to taste the smoked fish in all its supposed forms.
The intoxicating aroma of smoked fish mingled with the invigorating scent of the sea as we strolled along the quay. Every tempting offering for tourists beckoned us, sparking our curiosity. We lost track of time at the magnificent Ales stones for two hours. Afterward, we set off in our car.
Excitement bubbled within us as we drove towards Simrishamn. Finally, we returned to Karlshamn, where I spent cherished years of my youth in high school. This journey was steeped in history. It became a profound exploration of time. It echoed my personal history and the tales of ages past.
The journey traverses southern Sweden, beginning at Grรคnnaโs peppermint hills and culminating at the Brahehus ruins. It then proceeds to Ystadโs cobblestone streets and Ales stenar. This journey intricately weaves together landscapes, history, and the echoes of exploration.
Growing up in this expansive country, I embarked on countless long journeys. This time, my heart guided me south and back, embarking on a thrilling adventure. From a mapโs perspective, itโs a mesmerizing journey south, followed by a dramatic U-turn back to the north. This encapsulates the essence of exploration.
We spent five exhilarating hours in the car, the enchanting scent of peppermint candies wafting through the air in Grรคnna. The breathtaking ruin of Brahehus stood proudly, marking our journey through the captivating southern parts of Sweden.
From the charming towns of Ystad and Simrishamn, we embark on a thrilling journey to Karlshamn. Every moment beckons us onward, leading us to the picturesque east coast.
Nestled between the cityโs charming cobblestone streets, I find myself in a small square, feeling like Kurt Wallander. He joyfully strolled on the vibrant streets of Ystad. He dedicated his efforts to the cityโs busy police station. Together, these actions fostered a sense of community and connection.
The fictional criminal inspector Kurt Wallander is the protagonist of Henning Mankellโs delightful detective novels. He has enthusiastically solved murder mysteries in fiction. These mysteries unfold right here in the city. As I savor my potato salad, I eagerly chew and reminisce about the exciting books. They feature the opera enthusiast who tackles case after intriguing case.
Iโve delved into several of the books, and naturally, Iโve been captivated by the TV series inspired by them. Countless episodes have come to life right here, filling the air with intrigue and suspense.
Letโs delve back into that captivating city. It is where Inspector Kurt Wallander roamed the streets. He meticulously unraveled the intricate puzzles of murder. What precisely makes this city so extraordinary and etched in our memories?
This traditional half-timbered house in southern Sweden showcases the architectural charm of the region.
The captivating style of the houses set against the sea enthralls me. Ferries conveniently transport you to Poland, Germany, and Bornholm from this picturesque location. The abundance of half-timbered houses, each a testament to timeless craftsmanship, evokes a rich history. Timber beams splinter the landscape, supporting structures filled with brick or stone. These structures weave a captivating story of beauty and resilience.
Architectural history reveals resource variations across different regions of the country during the early Middle Ages. Some areas had abundant stone, while others had more wood. Consequently, wooden houses became prevalent in Norrland, a region with extensive forests. In contrast, southern Sweden, particularly Gotland, faced limited wood availability. This scarcity necessitated the increased use of brick and stone in construction. Gotland serves as a prime example of this trend.
The historic monastery in Ystad, a well-preserved medieval site, is surrounded by charming gardens.
Ystad has origins dating back to the medieval period. It boasts a remarkable monastery and garden. These are must-visit attractions. During our tour, we explored both the monastery and the garden. They are among Swedenโs finest examples of well-preserved medieval monastic establishments. The monastery was established around 1267 by Franciscan monks, known as Greyfriars. However, after the Reformation, it underwent various transformations. It was repurposed for different purposes. These purposes included serving as a hospital and a prison.
Today, it serves as a museum and cultural center. It features a renowned garden. The exhibitions showcase the cityโs rich history.
We didnโt have time for distractions like the museum or cultural center; we were completely focused on Ales stenar, a place of immense significance that wonโt be overlooked ๐
Iโm thrilled to delve deeper into the subject in the upcoming segment!
Stora Sundby castle stands like a dream from fairy tales, just an hour and a half from everyday life. Behind its walls are centuries of power and love. The castle changed from a medieval fortress to a romantic place with 365 windows. A meeting with the architecture of time.
On the menu today was Stora Sundby Castle! It is located in my county, which sparks a sense of longing for home! It’s just a drive of 1 hour and 30 minutes. I felt the anticipation grow along the way there. I was determined to absorb everything the guide had to share!
In the castle resides the fourth generation of the Klingspor family, which unfortunately makes photography within these historic walls prohibited. The castle, younger than the earlier one we visited, still carries a rich history from the 13th century. The biggest challenge during the visit was the brilliant sunshine, which created a magical atmosphere.
The castle is surrounded by a magnificent park, accompanied by endless hunting grounds. There, we lost ourselves in the flow of time, while the sun caressed our necks with its golden rays. Inside the castle’s rooms, the air was cool and filled with history, which deepened our adventure. We spent an hour inside the castle, a fantastic experience! With an engaging guide, we gained insight into the castle’s history. I look ahead to sharing the insights that emerged during the tour.
Exterior view of Stora Sundby Castle, showcasing its stunning architecture and surrounding landscape.
The place has roots from the 13th century. The lake where the castle is situated, Hjรคlmaren, is Sweden’s fourth largest. It’s crazy that the lake was much larger in the 14th century than it is now! I instantly understood that there was once a struggle for power where the castle stands. It was indeed a thing during the 14th century, with kings and dukes fighting for power. Here in Nykรถping, people still talk about their power struggles (Nykรถping’s banquet in 1317).
The ramparts were located in areas where impressive fortifications were built. A defensive tower was erected in the 13th century, which is remarkable! The first castle was constructed here in the 16th century and is part of our rich history. Lars Siggeson Sparre led the construction with great skill!
The Sparre family played a crucial role in the castle’s history. Over several hundred years, they laid the foundation for a grand legacy. The castle developed in beautiful stages. In the 17th century, the Knight’s Hall was created. This part fascinates visitors today with its rich and exciting history of creation.
Beautiful park view at Stora Sundby Castle, featuring a central fountain surrounded by blooming roses and lush greenery.
In the early 19th century, Carl de Geer arrived there as one of Sweden’s richest men. His daughter needed a place to settle down. A castle was planned to be built on top of the fortress. Nonetheless, Carl’s wife, Ulrika Sofia Sprengtporten, had completely different ideas.
According to the guide, Sofia glimpsed hints of enchantment. This occurred while she read Sir Walter Scott’s knight romances. She imagined a world where he lived in a romanticized castle. During the tour, an interesting question arose. This question is seldom mentioned in other sources. Did the same architect create both Stora Sundby Castle and Abbotsford?
Walter Scott’s home (Abbotsford) must have made an impression on Sofia, who stubbornly demanded a castle in the same style. Sure, Frederick Robinson was behind Stora Sundby, but no sources claim that he tailored the design for Abbotsford.
Stora Sundby Castle, a historical gem from the 13th century, featuring stunning architecture and surrounded by lush greenery.
What became of this then? Stora Sundby is a magical calendar castle! With its four majestic towers, it honors the cycles of time. The towers symbolize the four seasons. The twelve small towers represent the months. It also offers 52 rooms and 365 windows, reflecting the richness of weeks and days. The architecture truly captures the essence of the year!
Now to the actual walk! It’s fascinating to think about these gentlemen and ladies. They have lived here, owned properties, and married their great loves. Their love and family stories are a wonderful tapestry of life’s riches to enjoy!
The first stop was the Knights’ Hall, a gem that symbolizes the heart and soul of this magnificent place! Stepping inside feels like traveling back to the 17th century, thanks to the incredible legacy of the Sparre family. The walls are stunningly adorned with leather tapestry paintings that beautifully bring the Battle of Carthage to life. These artworks were crafted during the remarkable de Geer era.
Stora Sundby Castle is surrounded by picturesque greenery. It is set against a dramatic sky. The castle showcases its rich history dating back to the 13th century.
On one side, you canโt miss the striking painting of the first Bernadotte, King Charles XIV Johan. Curious about how a Frenchman became king in Sweden? Youโll uncover that tale on the tour or through a quick Google search! The older paintings now shine in elevated positions, seeming to pay homage to modern masterpieces. The guide shared that the hall’s ceiling was raised. This change allowed for a magnificent ceiling painting in the captivating de Geer style. And up there, the Sparre familyโs weapons radiate with pride, a stunning tribute to their enduring legacy!
We walked from one large hall to the other and ended up in the dining room. It wasnโt as spectacular, but there was plenty of charm and elegance. In one corner stands a tiled stove that radiates timeless beauty. The walls are adorned with calfskin wallpaper, and our guide spoke poetically about them. A square for each calf, as if every piece has its own story. Without electricity, the wallpaper would shimmer with a magical glow. A description that captivated us.
The smaller rooms were next, and suddenly an explosive feeling of togetherness emerged, reminiscent of a sitcom family reunion! Fascinating family stories came to light, like a viral family meme. Who married whom? For the first time, I felt like part of something larger, deeply rooted, and amazing. In the red room, I know that some scenes of the series Young Royals were filmed. I can almost hear the tones of dramatic music vibrating in the air. Unexpected twists fill me with anticipation!
The captivating exterior of Stora Sundby Castle, showcasing its unique architectural elements and historical significance.
Only a few rooms were playing hide and seek! Out of the 52 royal chambers in the castle, just a handful showed up for the tour. As we shuffled through, the rooms seemed to shrink. They were as if on a diet. The air got so thin it was practically a phantom! Some clever folks fanned themselves with brochures, giving new meaning to โcooling off.โ We got the juicy gossip on the Sparre, de Geer, and Klingspor families, which outshined the worn furniture. I spotted a patchwork auditioning for wall-to-wall carpeting! The final room featured dimly lit 18th-century paintings. An Italian artist painted them. His name slipped my mindโprobably due to the ghostly vibes!
Suddenly, we found ourselves back in the courtyard. We were excitedly discussing the possibility of ghosts in the castle. It’s a question that sparks curiosity in everyone! I was eager to discover if thereโs a grand library and hidden passages. To my delight, I learned there is indeed a library. It is not large. The details about secret passages are mysterious. This adds to the charm. Looking ahead, the prospect of more parts of the castle opening for tours is thrilling, especially given its fascinating history!
Ljungs Castle in รstergรถtland transports visitors to the 18th century, where grand halls, kitchens, and secret rooms come alive. Axel von Fersenโs love letters to Marie Antoinette feel as if theyโre still being written. Itโs a time-travel experience filled with laughter, offering an afternoon where the historic atmosphere returns.
Back in the neighboring county of รstergรถtland, there is a new attraction: Ljungs Castle. It’s just a 1-hour and 15-minute drive by car. Here is my account of everything I learned during the guided tour. The tour began in front of the castle. The guide provided a history of the castle and shared details about the estate.
The castle was constructed in 1776. It was completed in 1779 at the initiative of Field Marshal and politician Axel von Fersen the Elder. Architect Jean Eric Rehn designed the castle. It is built of stone and brick sourced from nearby quarries. This makes it a locally produced structure. The main building of the castle has three floors. One of the ground-floor rooms houses an exhibition dedicated to Jean Eric Rehnโs interior design.
Recreated kitchen scene at Ljungs Castle, showcasing 18th-century life with costumed actors.
The visit is a so-called theater tour. With a guide in period clothing, we are shown into different rooms. All the members of the ensemble are from Ljungs Slotts Bevarande. On the lower level, there are the kitchen and spaces for the servants.
We stood lined up along one short side. The magnificent kitchen in front of us had a stove, pantry, and china cabinet. We were given a scene from life in the 1700s among kitchen maids and servants.
Complaints were made about the food, and there were jokes about fake rats in the kitchen. One shot, and the medicine was taken. On the lower floor, there is a cafรฉ and an exhibition about Jean Erik Rehn. Of course, there is a museum shop there as well. The walk continued to the second floor. This was the floor of the nobility. Here resided the owners of the castle, Axel von Fersen the Elder and his family.
Elegant dining room in Ljungs Castle featuring portraits of the Fersen family, showcasing 18th-century architecture and decor.
The play is in the kitchen, and the entrance hall is in Rococo style. The second floor is in pure Gustavian style1.
We walked straight into the dining room. It was a large hall with dining tables. There was a tiled stove and an open fireplace at each end. Tiled stoves became common during the 17th century. On the walls hang portraits of the members of the Fersen family.
The dining room is located on the northern side of the castle, with windows facing north. This is to keep the room cooler during warm times. Here, a small play also took place before we were shown into the duke’s bedroom.
The duke’s bedroom featuring a canopied bed and tiled stove, reflecting 18th-century design at Ljungs Castle.
Axel von Fersen2 was tall and handsome. But the bed was only 1.65 m long. There was a bed canopy. It was meant to protect against cold and drafts, as well as to offer privacy. Even in there, the duke took care of his needs. In the play, the maid entered the room. She took out a bowl from under the bed. This represented his (you understand).
The pot was then taken up to the attic, where it was emptied. All odors wafted upward, far from where the people were. From the bedroom, the journey continued to the most interesting room: the office of Axel von Fersen the Younger3. It was there that he wrote letters to his beloved Marie Antoinette. They wrote to each other with invisible ink. The maid dusted and polished frantically in the office. She pointed out that von Fersen and Marie Antoinette had a secret code language. This secret code language was used in their correspondence.
The elegantly appointed office of Axel von Fersen the Younger, showcasing period decor and a glimpse into 18th-century life.
Today, these letters have been deciphered. One can read about them in Fรถrbindelsen – Marie-Antoinette och Axel von Fersen, which is based on letters and diaries. This book is authored by Kristina Ekero Eriksson. It was here in that Room we also heard the gossip about him and the Queen of France. There was an interesting moment of gossip about Axel von Fersen the Younger. He is also best known for his romance with the Queen of France.
The walk continued into the “fine salons,” as they say, literally into the salon. There, court was held. The gentlemen and ladies swung their shaggy legs, and music was played on the piano nearby.
The elegant interior of a room in Ljungs Castle, showcasing period furniture and artwork.
I do not know what they danced to. But, the music was probably to the tones of baroque music’s sound. It also have been folk music in the spirit of the 18th century. In the next room, the governess lies slumped on the bed. She complains of a headache and nausea.
The maid then serves her a medicinal cure. She offers a glass with a concoction made from a whole array of ingredients. I didn’t manage to note these ingredients. The only thing I remember was a mixture of red and white wine, cinnamon sticks, and something else. It sounds like a rosรฉ version of mulled wine.
The makeup room in Ljungs Castle, showcasing 18th-century decor and furnishings.
In the next room, appearance was everything. A makeup room and a bidet on the floor were completely open for people in the house to see. At that time, one couldn’t be ashamed of cleaning oneself “down there.” Intimacy was almost nonexistent. The guide showcased the cold clothes she wore. She talked about her attire and explained how people dressed back then. It consisted of stockings, wedges, and petticoats, with a nightgown also included beneath everything.
A beauty spot (from the French “mouche4,”meaning “fly”) was an important detail in 18th-century fashion. It merged practical needs with aesthetic and symbolic values. We learned this when the guide showed hers on her right cheek.
The exterior of Ljung Church in รstergรถtland, a historical site linked to the von Fersen family.
At the End
It was there that the fun came to an end. The 1 hour and 10 minutes of guided tour, featuring elements of theater, was over. Dressed-up ladies in period-appropriate 18th-century attire and facts about both the palace and the von Fersen family had now concluded.
Back to the lower level and Rococo-style architecture, I was back in the 21st century. The museum shop and Ljung Church captured our last attention. Most of those from the Fersen family are buried there.
It was a long day in รstergรถtland County. We took a time travel back to the 18th century. The journey home to Sรถdermanland County became a journey through time.
ยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2025-07-13
Gustavian style is a Swedish take on French neoclassicism from the time of Gustav III (around 1770โ1810). It includes light colors, straight lines, and classical elements like urns and ribbons. The furniture is graceful yet simple, typically painted in gray, white, or gray-green, suitable for Nordic light. It embodies ideals of simplicity and harmony and has aristocratic origins. Today, it stands for refined tradition in Swedish interior design.โฉ๏ธ
Axel von Fersen the Elder (1719โ1794) was a Swedish count, military officer, and diplomat. He was the ambassador to France and a member of the Council of State. A key figure in the Hat Party, he supported a pro-French, monarchist policy. This greatly affected Sweden’s domestic and foreign affairs in the 18th century. He was the father of the more well-known Axel von Fersen the Younger.โฉ๏ธ
Axel von Fersen the Younger (1755 โ 1810) was a nobleman and cosmopolitan. After his military training, he traveled across Europe. He mingled with French court circles. He became a close friend of Marie Antoinette. There were rumors suggesting he was her lover. He organized the royal family’s failed escape to Varennes in 1791 during the French Revolution. He served as an officer in both France and America. Later, he was promoted to major general in Sweden. In 1799, he became Marshal of the Realm. His diaries and letters give insights into Swedish politics and the French court life of the late 18th century. Today, he is remembered as a key figure linking Sweden and Europe. He is also recognized as a notable character of the Swedish Gustavian era.โฉ๏ธ
“Mouche,” was a small piece of black fabric, often shaped like a fly. It was glued onto the face or chest. The purpose was to highlight the white, powdered skin. It also hid imperfections like scars or pimples. Most importantly, it showed that a person belonged to the higher social class that afforded makeup and accessories.โฉ๏ธ
The soft blanket of the sea, a cradle for a sleepy sun. The lines of the horizon can be a limit to the fun. The dull colors of the sky, a palette of chosen things. The light sleeps like a fly without eyes and wings. The day goes to sleep, the light will come soon. The night is dead, resting on the moon.
Through รstergรถtland between monasteries and chocolate. From Vreta Monastery to Cloetta in Ljungsbro, where Kexchoklad is made. We indulged in temptation and then continued to IKEA in Linkรถping. A day with contrasts between the sacred and the worldly.
The other day, it was time for a new excursion through the history of culture, art, religion, and entrepreneurship. Not far from here โ more precisely, in the neighboring county of รstergรถtland. There is much to see and explore there. For us, it was an easy journey of about an hour. Filled with anticipation and curiosity, we set off on the road.
Entrance to the Cloetta chocolate factory in Ljungsbro, Sweden, where a variety of sweets are produced.
The main destination of the day was, of course, IKEA in Linkรถping. We had a somewhat tight budget. Yet, we decided to spend. We set aside 4000 kronor (371 USD) for this purpose. But before that, we wanted to explore some historical gems in the county. Castles and churches adorn the landscape there, just as in our own county.
รstergรถtland offers a fascinating mix of attractions. There is a golf ball museum. A candy factory1 (Cloetta) and one of Sweden’s oldest monasteries add to the charm. It is a nunnery dating back to the 12th century. I have been losing weight and training diligently for some time. My goal is to improve my health. So, a stop at the candy factory felt like a temptation I should avoid.
Vreta Abbey, one of Sweden’s oldest monastic sites, showcasing historic architecture from the 12th century.
But fate had other plans โ we stopped at the Cloetta chocolate factory anyway, which is also part of Malaco. Here, everything from Swedish Fish to gummy candy and Kexchoklad is produced; itโs an irresistible place for a sweet tooth. We made a brief stop at Vreta Abbey before reaching the factory. This was just before the small town of Ljungsbro, where the chocolate factory is located.
What did we learn about the abbey? Unfortunately, we couldn’t go inside, as a funeral was taking place. But we took a peaceful walk around the monastery ruins, where informative signs told their history.
The serene grounds of Vreta Abbey, one of Sweden’s oldest monastic sites, featuring historical ruins and a central cross.
Vreta Abbey is one of Sweden’s oldest monastic sites, with a history dating back to the 12th century. It was Sweden’s first nunnery and belonged to the Cistercian Order. Here, noblewomen were educated at a time when education for women was rare. The abbey was an important spiritual and intellectual center and had strong ties to the Swedish royal family.
Bishop Bengt Birgersson (c. 1254โ1291), brother of King Magnus Ladulรฅs, reopened the abbey in 1289 in the king’s presence. Bengt was a typical medieval church prince, where politics and religion went hand in hand. His career illustrates how the monarchy used the church to strengthen its position in the 13th century.
The serene entrance of Vreta Abbey, one of Sweden’s oldest monastic sites, featuring moss-covered pathways and lush greenery.
Gustav Vasaโs Reformation in the 16th century led to the dissolution of monasteries in Sweden. Despite this, Vreta Abbey continued to serve as a residence for the last nuns until the end of the century. An old legend tells of a secret underground passage. It leads from the abbey to Bergโs locks at the Gรถta Canal. The ruins are said to be haunted. Several visitors have reported strange lights. Shadows move in the darkness.
After our historical visit, it was time for something less ascetic โ the Cloetta chocolate factory. We filled a large bag with various sweets and left the store with a mix of joy and guilt. But we consoled ourselves with the thought that something even more enjoyable awaited โ an ending at IKEA, of course.
From exploring the island on four wheels, bouncing around in a jeep, it was on foot that mattered this day. Newly acquired hiking shoes and a journey ahead on our own two feet would be a day of relief.
Heavy clouds loomed over us. Despite the weather gods working against us, we would still defy the weather. We played our way along the water-filled paths at Parque Florestal das Queimadas, Madeira Natural Park, Santana.
Traditional Madeiran house nestled in lush greenery, showcasing local architecture amidst a cloudy backdrop in Parque Florestal das Queimadas.
Along waterfalls and steep cliffs, we walked in a group with others and a guide who was constantly braking. What was there to say about everything, really?
You had to get ahead on your own. Be careful not to hit your head on branches and hold on tightly to the railing. Where there was a railing, so to speak.
Brand new shoes with a water guarantee and marked with Gore-Tex, I could feel safe. During the entire hike, which was 11 km, no water got into my shoes.
A stunning waterfall cascading through lush greenery in Madeira’s Parque Florestal das Queimadas.
My socks were dry at the rest area. I took a little time to recover. I also checked everything in my golf watch. Now, it’s time to continue hiking. This time, a much shorter distanceโonly 3 km. The earlier one was measured at 8 km.
Stunning cliffs overlooking the ocean at Madeira’s Parque Florestal das Queimadas, perfect for hiking and exploration.
That was the only adventurous thing that happened that day. We knew that it would be even more demanding the next day. A new hike, a new place, and new opportunities. No guide, and only according to our own needs. More about that in the next blog post.Guess where?
The clue is in the picture below?
Summary
The dayโs adventure shifted from exploring by jeep to hiking on foot in Madeiraโs Parque Florestal das Queimadas. Despite looming clouds, the trek continued along waterfalls and steep cliffs with a guide and a group. Navigating wet paths, avoiding low branches, and relying on Gore-Tex shoes kept the hiker dry and comfortable. The total hike covered 11 km, followed by a shorter 3 km stretch. With a Garmin watch tracking progress, the day ended with anticipation for an even more challenging hike the next day.
The adventure was booked and ready. We quickly transitioned into Day 4, igniting a sense of anticipation that buzzed in the air like electricity. On Day 3, we thoroughly explored Funchal to recharge and prepare for the excitement ahead. We wandered the streets, squares and visited local markets. At the hotel’s driveway, we eagerly awaited the colorful jeep that would take us across the island.
Six enthusiastic participants and a driver, who was even more enthusiastic, got into the vehicle. We were ready to start an adventure. One charismatic individual was our guide, driver, and tour guide all at once. This provided a unique perspective that made the experience even more special. The multi-talented host knew everything about the island. He also shared tales of the area’s history and culture.
Colorful 4×4 jeep vehicles from Green Devil waiting to take adventurers across Madeira.
Two of the party rubbed their bottoms against hard benches on the jeep’s flatbed benches. Still, no one complained; the excitement of the adventure outweighed any discomfort we felt. It wasn’t just water around the island and its shores. It was a living fabric of nature. We visited and swept past these shores. We saw waterfall after waterfall, each cascading with an ethereal grace that made it hard to believe it was real.
That day it is windy. At places where you can normally swim, we were advised not to take a dip. There was possibility at a well enclosed bay where the strong wind did not reach. It was cold, but a dip up to the knees was much needed.
Fog envelops the mystical landscape of Fanal Forest, featuring ancient trees that create an enchanting atmosphere.
The asphalt ran out. Gravel roads and steep hills took over. We knew we were close to Fanal Forest (Fanal Witch Tree). Once there, the fog was so dense that visibility was short. The Jeep handled the steep hills gallantly. Whether it would handle hard bumps in potholes was more uncertain, but it did. All sharp boulders stood no chance against the jeep’s tires. The tires held, after all.
On foot
Thank goodness we got to stretch our legs several times. Imagine sitting there on the hard bench. We would have been in the back of the car from early morning to late afternoon. But it wasn’t like that.
We stopped several times. These stops brought blood back to our feet. They also provided warmth in our legs and a hot drink in our stomachs (coffee). What was the view if you didn’t stand and look at it out of the car?
A stunning coastal view showcasing rugged rock formations and powerful waves crashing against the shore.
We made a stop at a cafe. Then we went to a restaurant for food. After that, we visited the place we had been looking ahead to: Fanal Forest. The fog was dense, with cows and bulls grazing and people searching for where they were going.
A wedding photographer captured a bride and groom in the fog. It was difficult to avoid being in the middle of the shot. The mist caressed the camera lens as we strode along the trees to find where we were going.
Mystical view of Fanal Forest shrouded in fog, capturing the serene beauty of nature.
The fog was there, and the cows were mooing in a landscape. It seemed to come from a painting by Caspar David Friedrich.1 This experience was magical. For 20 minutes, we enjoyed the quietness and the fog. We had the opportunity to daydream about the world of art and fantasy.
The next stop was in the sign of water. In a place where you can swim in better weather, we walked down a long staircase. The waterfalls along the way were seen, studied, and photographed on foot. A long day on almost impassable roads ended late in the afternoon. We also walked in misty mountains and beautiful coastal gems. The same way we came, the same way we left.
Summary
The adventure through Madeira blended excitement, natural beauty, and moments of serene magic. The journey extended from exploring Funchal to navigating rugged roads. We traveled through misty mountains in Porto Moniz โ Madeira Natural Park. The journey was filled with breathtaking sights, cascading waterfalls, and immersive experiences. The cold winds and bumpy roads presented challenges. Yet, the day was unforgettable. It offered a harmonious mix of exploration, tranquility, and anticipation for new adventures ahead.
โฌ ๏ธ Tomorrow is a day too, filled with endless possibilities and opportunities for exploration. A new adventure awaits. New expeditions follow in the footsteps of the hiker. The hiker (me) is ready to uncover hidden trails and breathtaking landscapes. We will feel the wild spirit of nature surrounding us. With every step (on wet, muddy hiking trails), we’ll create memories that linger long after our journey ends. See you then, as we prepare to embrace the call of the wild together.
๐ฌ See you tomorrow
ยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2024-11-28
Caspar David Friedrich (1774โ1840) was a German Romantic painter famous for his landscapes that show natureโs beauty and depth. Iconic paintings are Wanderer above the Sea of Fog (1818) andย The Abbey in the Oakwood (1809-10). He established his legacy as a landscape painting master.โฉ๏ธ
Tvรฅ vรคgar fram, tillbaka รคr en evighet lรฅngGenvรคg eller senvรคg, tillbaka รคr en oรคndlig uppfรถrsbackeย Gasa eller bromsa, tillbaka รคr en obefintlig bromsstrรคckaย
ยฉ๏ธ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2024-11-25
Everyday life is not just black or white. It is a color palette that captures impressions and the mind in all the colors of the rainbow. Synesthesia is a concept rather than an impression.
If I ask what your name is and you answer โEricโ, then you are green. I am blue; Bjรถrn is a blue name, b as blue. If your name is Anna, you are red. Patrick is brown. Sofie is white. Johanna and Laura is red burgundy. Names and colors blend together. This highlights the fascinating connections I form through name and color. It’s obviously synesthesia!
If my name (Bjรถrn) is blue and sounds like an icy wind โ what colors do you put on words?
Synesthesia
Synesthesia is a neurological phenomenon where senses are interconnected. Grapheme-color synesthesia, the most common form, involves automatic and consistent associations between letters or numbers and specific colors. These connections are often one-way and develop in early childhood. Synesthesia can manifest in other forms. For example, it link time units to colors. It can also connect music to visual experiences. There are about 70 types identified. While rare (0.001โ4.4% of the population), it seems to run in families, suggesting a genetic basis. Experiences beย projectedย (seen externally) orย associativeย (internally perceived or “felt”). Wikipedia
Research
According to research from the Karolinska Institute, synesthesia is briefly defined as a unique ability. In this condition, sensory impressions or thoughts are connected in unusual ways. For example, letters may be linked to colors, or sounds may trigger shapes.
Approximately four percent of the population has some form of synesthesia, which varies among individuals and is partially hereditary. Researchers believe that synesthesia is often triggered by concepts rather than direct sensory intake. This condition may help the brain make abstract ideas more concrete. Synesthetes sometimes have improved memory and are often creative, which explains the link to artistic professions.
There are theories about connections between synesthesia and autism1. These theories also link synesthesia to obsessive-compulsive disorder2. This is due to similar patterns in brain connectivity and attention to detail. Ongoing research is exploring these connections through twin studies and brain imaging.
Synesthesia is not a disability. It is often perceived positively. It enriches individual experiences and showcases the unique ways people interpret the world. Karolinska Institutet – A medical university
How – in what way
What does the color red sound like? Only someone with synesthesia can tell. One person hears a trumpet and sees triangles, another thinks of basketball and tastes waffles. A third perceives the number nine as a unique shade of pink. Synesthesia means “simultaneous perception.” Current research suggests that often the concept or idea of something triggers the synesthetic experience. Karolinska Institutet – A medical university
My colorful everyday life
I became familiar with the term Synesthesia not too long ago. I was not aware of it from the beginning. When Synesthesia was described, it felt like my whole life was included in the expression. For years, I have seen words, numbers, dates, times, and letters in colors. It started when I was young.
A visual representation of synesthesia, showcasing months of the year and their associated colors as perceived by the author.
This is how I see the year and how it is organized in my mind. Each month has a color. The days around Christmas and up to New Year’s Eve cover the entire upper line. Christmas weekend in the first part and in between comes the intervening days and finally the new year. That is the entire upper line covers a week, unlike the lower line which covers most of the year.
You can see how my synesthesia behaves. In the figure below, all the days of the week, a choice of names, and finally letters and numbers. What color associations do the words have with letters and numbers linked to dates, e.g., presented below.
A colorful representation of days of the week and associated names, illustrating the concept of synesthesia.
Images – repetitive moments
Every time I shave, I get the same image of a specific person from my past. Another person from my past shapes my mind as I brush my teeth. The same goes for other recurring repetitive moments in everyday life.
I have other pictures and colors at other points. When I peel garlic, images of a specific person from my past come to mind. There are many more occasions when the same images come up during the same regular task.
Numbers
Three dates stood out. Each was marked with an important to-do on my calendar. They were like milestones of creativity waiting to be explored. In the same month but on three different dates, I experienced a vision of colors in front of me. It felt as if a painter had splashed vibrant tones across an endless canvas.
The 3rd is green ๐ฉ. The 4th is black โฌ๏ธ. It is a deep contrast that evokes mystery and depth. I have an appointment with the doctor then. The 5th is yellow ๐จ. It is a bright and cheerful shade that radiates warmth and optimism. It inspires me to embrace joy in every moment. Then it’s Christmas dinner with work colleagues.
Each of these colors carries its own unique energy. They send signals to my brain to memorize upcoming events. This process acts like a visual memory bank.
They fill my days with creativity and emotion. They are intertwined with my experiences. This is a choice from my everyday life and how it can take shape in my mind. The same is true when I experience certain moments.
Conclusion
My conclusion relies on names and words connecting to the color of their first letter. E is green, as is Eric, reflecting nature and renewal, seen in last names like Ek (oak). D is brown, mirrored by names like Donovan and Duncan. Many names starting with A are red, like Andersson and Anna.
This imagery can influence my perceptions, as the first letter can signify deeper meanings. I often worry about potential “what if” scenarios. Instead of annotating appointments, I visualize them in color slots on my calendar. New colors and times can mix; 17:00 is red and 19:00 is light blue. If the colors blend, confusion arises, heightening my worries about timing and place.
Summary
Synesthesia is a condition where senses mix together, like connecting colors with names, letters, or numbers. For example, I see the name โEricโ as green and โAnnaโ as red. I also picture specific colors for days of the week and months.
Having synesthesia can boost creativity and memory, but it can sometimes lead to confusion when colors mix. About 4% of people experience synesthesia, which is inherited and is often linked to creativity and enhanced sensory experiences. Research looks into its ties to autism and OCD because of similar brain patterns.
In my daily life, synesthesia shapes how I see things, as everyday tasks bring up clear memories, colors, and images. For instance, certain dates remind me of green, black, or yellow, helping me to organize events in my mind.
ยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2024-11-24
Autism, is a developmental condition that affects social interaction, communication, and causes repetitive behaviors. Symptoms can vary greatly, and while the exact causes are unknown, both genetics and the environment contribute. Early diagnosis and treatment can help improve the lives of those with autism.โฉ๏ธ
OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) is a mental disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) performed to reduce anxiety. Common themes include fear of contamination, a need for symmetry, or fear of harming others. Treatment often involves CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) with exposure and response prevention, sometimes combined with medication.โฉ๏ธ
A building can captivate through its character, highlighted by its pointed roof and glass facade that embody modernism and brutalism. Raw concrete highlights the blend of purpose and form. It creates a space to think about time and materials.
There are buildings with conscious architectural design for various reasons; this particular one interests me. It is the part of the building that can be seen in the picture, which I somehow think is spectacular. Not because it is unique. There are probably other buildings that have a similar shape and style. As I say, “Literally, it stands out.”
This building, which I pass by occasionally, has long captured my attention with its fascinating architecture. Modern architecture fascinates me, as it stands out and captures oneโs gaze. I can linger in front of such a structure, pondering what it conveys from an architectural perspective
I have to say, from a little distance while looking at it, I don’t think it’s a particularly nice building. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Still, when I stand in front of the entrance and the protruding roof is above me, I feel modernist vibes. The building also shows a brutalist charm. Personally, I think it resembles a mix of a tweed cap with the earflaps down. It also looks like a shark with a long, pointed forehead.
A modern building showcasing a pointed, protruding roof and a glazed facade, emphasizing its unique architectural style.
Every time I see it, I am fascinated by the glazed facade and the protruding concrete roof. It is the handicraft house, built in 1964. I haven’t found anything about the history of the house or the architect behind it. What I want to find out is how it relates to the different styles of architecture.
I have spent some time searching in my knowledge bank and in books about architecture in my own library. Analytically, based on the year of construction, material, and form, I would say that it is modernism. The design shows asymmetry in the lower part of the building (left in the picture) compared to other sections. The pointed projecting roof and its uneven shapes resonate with modernist architecture1.
The choice of materialsโbrick, glass, and concreteโis common in modernist architecture. This creates an industrial feel. It emphasizes minimalism and clean lines without decorative details. These aspects show that the building embodies functionalism, characterized by function, form, process, and industrial design. It caters to people’s needs. The building contains various activities. These include a car workshop, medical center, post terminal, and advertising agency. The building effectively meets the community’s needs. This is a hallmark of functionalism.2
Another style stemming from modernism is Brutalism, characterized by its choice of simple, untreated materials like concrete. This architecture stands outside tradition and conventional aesthetics, achieving effect through raw forms and material honesty. Two central buildings in Brutalism3 are Hunstanton School, Norfolk and La Tourette Abbey, France. (…isms, Understanding Architecture โ Jeremy Melvin โ Swedish edition 2010.)
I notice similarities between this building and the Norfolk School. The yellow brickwork and large windows in the facade stand out particularly.
My analysis leads to these two architectural styles (within modernism), but of course, there is nothing definite about it. I am looking for the influences. My own fascination with this particular building has led me to analyze and search for meaning and style.
ยฉ๏ธ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2024-11-20
Modernist architectureย is the architectural style that dominated the Western world between the 1930s and 1960s. It is characterized by an analytical and functional approach to building design. Buildings in the style are often defined by flat roofs, open floor plans, curtain windows, and minimal ornamentation.ย (For example, Le Corbusier, Villa Savoye, Poissy, France).โฉ๏ธ
Functionalism is a modernist branch that emerged in the 1920s. Architects focused on building design based on function. This resulted in smooth, undecorated faรงades with flat roofs and simple geometric shapes.โฉ๏ธ
Brutalist architectureย flourished in the 1950s and 1960s. It was driven by a quest for functionality. There was also an emphasis on honesty in the use of materials. It is characterized by raw concrete surfaces, exposed structural elements, and often enormous scales. Brutalism’s charm is covered by a lack of embellishment.โฉ๏ธ
An early morning dawns, but not too late. I know they’re waiting for us, all these flowers. The gray weather shall be deafened by all its colors. The plants have become our shelter from the rain.
Tranquil view of the hotel pool area surrounded by lush greenery on a cloudy day.
New day on an island, far out in the Atlantic Ocean. The hotel breakfast was approved. The hotel was full of people in their upper middle age and older. We had chosen the hotel for the best possible peace. The hotel was child-free. It was full of English and Nordic guests.
Every night, there was live music in the hotel bar. The performances ranged from classic rock and pop to Spanish tunes. Troubadours of all genres entertained us. It was close to the beach and located in the middle of the old part of the city, very near to the cable car station, soโฆ
Stunning views of the Madeira Botanical Garden, showcasing vibrant plant arrangements and the scenic backdrop of Funchal.
…is there one way up, or two? There are roads, of course, as steep as the depth of admiration for the island’s fantastic nature. The above-ground route did not attract us. Fear of heights and mixed thoughts took us up along the mountain in a bus. A bus as wide as the roads and constantly facing oncoming traffic. Who goes first? The biggest goes first was the mantra along the narrow and steep uphills. Finally, we arrived at what was the first destination of the day: Madeira Botanical Garden.
The Madeira Botanical Garden1was proposed as early as the 17th century and opened in 1960. It spans about eight hectares, with five hectares dedicated to landscaped areas featuring various trees and ornamental shrubs. You can explore sections with orchids, lawns, and scenic viewpoints over Madeira’s capital, along with an amphitheater.
A cable car ascends towards Jardim Monte Palace, showcasing the stunning views of Madeira.
The gardenis home to over 2,000 exotic plants from around the world. To tackle global biodiversity loss, it includes a research and conservation area focused on preserving these species.
In the end, we both arrived at the heights I didn’t want to look down from. Every downward glance became a squint. Narrow paths took us around the gigantic garden. Plants and flowers in all their shapes and colors were waiting for the rain. However, we didnโt, but we knew it would come, sooner or later.
A winding path among diverse cacti and succulents in the Madeira Botanical Garden, showcasing unique flora against a gray sky.
Gray clouds and narrow paths circled around. We hiked, took photos, and sought shelter from the rain that fell. The path circled like the cutting of the bushes in the main image of the post. Slim but still with all plants. Carefully, we moved between fountains and swimming turtles. We encountered terrifying cacti with thorns as long as my fingers. I hid my fingers in my pockets.
The rain fell as we prepared for the next destination. It would take us even further upwards. Vertigo would be on the agenda. First, a bite to eat, a little to drink ๐ฅค, and getting caught in the tourist trap. A golf shirt, of course. A hobby golfer like me can proudly play a round of golf here at home. I can wear a shirt that says Madeira Golf on it.
A stunning red pavilion at Monte Palace Madeira Garden surrounded by lush greenery.
For further travel upwards, it was, of course, the cable car that applied. Pretty much the whole time on the way up to Jardim Monte Palace, I closed my eyes. My heart was in the pit of my throat. I kept thinking that the cart would break loose and fall into the depths of the mountain valley.
The Monte Palace Madeira Garden has a prime hilltop location. It offers panoramic views over Funchal’s bay. This garden is one of the most unique places on the island of Madeira. It is marked by its exotic flora and the art that surrounds it.
A vibrant walkway lined with colorful flowers at Jardim Monte Palace, offering a picturesque view.
The history of Jardim Monte Palace2 dates back to the 18th century. Charles Murray, an English consul, bought the property south of Monte Church. In 1897, Alfredo Guilherme Rodrigues purchased it and built a grand residence, which later became the ‘Monte Palace Hotel.’
The Monte Palace Madeira Garden now showcases about 100,000 plant species from around the world. This includes ancient cycads, known as living fossils. There are several Buddhist sculptures and lanterns. There is also an impressive collection of tiles from the 15th to 20th centuries. The garden is home to diverse wildlife, including swans, peacocks, and Asian koi fish.
Historical art and photographs are vibrantly displayed along the pathways of Jardim Monte Palace. This adds depth to the garden’s serene beauty.
What else could we expect? To my delight, I got to take part in art and photographs. Along the paths that surround the giant garden, we could see images and motifs with a historical connection. Many of them were both restored and copies of motifs from the 16th century.
With a Pina Colada in hand and tired legs, we watch a group of pelicans resting, standing on one leg. I have two and have a hard time getting them to carry me. We have hiked, ridden the cable car, and hiked some more. The 1,000-year-old olive tree at the entrance to the last stop is the last thing we admire.
Flamingos standing gracefully in a lush garden setting, vibrant greenery and a decorative backdrop enhance their beauty.
A long day among plants, high up in the mountains, was over. The way back was as scary as the way up. The closer we got to the station, the more I could breathe out. The carriage remained hanging. My fear disappeared with the deep sigh I gave as we stepped out of the cable car.
Back to the hotel (Porto Santa Maria)3. Recharge our batteries and ourselves and a glass of the island’s namesake. ๐ทRelaxing in preparation for the next adventure โ a jeep safari in the mountains…
The cold lingers like the afterword in a film when the Swedish winter enters its second phase. It is the end of February, and the cold feels like the freezer in the kitchen.
View of the bustling harbor in Funchal, Madeira. It features a variety of boats. A large cruise ship basks under a clear blue sky.
At Arlanda Airport, winter clothes should be put away, and more lightly dressed adventurers should head to warmer regions. Time passed quickly, and we almost missed the plane. There was a lot to check out in the duty-free shop at the airport. But we managed. With breaths caught in our throats and drops of sweat on our foreheads, we sat there on the plane, anyway. If we had missed the plane, it would have been a disaster. From now on, we must always be on time. You don’t make the same mistake twice, do you? Orโฆ?
We exchanged the Swedish winter for warmth and a snow-free landscape. Not at all unusual when you live in the cold north. This time, we have chosen to focus on nature experiences, wilderness, and adventure instead of art. Hiking among mountains, forests, and gardens, as well as Madeira’s food culture, has become our priority. A new pair of hiking boots was purchased for all of the week’s adventures. Of course, we had clothes and equipment for long hikes in the mountains, gardens, and forests with us.
The flight was long in contrast to the distance to the seat in front. There were closely placed airplane seats with short legroom. My knees scraped against the backrest in front of me. It ached in all parts of my knees and down to my feet.
An Airbus A319 received landing clearance five hours later on one of the world’s shortest runways. The landing was as calm as a dip in the pool and a quick taxi ride to Funchal. Once at the hotel, we had to recharge both our own batteries and those in our iPhones.
A serene view of the Atlantic Ocean near Madeira, showcasing calm waters and a distant lighthouse.
The small island group far out in the Atlantic Ocean still has great opportunities for a rich life of adventure. The longing for everything was like a dog’s drool along the corners of our mouths. The island attracts those who thirst for wilderness and natural experiences, but also those who just want to enjoy it. ๐ท
Madeira is an island group in the Atlantic Ocean, 400 kilometers north of the Canary Islands. It belongs to Portugal but is politically self-governing. It consists of the main island of Madeira, the island of Porto Santo, as well as some uninhabited islands.
Statue of Cristiano Ronaldo in Funchal, Madeira, celebrating the island’s connection to the famous soccer player.
The capital is Funchal. In the harbor stands one of the world’s best soccer players, but only in muscles and clothes of bronze. Madeira-born Cristiano Ronaldo is in all his glory, but the protagonist of this journey is once again a soon-to-be 50-year-old.Besides him, there are, of course, boats of all sizes. Sailboats and giant cruise ships mingle with a replica of Christopher Columbus‘ flagship, the carrack Santa Maria. It was with this ship that he accidentally reached America in 1492. A new continent was discovered, but we know that the Vikings landed there 500 years before him. For those who are keen, you can travel around the bay with her.
A replica of Christopher Columbus’s flagship, the Santa Maria, docked in Funchal, Madeira, showcasing the island’s rich maritime history.
The distance from the hotel to the beach was as short as Ronaldo’s free kicks. After fully charged batteries and with a dribble signed by Ronaldo, our bellies were empty, but expectations were high. On the first day, it was, of course, the first attempt to taste Madeira’s local specialties. With the smell of the sea and the aroma of fish restaurants, we filled our hungry bellies.
A serene view of the ocean from the hotel balcony in Madeira, showcasing palm trees and a relaxing beach atmosphere.
After that, the ground will be trampled, nature experienced, and mountains climbed. Tomorrow, plants will meet us with their beauty. The Madeira Botanical Garden and Jardim Monte Palace, high up in the mountains, will welcome us with their charm.
Last day of the week in the city of love made an entrance. It is a day that, to a large extent, goes in the form and sign of the hard material. The sun casts a warm glow over the cobblestone streets. The bustling energy of the city takes on a new rhythm.
Everything from sculptures and architectural monuments to a slightly lighter adventure awaited us as we stepped into the museum. The haunting stillness of Auguste Rodin’s monuments surrounded us. Their pale, imposing figures seemed to come to life in the dim light.
A stylized painting of Rodin’s sculpture ‘The Thinker’ is surrounded by green trees. It captures a moment of reflection in a serene setting.
As we made our way through the museum, we felt a profound connection to the artist. His timeless masterpieces captivated us. For a moment, it felt as if we were stepping into a slightly lighter adventure. This journey beautifully intertwined history, art, and the boundless potential of human creativity.
Cogito, ergo sum. The thinker in his own form stands in the middle of the garden where many of Rodin’s creations stand. As the thinker contemplates existence, the sculptures around him seem to come to life. Each sculpture tells its own story through the frozen movement captured by Rodin’s skilled hands.
In the house where the museum is housed, I was surprised by the works of other artists exhibited there. Some van Gogh and works from Munch, of course. As I wandered through the halls, I also came across breathtaking pieces by Monet, Renoir, and Picasso.
A vibrant portrait of Vincent van Gogh surrounded by colorful backgrounds showcasing his artistic influences, displayed at the museum.
I was pleasantly surprised and overwhelmed with joy when I stepped into the museum. I laid my eyes on the exquisite paintings by the renowned artists Van Gogh and Munch. There were also works by other artists.
A lunch among all the stiff figures would give us more energy. It would be as if we ourselves stepped out of our marble costume we put on during the week. Taking the time to enjoy a leisurely meal with colleagues can offer a needed break from the daily grind. It allows for lively conversations. It provides the opportunity to recharge our mental batteries.
A short visit to the Place de la Concorde with neither blood spatter nor trace of royalty. We continued to the Arc de Triumph in the center of the Champs-รlysรฉes. The Place de la Concorde stands as a symbol of French history. Its impressive Egyptian obelisk and ornate fountains epitomize grandeur.
The modern architecture of La Dรฉfense, showcasing the Grande Arche against a backdrop of dramatic clouds.
As we strolled through the square, echoes of the past reverberated through the air. They reminded us of the historical events that have taken place on this hallowed ground.
We walked around it and under it. We marveled at the intricate details of the architecture. The sunlight played beautifully with the shadows.
A little later, we ended up at La Dรฉfense, the modern business district with its towering skyscrapers and bustling streets. It was a gigantic contrast to everything we experienced during the week.
From history, to more modern history and now, perhaps the most modern part of the city. Modern architecture and tall buildings, far from brick, marble, and concrete. The skyline of this bustling city is now dominated by sleek glass skyscrapers. Each skyscraper is a testament to human ingenuity. These buildings represent technological advancement.
The historical wing beats seemed to have flown away. They left behind a serene atmosphere. This atmosphere whispered tales of the past. The ancient walls echoed with the memories of generations long gone. The place’s energy felt vibrant and alive.
The people we met there were anything but historical. Young people, who have a future ahead of them, filled the air with excitement. Their ambition painted a vivid contrast against the backdrop of antiquity.
All the places, all the historical visits, and the hunt for French cuisine were now over. Tomorrow the flight goes home, and everything points to the fact that I will come back to Paris. I am convinced of that โ but when, that is a mystery?
The next time we meet here on the blog, I will have moved to a small Portuguese island. It is far out in the Atlantic. The island is known for its stunning cliffs, picturesque beaches, and rich maritime history.
From traditional seafood dishes to colorful festivals, there is so much to discover and experience on this beautiful island. I can’t wait to share my adventures with you in the upcoming blog posts.
The next trip and adventure will be in February 2024, spending a week in Madeira. There will be a report about this on the blog later. The theme will be focused on plants and nature, including mountain safaris and hikes in forests and mountains. We explored the beautiful landscapes of Madeira and visited botanical gardens.
Finally, another museum visit, close to the hotel and conveniently scheduled during our stay. The 20th-century art lines the walls of the Center Pompidou1, showcasing everything I like.
The classic facade was in front of us. The red parts were on the long escalator. The queue below was all the shorter. Just a fraction of the one we stood in at the Louvre.
Maybe it was something else that attracted, what do I know? Short queues and a reasonable ticket price and large areas for fewer visitors were a big advantage during the visit.
My excitement went from my chest to my pupils the closer we got to the exhibit. The large entrance hall with shops on either side was what I so eagerly expected. Books at one and souvenirs at the other. Let the adventure begin.
It was the master of contemporary art I was looking for. Kahlo, Mondrian, Mirรณ, Kandinsky, and others. Everyone was there, so to speak. Even Picasso, Warhol, and Jackson Pollock had found their way there.
I could next feel myself floating along the room, as if floating on clouds. Everyone was there. The ones I wanted to see and meet.
It was as if I walked in there with one of my favorite books from university in my hand. I could almost feel a weight in my arms from the heavy book. H.H. Arnason – History of Modern Art (Fifth edition 2003)
I myself floated forward, upright, not upside down like New York City2, I guess. If not this one too, has been hanging upside down for years. That in view of the discovery that New York City I (1941) has been hanging upside down for years.
More and more of the masters of contemporary art lined up like a panorama in front of me. It was she I was looking for, exactly her.
Like a ferret in search of food, I searched for what made my day. The Mexican contemporary art queen was there. With her back to the wall and a determined gaze, she stares at us with her thick, interlocking eyebrows. (The Frame 1938)3.
Frida Kahlo’s vibrant portrait, surrounded by colorful floral motifs, displayed at the Centre Pompidou.
The hunt for the masters continued. The adventure in the jungle of contemporary art was not over. This was despite finding what I was looking for. My gut feeling sailed on the ocean of art science. It navigated us onward. There were plenty of goodies in the gigantic museum.
From nowhere along the corridor’s long wall, hang artworks by Picasso, Pollock, and Warhol. Everyone wants to be seen. The tired visitor mostly wants to find the elevator down to the entrance. But not me.
Picasso’s provocative painting ‘La Pisseuse’ (1965), featuring a seated figure against a vibrant blue background.
I wanted more, I didn’t want it to end. I knew Marie was waiting for us. She wanted to be freed before being taken away to the Place de la Concorde. We know from history what happened there during the French Revolution (1789-1799).
After a quick look at Pollock’s abstract lines and Warhol’s classic celebrity faces, we noticed more eroticism. This time it was from Picasso (La Pisseuse 1965)4. Afterward, we would visit Marie Antoinette at the Palais de Justice.
Maybe it would be like coming back to where we started the journey. Marie Antoinette existed as a royal apparition at Versailles and later this day as an imprisoned one.
It was with sadness that I left the Centre Pompidou and immediately wanted to return. I’m going there again, that’s for sure. The gallery I would like to work at – but my French isn’t that good ๐
In summary, it was a street race through its large exhibition halls. I got to see many of my favorite artists’ creations. I saw works by Frida Kahlo, Piet Mondrian, as well as Jackson Pollock and Joan Mirรณ.
The mobile camera drained the battery. Ideally, I wanted to go there again the next day. I didn’t buy anything in the souvenir shop. Well, nothing actually.
The next day, more of what stands out, or rather up in the sky in different formats, materials, and shapes.
ยฉ๏ธ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2024-06-30
National museum of contemporary art, located in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The museum opened in 1977 on the initiative of French President Georges Pompidou. Art from the 20th century onwards is displayed here. In addition to the permanent exhibition, a number of temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art are offered.โฉ๏ธ
oil-on-canvas painting by Piet Mondrian, completed in 1942 โฉ๏ธ
The Frameย Kahlo’s self-portrait in oil on a sheet of aluminum framed in glass which she purchased from a market in Oaxaca, Mexico 1938โฉ๏ธ
Oil-on-canvas painting by Pablo Picasso – april 1965 โฉ๏ธ
Julita Manor dates back to the 12th century and reflects Swedish cultural history. Its past includes medieval monasteries and 20th-century manor life. Guided tours reveal its secrets and tell stories from Arthur Bรคckstrรถm’s era, covering salons, workshops, and the church. These tales help explain the interaction between history, people, and the environment in this cultural heritage.
The wind was blowing from the west. The waves at รljaren were as high as my expectations for a full day trip to Julita manor. The place where the manor is now located dates back to the end of the 12th century.
It is an important historical place in the county where we live. It is just a 1 hour and 20-minute drive away, too close to miss. Julita Manor is now part of the Nordiska Museet, where it was donated by its last owner, Lieutenant Arthur Bรคckstrรถm.
The beautiful exterior of Julita Manor, showcasing its 18th-century classicist architecture surrounded by well-manicured gardens.
I will reproduce everything here as best I can. It includes what my eyes and ears caught during and after the guided tour and stored in my memory.
The house, known as the big house, is significantly younger than the area. The main building was constructed in the 17th century but burnt down in the mid-18th century. A new house in the classicist style was built on the site sometime in the 18th century.
Arthur Bรคckstrรถm’s parents bought the manor at auction in 1892 after the Palbitzki family. The house was completely empty at the time of purchase. The Bรคckstrรถm family put their own stamp on the house. They customized its exterior and associated buildings. They also personalized everything I got to see inside the house.
The house has been owned by Arthur Bรคckstrรถm since 1902, when he inherited it from his father, Johan Bรคckstrรถm. He leased the farm until his death in 1941.
A picturesque view of Julita Manor, showcasing its historic architecture against a vibrant blue sky and lush greenery.
The tour guide was able to explain a lot to me, just to me, in an engaging way. Dressed in period clothing, the guide started the performance. A coachman’s residence was one of the buildings added during Arthur’s time on the farm. A stable was also added. In addition, a carriage wing was constructed.
We did the guided tour in shifts. We had our dog with us, which is okay in the area. You just need to keep the dog on a leash.
Speaking of dogs, it was dogs that were dear to Arthur Bรคckstrรถm’s heart. They were his children. Since he didn’t have any kids of his own, the dogs were part of his family. It is also said that the dogs are buried where he himself is buried.
Inscription stone from Julita Manor referencing historical events.
At the end of the 12th century, specifically in 1180, I learned that King Knut Eriksson donated the farm Sรคby. This farm corresponded to most of Julita parish. It was given to the Cistercian order. A monastery was built where the manor stands today.
The monks built vaults where the south wing now stands. You can go down under it and look to see what the vault, which the monks built, looks like. Even the dog was welcome down. In the wing, there is a large kitchen for cooking for everyone in the mansion. There was another kitchen in the north wing. It was used to cook food for guests and passers-by. It also served as a soup kitchen for vagrants who often came by.
During one and the same year in Arthur’s time. If I remember correctly, the guide said there were 1600 hobo visits in a year, which is documented. It makes me think that maybe Arthur cared about everyone. He wanted to help the poor and hungry. He also wanted to make sure everyone who worked on the estate was fine.
The interior of a historic room at Julita Manor. It showcases remnants of medieval architecture. The room features arched ceilings and rustic stone walls.
Lake รljaren is to the west. The manor house is to the east. There is one thing to remember, but I’ll get to that a little later ๐งญ.
As we know from history, it was the Reformation in the 16th century under the rule of king Gustav Vasa. All the monasteries were looted and disappeared, and Sweden became Lutheran. Julita then became a royal farm.
I already knew that Gustav Vasa died in 1560. I have worked at the county museum. I lectured about him and his children. I mainly focused on his youngest son, Duke Karl (later King Karl IX). However, I was unaware that Gustav Vasa stayed at Julita for two weeks due to illness just before his death. The guide said that the king had a retinue with him and that included 200 horses. Horses that would last two weeks on the estate.
Historic carriages preserved inside the stable at Julita Manor, reflecting transportation from the past.
If the illness that the king contracted during his journey would cause his death, the guide could not answer. The guide showed a detailed description of who owned the farm first. The guide did this by pointing to the portrait paintings hanging on the hall wall of the house. I have now forgotten who they were.
The first floor of the house was Arthur’s private floor. The well-read and committed guide talked about how important his dogs were. He loved to drink rhubarb juice in the morning when he woke up. He pointed to the pitcher on a small table next to Arthur’s bed. Perhaps it was a bit of curiosity from the viewing. Or maybe it was because I asked a lot. I was as interested as the guide himself.
Portrait of Arthur Bรคckstrรถm, the last owner of Julita Manor, painted by Bernhard รstergren in 1935.
Arthur’s own breakfast room is at one end, and his private bedroom is at the other. Imagine if you had that for yourself. In between, there is a room where he and other higher dignitaries sat. They smoked and played cards. They probably also discussed business and politics. Opposite is a room that serves as a study, with a desk and associated accessories.
It is the common area that meets us on the next floor: the lounge and dining room. A room with porcelain from Rรถrstrand and shelves filled with glass, glass with Arthur’s seal on it. My question was, of course, if the glasses come from Rejmyre glass factory, perhaps. The glass factory is not too far from here and was founded in 1810. The guide could not answer that question, so others will have to find out. On the website there may be answers or not?
In the room with all the crockery, there is a food elevator. The food came from the warming room below. There, the cooked food was transported from the kitchen in the south wing. In the so-called Julita room, there is a large painting of Julita piecework. The guide told us that leather cannons were made there. Making the cannons easier to move on the battlefield seemed to be the intent. However, it turned out to be a fiasco. The gunpowder mixture was not always correct, and so the cannon blew up and fell apart.
An intricately designed piece of furniture featuring detailed carvings and many drawers, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship.
The painting on the wall is a copy, the guide said. The original can be found at the National Museum in Amsterdam. I was there myself, in the spring of 2023. I certainly saw the original. I did not reflect on it at the time.
On the top floor, there is a library, guest rooms, and a large drawing room. I found out the professor and his wife were staying as guests. They were in one of the guest rooms in the northern part of the salon. The large library of over 5000 volumes, I imagine, satisfied the professor on his visit.
Large trunks lined the entrance to the guest rooms. They were a sign that someone traveled far. The traveler intended to stay there for a long time.
It wasn’t just visitors, tramps, and long-distance guests who enjoyed Artur’s company. Even the employees are said to enjoy it there. Most of the 150 employees lived in the area. A large part of them were crofters and lived in the 80 crofts on the manor.
One who was mentioned often and many times was the farm carpenter Forsman. Henning Forsman was his full name. I was told that the majority of the furniture in the mansion was made by him. In his carpentry workshop, which is located on the outskirts, there was no electricity. Everything was done by hand and with mechanical machines.
A scenic view of traditional Swedish red cottages with grassy roofs, located near the historical Julita Manor.
There was electricity in the manor house. The guide enthusiastically pointed out the lamps in the ceiling. They did not have lampshades. This was to show that they had electric light in the house.
Forsman’s mission was to manufacture furniture for the nobility in various historical styles. Most of the furniture in the house is made by him. The guide showed me chairs in the Empire style, and sure enough, I could see it. As an art historian, I immediately recognize the style. It includes traditional lion’s paws. There are also tassels as decoration, mainly on the chair legs.
I was able to leave the mansion behind me after an hour of guiding. The gigantic garden was in front of me. At the end of it, a gazebo, which, according to the guide, is a replica. The original can be found at Skansen.
Many impressions and a lot in my historical backpack, we continued to explore the area. Orangery, museum, and a church are just a few buildings to visit. There is more, and a cafรฉ of course. The coffee was almost more expensive than the entrance fee, but the nice cafรฉ staff was a big plus. Water for the dog and coffee for us.
Interior view of Julita Manor, showcasing traditional wooden architecture and historical artifacts.
Adjacent to the church, there is a Julita Skans folk museum. There, Arthur Bรคckstrรถm displayed items from his private collection. Today, when I came in, there was also a smaller art exhibition. “Finally,” I thought. “There is a bit of modern art. I found it when I got up to the exhibition, which is upstairs in the museum’s entrance.”
A wooden bell tower designed according to Arthur Bรคckstrรถm’s ideas is located near Julita Manor. It showcases intricate architecture against a clear blue sky.
It is an ongoing exhibition of works from local artists. They operate in Katrineholm municipality – which includes Julita manor. The exhibition is organized by the non-profit association KIKK (Konstnรคrer i Katrineholms Kommun). There were some works I liked. Mainly the abstract works with strong colors.
The museum building is connected to the church on the farm. There is a small courtyard serving as a link between them. The church gate, as is the case in most instances, is in the west. That’s what I intended to convey, as I mentioned earlier, the matter concerning the weather lines.
Interior view of the chapel at Julita Manor, showcasing wooden benches and a decorative ceiling.
The big house is to the east, as is the church’s altar. It is a walk from the gate in the west, from รljaren’s location in relation to the farm. Traditionally, churches have always been built so that the altar is in the east and the entrance in the west. The congregation must therefore look towards the east. This is the direction which is the origin of light. It is where the sun rises.
The church then? Or rather a chapel. Built in wood according to Arthur’s own ideas. Wooden benches and an altar at the front in the east. A seemingly small religious building with a free-standing bell tower – a so-called campanile.
The day trip continued. We visited the orangery and the nearby brickworks. Some flowers were bought before there was a short visit inside the museum shop.
A new day in a new part of the city. We crossed to the other side of the river. We gained a new perspective on a new hotel. We set off on an exploration of the boulevards of the 9th arrondissement.Without the key to the lock, we headed for new heights.
A collection of love locks attached to a railing, symbolizing promises and memories in the vibrant cityscape of Montmartre.
Expectations were, of course, high, but we had to wait a while. It was Amelie’s place that had to push us out of the hotel room. Mile after mile, we have walked, and there would be many more to walk. Out of bed and up the slopes, our next destination was Moulin Rouge1.
Light steps, filled with expectations, we made our way up the slopes. Hundreds of tourists and hundreds of smartphones in the air caught the view with the classic facade. The red windmill and its surroundings, didn’t disappoint us.
Panoramic view of Paris from a viewpoint, featuring the skyline and the Tour Maine-Montparnasse in the distance.
Of course, it didn’t end there. More to see, more to discover. Along the narrow streets, artists sat with their easels. They were around the closely spaced cafes. The artists at Place du Tertre2 waited for the object.
Some wanted to be painted, and some could smell the food from nearby restaurants. We didn’t find Amelie3 either, but we didn’t expect that. She probably had other things to do that day ;)With new information and discoveries, we continued to move upwards. Nothing without the lock, as the key to where we were going.
Along the railings on the grand staircase at the great cathedral, everything goes into a lock. The Basilica of Sacrรฉ-Cลur de Montmartre stands behind us as a silhouette. We move our eyes along the view of the city. High up, we stand, and on the horizon, the 210-metre (689 ft) Tour Maine-Montparnasse rises high from the landscape.
Perhaps we stood at the highest point of the 18th arrondissement. We looked at the road, searching for traces of where we had just walked. That was how we got to this place. But that was just a parenthesis in the whole thing.
There was not much left to see and discover that day. Back in the 9th arrondissement, we walked along boulevards. After enjoying a late dinner at a standard restaurant, we landed on the hotel balcony. We caught the night lights of the city.
ยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2024-06-16
Moulin Rouge is an entertainment establishment at Place Blanche in Montmartre in Parisโฉ๏ธ
A square in theย 18th arrondissement, a few streets away fromย Basilica of the Sacrรฉ Cลur. From the end of the 18th century until World War One, the whole Montmartre Boheme could be seen here: painters, songwriters and poets. โฉ๏ธ
Refers to the classic film Amelie from Montmartre (Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amรฉlie Poulain) – 2001โฉ๏ธ
La Joconde was still waiting for me to visit her. Me and thousands of other people too. Sadly, I couldn’t visit her until later in the day. I was like a child on Christmas Eve, waiting for Santa Claus. My time will come, that say.
Earlier that day, we explored the city a bit more. An excursion with new eyes after hunting for new glasses. At the 3rd arrondissement, we found what we were looking for. New frames, not for me but…
…suddenly they added color to everyday life. Color on streets along the end of the rainbow. The treasure was there somewhere. The holy grail perhaps? ๐
With new spectacle frames procured, I prepared for my date with La Gioconda and others in the Louvre1. My expectations were like a fragrant cloud in my art historical mind. The colors of the rainbow were vivid in my memory. A line stretched outside the pyramid’s entrance, as long as the Great Wall of China.
The iconic Mona Lisa, captured within the Louvre’s walls, showcases her enigmatic smile.
I could almost smell the 400-year-old tempera. Without a map or compass, we still knew where to go first. With brisk steps along the picture-covered walls of the labyrinth we barely made it through.
My date with Mona Lisa2 had begun. But not just for me. Hundreds of other people dated her. Her mysterious smile kept us at bay. Imprisoned behind tempered glass and guards everywhere – she hadn’t time for a chat.
One step forward, one back and some steps to the side. Same procedure for a while. Hands in the air and flashes everywhere. I needed a stair. Poetic lines, yes it is, but ten minutes later, the visit continued.
In room after room, painting after painting, and I could look at some of my favorite artist’s paintings. Masterpieces by: Leonardo, David, Caravaggio, Gentileschi, Titian, Rafael and many more.
Like a Formula 1 race through the history. I raced around sarcophaguses, sphinxes, Egyptian sculptures and ancient objects, everywhere. The time was running out. We reached the finish line just after the white lady in marble (Venus of Milo3) said to us, “welcome back”.
– Yes of course, I’ll be back, soon. One day wasn’t enough. We needed more time! The 4th day in the city of love culminated in a date with Mona Lisa. It ended in the Carousel Garden. The next day had more to offer. I promise!
…to be continued
ยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2024-04-29
The largest national museum in France. Founded in 1793 and located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris.โฉ๏ธ
Mona Lisa (1503 – oil on panel) is the Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous portrait of, according to tradition, the Florentine Lisa Gherardini, above all known for her mysterious smile. Louvre (since 1797).โฉ๏ธ
Fifty years plus oneday – An early morning filled with excitement, all the way to the top. The day after and the day to see them. All artworks I’ve watched in books and read about, but not seen in real life – wow.
After a French, well-tasted breakfast at the hotel, we entered the metro, just outside the hotel. Through stations to an old station! After a couple of stations, we were home. Home of the impressionists’ house of artworks – Musรฉe d’Orsay.
Musรฉe d’Orsay is an art museum, inaugurated in 1886. Located in the 7th arrondissement. It’s a former railway station named Gare d’Orsay. The station was built in Beaux-Arts architecture between 1898 and 1900.
Jean-Franรงois Millet’s ‘The Gleaners’ (1857), showcasing peasant women gathering leftover grains in a rural landscape.
The queue of expectant visitors wound like a long train outside the station. Rising impressions like braking locomotives. Inside the walls, my expectations would be answered by oil on canvas and impressionists in a row on the walls.
Blocks had colored sections from red to green and grey. They resembled the colored room we entered in Versailles the day before. These sections were filled with artworks by the most famous artists in the mid-17th century. They featured these artworks instead of furniture from the baroque era.
To me, I felt like a child in a candy store. My favorite artists made my day. Artists like Van Gogh, Rodin, Gauguin, Renoir, Monet, and Jean-Franรงois Millet’s The Gleaners (1857) brought me joy.
Vincent van Gogh’s ‘The Bedroom’ (1889) is a vibrant depiction of the artist’s personal sanctuary. It showcases his unique use of color and form.
From side to side, we walked and looked closer at every painting. We turned around a Rodin after a Rodin. Some of his artworks (statues) were like rounding marks to the next section. Sad maybe but I’ll get to him later – another day.
More than one hour on floor one, and hungry for more – heading for The main course. Up two floors, by stairs on heavy feet to the most important part of the museum. The Impressionists – worth seeing. One painting caught our attention even more, but not only ours attention.
A large gathering of people in front of a painting we all know. With tears in my eyes, tears of happiness, I finally got to see it. Van Gogh’s – The Bedroom (1889). There were many more artworks from him. There was another artwork from one of my favorite artists. It was Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Bal du moulin de la Galette (1876) ๐.
Entrance to the Jardin des Plantes, a historic botanical garden and zoo in Paris.
After four hours at The Musรฉe d’Orsay, we were so satisfied that the visit could be done once more. I had a hard time leaving Vincent behind me. I remember how long time I spent writing a script for a lecture about him at the university. It was around 2006, I think. 17 years ago “wow”.
From Monet’s garden on canvas, the day was changed to a walk in a real garden. Good food and French wine turned into a visit to the Jardin des Plantes. It’s a zoo and a botanical garden, founded in 1587. Since 1794, it belongs to France’s National Museum of Natural History.
More art, lots of art and lots of history there would be. Day 3 ended. Tired but satisfied with most things, full. The next day had to come faster, as the trains at the Gare d’Orsay station did once. Tickets were booked long ago for what was coming the next day. Guess what?
The 5th of August 2023. A new day in the city of love. A new morning and new discoveries to be made. With pre-booked tickets and a reserved table at a restaurant, we were ready for today’s explorations. It was the day I turned fifty. It felt like I had just started to walk through all the pages in all the art books. I felt like I was exploring the history books I studied at the university.
Of course, yesterday’s exploration of the City of Love heightened the excitement. It was like walking among cathedrals and tracing in the footsteps of writers. The level of excitement was eleven on a scale of ten. The pages in the books were like the uplifting air under my feet. A journey among art, history, and French cuisine continued.
Paris is illuminated at dusk. This stunning view showcases the beauty of the City of Love. The Seine reflects this enchanting scene.
I took a slow walk through the books in my head. I was like a hungry animal hunting for the best the city can give. Versailles and Le Nรดtre’s gardens, I blogged about twelve years ago (in Swedish). Trรคdgรฅrdskonst och tvรฅ kungliga slott, was the first historical and archaeological stop on my 50th birthday. What else I wish for on my birthday?
First of all, there were so many rooms to pass. There were different colors on the walls for different rooms in a row. It felt like walking in and out of a paint box. Then it was nice to wander indoors while the rain fell outside The Palace of Versailles1. And there would be more.
The stunning exterior of the Palace of Versailles surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens, showcasing the grandeur of French architecture.
We go through room after room and decoration after decoration. This journey leads us to the most important place in the castle: The Hall of Mirrors. Hundreds of people and the double if I’m counting the reflections in the mirrors. The Hall of Mirrors was built in 1678. At that time, the castle was the king’s residence. It is mentioned in Marie Antoinette’s diary.
The exquisite interior of the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles, showcasing its stunning architecture and ornate chandeliers.
Andrรฉ Le Nรดtre, Louis XIV, Napoleon, Marie Antoinette and among others, lingered like an invisible smoke around the visitors.
Hungry, of course, but now for food. We had already reserved a table at ORE Ducasse at the Palace of Versailles. What did French cuisine have to offer? Fish dishes with white wine from the Loire Valley would satisfy our appetites. Grilled salmon and vegetables with bรฉarnaise sauceโan unusual combination. But the wine was good.
The beautifully manicured gardens of Versailles, showcasing intricate landscaping under a cloudy sky.
Unlike the Italian restaurant yesterday, with nice staff and good service, it was more confusing when we got to ORE. The restaurant is in the name of Alain Ducasse, which holds three stars in the Michelin Guide. I had higher expectations. But something else uncorked that day: the sky. The rain fell like poured wine almost all day.
If there has to be a sun, it’s the sunshine from the Sun Kingโs aura. We took a long walk in the gardens. We listened to the sound of the rain. The falling water wasnโt for us. It was above and in the garden lakes for the gardens of Versailles that day.
The illuminated Eiffel Tower at night, a symbol of romance in the City of Love.
A castle is filled with hundreds of rooms. It also has a garden that never ends. It was replaced by another spectacular monument later that day. It lefts all the historical characters behind us. A trip by train back to Montparnasse and then the metro to 7th arrondissement.
The Eiffel Tower2, of course. The goal was a glass of champagne, 330 meters (1,083 ft) in the air. However, the weather gods wanted something else. The top floor has to be closed for safety reasons. To travel in a packed elevator up to the second floor was high enough for me. I couldnโt look down without getting a little dizzy. But instead, I had someoneโs eyes to stare deeply into. Itโs the City of Love – remember!
One tower, two perspectives. My 50th birthday came to its end in the moment of darkness. There was no rain but it was a windy night. We looked out in the name of love. We looked up and tried to look down in all directions.
A captivating view from beneath the Eiffel Tower, showcasing its intricate ironwork against a blue sky.
A tired tower never sleeps, even as the heavy wind tried to lull it to sleep. For 4 minutes every hour, the tower flashed as a welcome beacon.โ Welcome to the City of Loveโ. What if or how it could have happened, must the best place to be at, be just under the tower? Only look up. Itโs a rectangular piece of metal and thousands of pieces of iron.
With hungry stomachs and weary feet, we made our way back to the hotel. It was too late to eat and too late to have fun. The hotel, located near Boulevard Saint-Germain in the 5th arrondissement (the Latin Quarter), became our savior.
The next day brought new adventures and an even greater hunger for exploration in the City of Love.
To be continuedโฆ
ยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2023-10-31
The Palace of Versailles was a royal palace from 1682 to 1789. It had a significant impact on French architecture, art, and also on Europe as a whole. So I got my battery of history and architecture chargedโฉ๏ธ
The Tower is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower from 1887 to 1889. The local nickname of the tower is โLa dame de ferโ (French for โIron Ladyโ)โฉ๏ธ
The 4th of August – on a plane. It was a red and white Boeing 737-800 from Norwegian. My excitement rose as high as the plane took off. I spent two expectant hours in the air between Stockholm and Paris. The landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport was calm and soft. My feet touched the ground in France for the 5th time. I have visited Languedoc, Provence-Alpes-Cรดte d’Azur twice. I also visited Normandy before. This time, the day before my 50th birthday, I was in the City of Love. A week to remember!
A welcoming mural saying ‘Paris Vous Aime’ captures the essence of love and excitement upon arriving in Paris.
Who loves me? Of course, the city loves me “Paris Vous Aime”? The train station is near the airport. This is akin to Stockholm Arlanda Airport. You reach the airport from Central station by Arlanda Express. The 50 minute-trip had to come. Already at the airport, I could smell the scent of Paris. It was the scent of love and flavors from French cuisine. Exactly what I’ve expected and I was ready for more.
From 30 000 feet in the air to the underground, the train stopped at one of the metro stations. We was lucky that the train could stop on one of metro’s stations close to where we would be staying.
A view of the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral. It is currently under renovation. The cathedral showcases its stunning architecture against a blue sky in Paris.
Time to ascend to ground level again. With heavy bags and by easy steps up to the street. And… look what I’ve found. A well-recognized cathedral. I dropped the bag and with a hunchback and a slanting gaze, I saw it straight away – Notre Dame1. Unfortunately, the cathedral was not open for visits, as it is still being renovated after the fire in 2019.
From having studied the cathedral’s architecture through university literature, it was an uplifting moment to see it in real life. I remember the difficult exam I was given on what characterizes different styles of architecture. I now experienced and felt my love for architecture, art, and everything French. This experience showed its impact for the rest of the week.
Aerial view showcasing the ongoing restoration works at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, summer 2021.
Maybe somewhere up in the tower, he stands – the one who will ring the bells. Quasimodo, where are you? The character from “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,” you know. Maybe he wasn’t there that time. Couldn’t hear any sounds from the bells. An inner voice instead shouted “Esmeralda! Esmeralda, where are you!” Better to seek out the author behind the story. He must be somewhere in the city?
We ate pizza at an Italian restaurant on Rue de Pontoise before we landed at the hotel. We were two out-of-town tourists in one of the world’s most beautiful cities. It was good food, and both the staff and service were very nice! Near the restaurant, on Bd Saint-Germain, we found our hotel – ready for new adventures in the City of Love.
The Panthรฉon in Paris, showcasing its stunning neoclassical architecture and iconic columns.
Yes, I was ready to hunt for art, architecture, and many cultural experiences. The first day seemed to be a walk in the footsteps of the churches and cathedrals. He who wrote The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, as I mentioned earlier – we found him. In the Panthรฉon, we found him and many other famous people.
The Panthรฉon2 with its neoclassical architecture is easy to see. Columns, a dome, and classical Corinthian capitals with an ancient look. Among all the buried writers in the Panthรฉon, Rousseau himself stands as a statue outside the building.
Statue of J.J. Rousseau, a renowned philosopher and writer, located in a vibrant Parisian square.
The journey continued on foot. Further cathedrals and churches were in focus, but mainly in the tracks of the authors. This time, a contemporary writer – Dan Brown. In 1646, the Roman Catholic Church of Saint-Sulpice was founded. The church is perhaps best known from the book The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Robert Langdon was there, and now so am I.
My research areas from university are in the same field as the character Professor Robert Langdon. My master’s thesis is an in-depth study of heraldry and club badges. Likewise, my bachelor’s thesis is on church architecture and religious symbols.
On this particular day, there was a service, so we had to sneak in and look around in silence. I hope the beggar was happy. He was sitting on the steps of the church. He got a few euros from us.
The Church of Saint-Sulpice, known for its neoclassical architecture and connections to literature, captured in the heart of Paris.
A long first day in the city of love gave me many impressions. I felt as if I were walking through the world of books and felt close to the authors. In the next episode of the journey in the City of Love, the architecture will continue to be important. This is mainly from a historical perspective and also for birthday celebrations.
Finally, a walk to the hotel on Bd Saint-Germain – same street and close to Cafรฉ de Flore…
To be continuedโฆ
ยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2023-10-28
Built between 1163 and 1345 and designed by Maurice de Sully. A magnificent example of French Gothic architecture (1140-1500)โฉ๏ธ
The Panthรฉon was built in 1758 according to Jacques-Germain Soufflotโs designs. It was originally a church dedicated to Saint Genevieve of Paris. Since the French Revolution, it has been used as a mausoleum. Many prominent French citizens, including Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile Zola, Victor Hugo, Jean Moulin, and Marie Curie, are buried thereโฉ๏ธ
Cold as the night’s breeze when the heart has a choice Two ways through the trees cuts the emotional voice Snowy, white and clear and a path, so smartโฆ โฆat last A walk out of the fear by the echo of the heart
A vacuum, equally hollow
like the rumours I hear
Be calm but don't follow
like the greatest fear
On my knees, I'm standing
until the truth is revealed
Soon, it comes to a landing
until my lips are sealed
ยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2022-12-09
On a spot in the shadow, I’m standing alone, empty and filled of silence Behind the flames by fears, I’m landing untouched, humbled and out of violence
๐น
Like a rose by night,
youโre colorless
But on inside,
as the rose, a red
loving vibe
Like a rose in the wind,
you fall through
But I'm behind to receive,
when you fall for
the wind, to believe,
in love
ยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2022-07-09
Evening sparrows fill the night with tones, played on the leafs
Calm winds give bubbles in aย tiny puddle on the ground
The shadows sleep on the clouds in a dream of a snoring sun
...there're days by the field,
from morning to the night
It's a hard work to do,ย
heavy duty without a fight
There're sweat and tears,ย
from the sun to the moon
Early start, nothing to say,
only an hour to the noon
Thereโre lives underground,ย
from the plant to the grape
Cold water fills the throat,ย
to shine, live and get in shape
ยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2022-03-30
On a bench, a painted word drops down on a leaf By a leaf, a silent touch lifts an eye above the head Inside a head, a good thought spinning to slips aside One step aside, a bad feeling bouncing in the chest Deep inside the chest, a new word waiting to paint a heart Stuck in a heart, a painted letter still rest on a bench
From a crack in the street, grew a flower with the aim of eternal life. The asphalt that covered playgrounds and cycling paths was surrounded by concrete houses. He grew up beyond all the fine flower arrangements and the road was never straight. The road that led him onward was crooked and lined with obstacles and resistance.
The acquisition, which was governed by inheritance and obligation, was the predetermined course. Nothing went as wrong as the credible thesis – a theory failed. With death as a close visitor, the life got a second chance. The plant, once an asphalt flower, became a victim after a deadly journey under a vehicle. Yet, it rose against all odds.
From a course change to discourse in the academic flower box, new seeds where spread. Nectar that has always been there, was suffocated due to uncertainty. The survivor of the working-class society became a conqueror of dual bachelor’s degree. The conquest is unique in the collection of familiar flowers.
Dramatized acting on stage became plant nutrient to the root. The strength of memorizing the words in the script, became the flower’s power on the stage. Predisposition for artistic analysis is the strength that strengthens the stem. Water and sun are mixed with culture that breathes over the leaves.
The pot of poetry will be filled to the brim with hungry poems to feed a starving poet.
Words and emotions are fed with stanzas and verses from the middle of the soul.
The damaged flower survived a serious car accident, this day 41 years ago…
I have been there before, near an open end when all choices are hidden in the trees. I followed the same path firmly in the opposite direction, when a line was drawn under the ground of eternity. Beyond the light, far from all coincidences, a wisdom grew deep beneath the heap. I dug a ditch to finding a hope instead of plow forward in the right direction. In the end, I was on the same spot to look up, to stare down and be dazzled by the light in the front – out of conclusions.
Am I too nice to be hard when the world turns upside down? Am I too afraid to show my sensitivity when other spins the earth backwards? Am I too weak to be strong in a weightless universe, empty of content? to be a number Am I too difficult when my genius sleeps on the moon?
Since 2012, I have written 299 poems, and this will be the 300th. Whatโs out there and whatโs in here is an interpretation of my poetry. It has constantly moved from my inner feelings to beautiful and enlightening things I have seen outside and around me. It has and will be a journey between the light and the darkness. But in between, there’s a force so strong. In the best moments, it can move the mountains. These mountains are a part of the roller coaster in my life.
So this is my 300th poem
A tiny light, surrounds by the darkness, I feel Crushed life that sounds when emotions are real
Rays of the sun, walks in a motion, so bright Color of sensitive talks paints my hope, by night
A feeling of calm, plays alone when you can't see An inner fight in days, a personal war for me
All bricks in the wall, sings a capella for deaf ears Dare to look, touch things, doing it, without fears
Barrels full of tears in a sad patrol, rest to store fears in rows, surrounded by it’s enemies in oak uniforms. Red wine in the color of spilled blood, survived the battle between the grief and the grapes. In frontline with shields, thin like the shells of the grapes, a bloodline is the line behind the enemy. The infantry still standing on the feet of the wine glasses, ready to fight for what they crying for. Deep down in a wine cellar, far from the sunlight, lies a grief, alone and missed by the survivors who refusing to leave them for the next harvest.
Step by step on a forgiving road, ย a walk alone Heavy rain falls from the fog,ย a day to rememberย Going back for a moment,ย a memory on a stoneย Lights in the night on a shining mind,ย a day in novemberย Tone after tone of a surviving song, ย a mystery voiceย Heavy clouds push me down,ย an emotional fight Climbs up through the haze,ย havenโt a choice Strength in the body on a rising soul,ย to catch whatโs rightย
In meanwhile, when everything are resting in silence, but in a head full of voices, on a slope, down through my chest, rolls everything I'm afraid of, faster and faster till the end of what?
Being alone in a quiet place,ย by winter’s time in the bay.ย Seeing snow far from space,ย near home, a beautiful day.
Finding a sound of a wave,ย to come and cover a stone.ย ย Looking for moments to save,ย when wordsย are being alone. ย ย ยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2021-12-04
Falls like a plummetย to the bottom,ย when my anxietyย surfs on the waves,ย and all my thoughtsย are heavy as the ship in the port by theย sea of worries
ยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2021-11-21
One thing within, like a sinย Starts of a reason this seasonย One time on prime, like a crime,ย ย Starts to swear,ย everywhere and hereย One way, like Iยด’ve say,ย ย Ends on this line,ย even mine
In the land of anxiety,ย at a port in tears rest the ships,ย close to the cranesย In the land of anxiety,ย on a airport of fears sits the worries,ย inside the planes
In the land of anxiety,ย on a lake of scars, dies the pain, fixed on the hook In the land of anxiety, under the stars, stands the anger, to get a lookย
รr vilse i skogen av alla vackra ord, med en kartbok i handen, ย fylld med svordomar jag inte kan uttala. Ord som vรคxer i diketย lรคngs vรคgen som fรถrde mig hitโฆ
A moment to explode or, an accidental piece of shyness, can't get it in bloom, all you want, the will, the most lovable feeling, inside a bubble that you can't crack, because the fear is a thick skin on an equally thick layer of shyness...
Inside, like air of a balloon by thin shelter of thoughtfulness stands a man in a comfort zone, sad with lack of happiness. Stuck, as flies in the spider’s net lies a hug all alone, miles away, captured by thoughts to regret, now or later, mostly yesterday.
Color doesn’t matterย by the end of the rainbow when roses grow,ย by love, but dieย by the waterfall, in meanwhile all the golden flowers buildย a road along a silver field, full of roses to walk on, for you, only for you…ย
Sometimes a small light in a tunnel, a winterโs day. Twenty four hours by eighteen with darkness. Only a memory flashes by. A moment as a traveler in a wheelchair along dark culverts – heading for the goal. Searching for the light and a new step for a life at home again.
What happened before and after is a mystery? A detective work. His journey was close to death. The ruler reduced the distance between the car and the ground to just one centimeter. The one who separated life from death.
To be home was a start to win it back, the lost moments he doesn’t have or not to remembered. Only he could felt the presence of the guardian angels, that moment. As an echo in the block, all rumors of his death, was more fake as death of the civilization. It lives, and he too.
The specific relevant content for this demand, if necessary, delimited with characters: Short steps ahead became a fight. Thoughts and decisions from people dictated the path. They had more to say about the boy’s future. Wounded both on the inside and physically on the outside, all obstacles became higher and all roads even longer.
The corrected content, still delimited with the existing Markdown syntax, looks like this: He is back on his feet. He is not interested in jumping faster ahead. His eyesight is a minor obstacle. Could the future be blind? He has full sight in one eye. He only has ten percent vision in the other due to scars from the accident. This made all shortcuts in life seem far away.
What could he do later and why did he have to start over the third grade, again? Did he have enough power to start over? Could he build a future with what it takes to succeed as a human?
A winterโs day in January 1981. One place, boys and a lot of guardian angels. Ice-cold snow by the road, as walls in a war. A road covered by ice, smooth like a mirror. Thereโs a line between the goal and the destiny. The mission, a journey between joy and an adventure made for children.
When an icy road has a duty to deliver, he didnโt make his task in the playable battle. It could have been his last moment. The guardian angels were on duty that day. They saved the boy’s life.
A car, fast as a shark, swallows him in one bite. Invisible friction between ice and tires hadn’t a chance. It could even be the last day to dance. In a moment, he was gone, gone everywhere. In his head and visually down the road. No snow banks couldn’t stop it, no brakes, and an impossible task missed to do what it has to do.
The distance was half of a ruler. Down under a car, the boy was dragged. This continued until the vehicle stopped. How long, they didnโt know, but in the end, the boy was out of consciousness. All rumors were many, but the guardian angels had the upper hand that day.
Was he dead? Where’s he now? Why did the boy end up under the car? Why wasn’t he thrown aside by the incredible force the car had to get rid of? Who is he? There were questions all over. The guardian angels couldn’t answer them. The boy, half dead, flew side by side with the angels. They traveled across the clouds to land softly on the roof of the capital city’s biggest hospital.
Lucky to be alive, the boy came home after a while. The look in others’ eyes surprised him. With the help of the guardian angels, he won the war. It was the battle of death and the future. With scars deep inside and visible ones on the outside, he still trusts the future and always trusts his angels.
The last thing he does now is to end this short episode. He hopes to win a new battle every day. The fight against anxiety and the war against his low self-esteem. Obstacles along the way have always been there.
In a selfmade war, I’m standing when my anxiety’s bombs are landingย and smashes me in piecesย that never will be foundย when my thoughts in my headย goes around and aroundย to struggle and fightย when my emotions fall apartย by night, in the duvet’s entrenchmentย and I mediate for peaceย in my brain, captured by sense, tied in a chain…
By train, full of emotions on a railway, made of thoughts, vibrates my fears from side to side
By air, loss of lifes, in a sky, made of mistakes, falls my mind from the cloud to the ground
By boat, empty of happiness on a sea, made of tears, sinking my destiny to the botton
All I want, is to believe I Will do the right thing, but I Think itโs wrong, though I Canโt being free of it, if I Still being afraid from what I Trust…!
Let my inner silence dance on a thread above devil’s sea Let my empty soul escape earth, alone in the dark Let my cold heart melt away, heavy fall apart Let my broken thoughts drown down, fast like a stone
Friday afternoon โthe cleaning projectโ. Heavy rain over a worrying mind, starts to look for unsolved things to find. Lost in the world and a an empty head, awake, asleep and hundred years to be dead.
Nothing rise like the sun, an early day, when the moon of all thoughts has only dark words to say. Different ways to solve and clean, throws back the good thoughts when nothing is what it has to been.
One day Iโve to catch, look and feel the light, when the darkness is gone, easy without a fight.
Transmission of silence, an invisible walk inside, outside my head, to a dead end of bitterness, shouting from the hip to a dynamite of emotions, all over the entire body
I'm dressed, blue or red,to the struggle in my headSteps in circles, side to side,for a brainless strideBe alone, now or later,when the pain will be greaterTomorrow, day or night,to a mindful fight......in the darkness, out of sight
Skummet yr kring den sten jag dรถpte en sommar Viken ligger รถppen som den famn jag dig gav Vรฅgorna gรถr mossan mjuk, lika mjuk som ditt namn En lรคtt bris bryter tystnaden, sรฅ tyst som du var dรฅ Regn genom solstrรฅlarna dina, pรฅ en yta i regnbรฅgens kulรถr
Thereโs a poem in the air, a poem to write by night Letter after letter, a line, to see, to feel and to fear Thereโre words on the paper, words to catch by the light, Day after day, a house of cards, to see, to feel and to tear
I en labyrint vandrar mรถrkret steget fรถre mot den utvรคg som inte finns, inte hรคr inte dรคr heller, blรคndad av ljuset – รถverallt Myrsteg framรฅt, eller bakรฅt? Snurra runt Yr i bollen, ett platt fall, himlen รคr stjรคrnklar Marken รคr vรฅt, grรคset hรถgt och ansiktet ned Jorden snurrar och marken skakar min kropp, fylld av halta druvor och promillesoldater i ett (full)skaligt krig med fรถrnuft och kรคnsla
Somewhere in my inner soul
there is a force, an unwelcome one,
whose purpose is to throw me away
from the present and put me in the future
A time shaped by all the mistakes
I have done in the course of history
Now I’m standing here again, in center of the floor, alone Far away from the corners, far from a helping hand – I fall The downward speed is twice as fast as in oposite direction The force that pulls down the cube is stronger than the unaviable help It’s not me who decides,ย that’s her elevator, ย Anxietyโs lift In the dark, far down in the basement among caves Is the road to the top…
…an eternity journey
ย Himlen i en ljus nyans, ett tyg ett hav blรฅare รคn mรถnstret om sรถmmens nav Skuggans mรถrka kant, en fรฅll ett stygn starkare รคn solkustens alla dygn
Svetten kring midjan, en รฅtsittande hรคr varmare รคn hjรคrtats eldiga atmosfรคr Gylfens tajta band, en dragning i sรคnder svagare รคn vรคrmen frรฅn dina hรคnder
Grรคset mot tyget, en grรถnska sรฅ stor grรถnare รคn den avundsjuka som gror Ytan i ett solblekt material, en hetta obehagligare รคn den is som lรคttar
Oceaner av bara ben, ett byxlรถst land stรถrre รคn de jeans som sytts fรถr hand Tyget sรฅ raspigt kรคnns, flรคckat av slem mjukare รคn lรคdret om spรคnnet i en lem
In this essay, I explore my art analysis method shaped by my studies and experiences, similar to Erwin Panofsky’s approach. I connect Panofskyโs interpretation levels with my modern view on art. This text is a personal reflection and a comparison of methods, blending intuition, symbolism, and perspective.
The point is that my method is remarkably similar to Erwin Panofskyโs (1892-1968) approach to analyzing art. Today, Iโm more familiar with his theory, so I can identify similarities and some minor differences. In his method, the first step or level, which he calls โpre-iconographic,โ involves observing what you see in the picture.
My analysis method is consistent, but I add some elements. I analyze colors, lines, forms, objects, surfaces, directions, and people, as well as movements and dimensions. I focus on depth, especially with 3D. I enjoy exploring 3D, particularly in Leonardo da Vinci’s central perspective style. I also look at the texture, techniques, and materials used in the artwork.
Another task that differs from Panofsky is how I analyze exhibitions. I focus on the entire exhibition instead of individual artworks. I spend less time on each piece. I allocate more time to researching the artist.
Background research is important for the second level of Panofskyโs method, which is iconographic. This level takes more time than I have available. However, there are times when I find enough information about the artist in the gallery folder. In these cases, I do a brief background check.
Furthermore, in level 2, a key part of my analyses is finding symbols. It’s also important to understand what different elements in the artwork mean symbolically. This includes icons too. I especially like discovering hidden or misunderstood icons and symbols. My bachelorโs thesis focused on symbols and icons, while my masterโs thesis studied their significance in various artistic contexts.
In my final analysis, I’ve reached Panofsky’s third level of interpretation, which is iconological. I share my understanding of the paintingโs message and discuss my feelings and thoughts about it. This creates a complete overview of my experience.
My main focus is on how I perceive the painting. I look at what it communicates and the feelings it stirs in me. I also notice the sounds and sensations related to the artwork. Ultimately, everything is subjective and personal. Even the artist may not fully understand my interpretation and feelings at that time. The artist’s goal is to evoke a reaction or specific emotion from the viewer.
The conclusion explores my artistic analysis and how it compares to Erwin Panofskyโs method. While Panofsky’s analysis includes many elements, my approach is more spontaneous, based on hopes and discoveries made during exhibitions. I aim to highlight the similarities between our methods, even before I learned about Panofsky’s approach.
There are other art historians and techniques to consider, including Svetlana Alpers and Heinrich Wรถlfflin. I aim to compare my approach to analyzing art with Panofsky’s method.
The name consists of two words in one name: (Blom) and (Qvist). Blom is the same as โBlommaโ; Flower (in English). It can also signify: โStรฅ i blomโ; Bloom or Blossom (in English). The other word is โQvistโ, kvist with a Q. Kvist is Twig (in English).
The poem will thus be about Flowers, in bloom, blossom and a Twig. – or more like a Twig with Flowers or a Flower’s Twig – or other flowering words that make me smile ๐
๐ฅ Spring opened sun, an early summer day, in a flower’s nest, in the end of may
Twigs in bloom, in a flower bed, in blossom color, and roses in red
A summer night, the frozen flower, in bloom at time, in every sunny hour
A flowering tree, hides in the dark, Me: the Flower*, deep in the bark ๐ฅ
Ett ord, bara ett enda ord maler glas till glaskross i ett vakuum av tomma tankar Ord av ondo, ord som fรถrgรถr sรฅgar stammen till sรฅgspรฅn i ett kalhygge efter fรคllda tรฅrar
En trรคkniv, sakta karvadย djupt borrad i min sjรคlย Naggar i kanten om mittย hjรคrtas inramningย En lรฅngsam, motsols vridningย sรถndrar alla mina tankar,ย gรคnga fรถr gรคngaโฆย
Det snurrar, vรคrlden i spinn
Jag pรฅ den, vill krรคkas
Det gรฅr en eld genom kroppen
Jag i den, vill brinna upp
Det felas, mรฅste repareras
Jag vid det, i ursรคktandes stund
It’s a thought, a word who doesn’t exists A travel through my mind, what it resists I wonder if it gets out of my crashed life Anย unwelcome reminder to end a strife
Trace's walks along the walls Hidden places, none open door Seasons comes, autumn's calls As the leaves, inside, a yellow floor Colorfulness stands by a tree Under the sky, heaven in grey Mirroring outside, a cup of tea As the memories all night and day
Iโll do it my way, only one way I feel thoughts, only my thoughts You don’t know, when nobody knows You are blind, when all other are blind We can’t feel the same, what I feel We all have wrong, what I say, …is wrong
Perhaps my poems are written when I’m sad but today I’m satisfied and mostly glad Sometimes I’m writing about a sunny day for to show what I always want to say Today, a better mood only for you my friend look up and smile, it’s good
Unstoppable fire when it rains, steals my heart and veins Big thoughts in a minimal bowl are destroying my soul Invisible wounds by a wooden knife are representing my empty life Nothing of everything I find are exploding in my mind
Jag dansar barfota pรฅ glรถden, i otakt
Repet med รฅngestknutar drar
brรถstet tillbaka, i obalans
Jag hรฅller andan lรคnge
under vattenytan, i halsgropen
Nรคtet med รฅngestmaskorna gรฅr
sรถnder och samman, i ovishet
In the light
of a screen, when a
lost soul puts
a shadow
on the wall
A dark siluette
filled by
thoughts
you never see
and feel
Locked screen,
a place
Just thoughts
in the air
to climb
over borders
No light, but thoughts
a shadow thing
Jag svรคvar inte
bland molnen
Jag รคr molnet,
det mรถrka
Molnet ni ser
pรฅ avstรฅnd
frรฅn ett fรถnster
Jag grรฅter dรคr
solen lyser
Nรคra regnbรฅgens
vackra fรคrger…
Det som var bortaย i fรถrfluten tid, fรถrintat,ย avklippt och kasseratย รฅteruppstod,ย nu i detta nuย Murar faller, skรถldarย som sprickerย
Det som fรถrsvann,ย det som inte lรคngre fannsย Vandrar frรฅn huvudetย genom brรถstet i enย kokande kittel i maggropenย Jag sรฅg det, jag kรคnde det,ย komma igen
Pรฅ ett sluttande plan delas mitt inre som tvรฅ halvor av en vattenmelon. Mina jag glider isรคr, studsandes รถver kanten sรฅ kรถttsaften yr รถver den soldrรคnkta platรฅn. Det bubblar i kroppen som stekta melonhalvor pรฅ grillen. Lรคngre bort i skuggan av mitt vรคrde splittras livet nรคr melonskalet giljotineras mot det karga stenblocket ingen velat flytta pรฅ. I bitar av det รคtbara, blandat med allt som ska bort finns bara kรคrnorna kvar. Utspottad pรฅ bordet som uttjรคnta uranstavar ligger jag i kรคrnhรถgen och funderar pรฅ nรคr det รคr dags att gรฅ under jordenโฆ
You got the picture I see pieces smashed in a mirror You show the sky I see clouds, dark and heavy You hold it in your hand when it slips through my fingers You drive me crazy I drive, away
I landed by the road softly and easy, but after, after work a turbulence inside my thinking engine starts a fire of conspiratorial ghosts from side to side on the road through
Today, at last, I started to write on my second crime novel. This time I’m gonna make it. I have big plans and everything has to be perfect before I’m sending the manuscript to the publishing company. Of course, I’ve no big expectations but big dreams. It’s the dreams that help me to fly over the obstacles.
Environments, era, and characters will be the same, but of course, a new murder mystery. My goal this time is to be finished with the draft at the end of the year. If I fail, kick me in the ass – very hard! ๐
Inuti finnas, vakna och vรคxa Frรฅn ingenstans, nu och sedan Vredens iver, sรถka och leta Baklรคnges fรคrdas, ett platt fall Uppfรถr kรคmpa, motsol streta Ljud i mรถrkret, ett ekots skall
Height of the door a question through forms of answersColor of the doora guessing gameof dark mysteriesBehind closed door a blind soul raises unknown expectations
Have to spinn my world around my broken shaft Must stop my wheel inside my empty chest Need to destroy my earth in my bleeding hands Want to put my heart back to my dignity
When all truth is bleeding behind the shield of wounds, walks a lie down by my back When fresh tears are falling upon the cheek of damages, blows a dream away from me When my destiny ends up beside the crack in my heart, goes a shadow over my body
Here are two short poems (in Swedish) I wrote on the bus on my way home from work. It took about 20 minutes to write them, but I haven’t a clue what I’m saying with them or what the message is. Normally it takes a longer time for me to write a poem.
Deep inner trip as the never ending hunt An invisible map, empty upside down in my forehead When I lose pace, the brain runs too fast on walkways In future moments through past darkness no present time In the end of the rainbow, the end of all, no maps no meaning
Jag talar till henneย dรฅ och dรฅย utan att hon vetย Tyst fรถr mig sjรคlvย bara i mitt huvudย allt om henneย Fรถr dรถva รถron talaย om henneย till migย Smicker flรถdarย runt runt hรคr innanfรถrย utan ljud utan svarย
Down by the rocks
looking straight
in a mirror by the lake
Black surface
catches your smile,
eye color the same
The sun sweeps
the light, hitting hands
through water
Love inย the waves
shapes hearts
by silent leafยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2016-02-16
Korslagda brรคdor i en linjeย En uppdelning, tvรฅ tankeytorย Det mรถrka, det ljusa, en taggtrรฅdย Grรคnsen kastar skugga รฅt hรถgerย Solen kastar ljuset till vรคnsterย รgon รถver staketet, nรคslinje gรฅย Markens yta dรคmpar den tunga luftenย Foten i grรคset och handen i grusetย Falla ned, drรถmma, falla pรฅ eget greppย
From inside I cry nobody sees Courage weakened nobody knows Locked thoughts nothing helps Shouts in myย chest no one hears Heart that bleeds nobody there
Pรฅ ett brรคde balansera, orden som fanns, orden du sa I himlen pรฅ moln svรคva, tankar om dig, tankar jag har Under en sol figurera, รถgon tindra, รถgon som ser รver natthimmel vandra, nรคrhetskรคnslor, i nรคrheten av…
Pรฅ ett vitt papper han skrev Ord om kรคrlek sรฅ rรถd Med svart pennaย han formar Linjer till ord sรฅ sanna Vid ett fรถnsterย han ser Solen vandraย sรฅ nรคra
Det gรถr ont nรคr oro vรคxa och gro Det gรฅr runt nรคr tanke komma och gรฅ Det รคr vakuum nรคr kรคnsla rusa och ge Det syns i รถgon nรคr liv brista och fly
Jag slรคngde in en dikt pรฅ Poeter.se – en dikt jag skrev ihop snabbt. Hรคr nedan ser ni resultatet. ๐
Blunda inte, blunda inte, sa han stirrandes in i mรถrkret med blicken inรฅt, och han log med huvudet alldeles tomt Sรถk inte, sรถk inte, tรคnkte han helt inne i bubblan med taggarna utรฅt, och han slog med orden alldeles tomma
The opening of the exhibition titled โKontraster.โ
Being inside an art gallery is a great choice, especially when the weather outside is gloomy and rainy.
Promotional poster for the ‘Kontraster’ exhibition at Galleri Sjรถhรคsten, showcasing a mix of graphic art and modern styles.
First, letโs talk about the graphic art by Lennart Jirlow, Olle Bรฆrtling, and Theo Tobiasse. They often featured motifs of King Solomon and other artworks with French themes. The compositions typically centered around common people and the artist himself, Lennart Jirlow. Today, I discovered the color โJirlow-blue,โ named after Lennart Jirlow and his work or visit to a printing house in Paris. This color can be seen on the artistโs clothes in some of his artworks. Besides Jirlow-blue, his compositions are known for their vibrant colors.
Other artworks at the exhibition exhibit a more abstract style. Olle Bรฆrtling predominantly employs vibrant colors, with turquoise serving as a base. I find these pieces captivating. There are also artworks by Theo Tobiasse, which share a common theme. The motifs in these artworks include King Solomon and masks (created by Kent Wahlbeck). The style is modern, incorporating a subtle influence of fauvism.
Subsequently, a grand exhibition showcasing the works of one of Swedenโs most renowned artists, Anders Zorn (1860-1920), is being held. In collaboration with Mollbrinks Art in Uppsala, approximately 50 etchings by the master himself are displayed, covering the gallery walls. These etchings span from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, providing a comprehensive glimpse into Zornโs artistic journey.
Today, I had a lot to learn. My research interests in art history include symbolic art from the seventeenth century, chiaroscuro (baroque art), and the exploration of symbols in modern heraldic art and modern architecture. To delve deeper into Anders Zornโs work, I highly recommend visiting both this exhibition and the Zorn museum.
Bland hรถstens starka fรคrger doppas huvudet i hรถstdepp. Grรฅtt pรฅ grรคnsen till svart inuti med รถgonen mot det gulgrรถna naturlandskapet. Solen genom trรคdens kronor trรคffar mark och klippa men missar dig. Inget ljus innanfรถr hjรคssan trรคnger in. Hรถststormen trรคnger bort lรถvtรคcket nรคr en sjรคlv ligger i sรคngen, kvar under det egna tรคcket. Suddiga vyer och suddiga tankar sรคtter griller i huvudet. Tiden stรคlls tillbaka i en tid nรคr alla dรฅliga beslut inte kan dras tillbaka – inte ens en timme. Bortom klippan ligger grottan, dit ens tankar vill vara. I grottan,ย nedgrรคvd i en bunker som skydd mot utomstรฅende inpulser studsandeย mot bergvรคggen. Vikens vรฅgor skรถljer vassen som mรถrka tankar skรถljer hjรคrnan inifrรฅn. I snรฅrlandskapet, barrande nรคra dras rullgardinen ned. Under tรคcke ligga kvar sรฅ som bara du kan. Olรคslig pรฅ utsidan som en hel bibel av inre profetior i mรถrkaste mening.
Nu kom den igen, tanke pรฅ det hemska Fรถrst nonsens, sen i en orkanstyrka Gรถr rรคtt, gรถr nรฅgot som dรคmpar I en vรคrld, en kontrollerad sรฅdan inifrรฅn och ut genom huvud och sjรคl
Alltid รคr det nรฅt, litet som stort Tiden som lรคker, ett periodiskt vakuum Stanna eller gรฅ, lรฅt tiden ha sin gรฅng Pรฅ flykt ifrรฅn, flyende undan en sjรคlv en enkel biljett mot nedersta botten
Piece by pieceย the typhoon drifting away Piece by pieceย to rebuild my destiny Like a hurricane all pieces coming back Like a windย an atmosphere of open doors
Today, I visited another art gallery, Galleri Fiskhuset, and the closest I could get to a fish was a bowl of liquorice fish on the table. The exhibition featured Mary Ahl Ljungstrรถmโs work, primarily oil paintings created with a palette knife. There were also some acrylic and pastel pieces. I observed a range of techniques and color palettes, but they didnโt quite match the quality of the opening on Saturday.
There were both linear and scenic motifs in the paintings. Many compositions featured a typical 3D perspective with the central point in the middle. However, I only liked two paintings because they were painted in oil with a brush. For instance, the artwork โ11. Skuggaโ (oil on canvas) has a soft texture and light colors. The tree is facing the sunlight, casting a shadow on the wall.
Autumn hues in the motifs from โ29. Central Parkโ illuminate a single wall in the gallery. In the painting โSolnedgรฅng Manhattan,โ the artist employs a split screen technique. The sunlight divides the motif, with the Empire State Building positioned to the right and other tall buildings to the left. This composition draws attention to individual buildings.
In “13. Blรฅsvรคder”, the artist paints a movement. She shows how trees move in the storm. In the background, she amplifies the movement by waves hitting the coast. The difference in techniques and style doesn’t interest my curiosity. Since the last exhibition pรฅ Galleri Sjรถhรคsten, it’s difficult to find equally good art.
The specific relevant content for this demand, if necessary, can be delimited with characters. Painting a forest fire once is sufficient for me. I donโt require it to be done again. Doing it more than once is unnecessary, and doing it three times is excessive. Using three different sets of colors further complicates the task. Itโs perfectly acceptable to use just one set. I didnโt imply that itโs bad or not high-quality art. However, I do prefer strong colors, cubism or abstract paintings, and surrealistic art.
My first proposal was to visit more than one opening today, but… At the Galleri Sjรถhรคsten,there where so many impressions and good stories from the artist, so I decided to stay. It’s the first exhibition by Karima Ben Otman in Sweden. My first impression consist of powerful and warm colours with its own expression and an individual style.
Vibrant artworks by Karima Ben Otman displayed in a well-lit gallery, showcasing a blend of powerful colors and unique expressions.
I stood between me and one of the colourful artwork. Suddenly, the artist came over. They asked me what I thought about the artworks. My answer was the first impression of colourful art work and a cheerful artist and it became even better. It felt like everyone had an eye on me. Both the artist and all the art works. An eye contact between me and the motifs on the wall through the hall. It’s always nice to engage in discussions about art. It’s rewarding to know more than what you merely see on the walls. I appreciate that.
I started to read the article about the artist and her work, technics and life. So to know more about it, I recommend you to read the article in the newspaper. My focus here, is how about I appreciated the exhibition, the encounter and the works of art.
First I wondered were the inspiration came from? Maybe Picasso, Matisse or the Egyptian art. Through our talk, I perceived her art works as an expression of herself. The art was by the artist and no one else. Every composition express a feeling. There were colourful art works of motifs with one or two eyes. They featured linear contours. Additionally, there were many faces. The collection also included fishes. Some of her paintings became directly my favourites. For example (see photos below).
Colorful artwork by Karima Ben Otman at her first exhibition in Sweden, showcasing expressive faces and unique motifs.A vibrant art display features colorful trees and abstract motifs. It showcases the unique style of artist Karima Ben Otman. This is her first exhibition in Sweden.
As usual, I’m searching for movements, lines, depth and symbols in the composition. The 3D perspective is not in the motif. Rather in the materials and technics. Thick layers of material form shadows in the mold and creating the depth in the image. Movements in the pictures are the results of our imagination, the viewer’s. A talk happens between two motives. A shy conversation follows. Both are movements in the eyes and a current feeling, “42. Be my Friend”.
I had an interesting discussion with the artist. She is a cheerful artist. I wrote down some notes. I learned that the paint on texture is acryl. The material consists of newspaper and special paper to get the right texture. I can say that there are many good artists and good art. This exhibition will be in my memory for a long time. All the impressions and expressions from her works of art are unforgettable.
A short note about the symbolic meaning of an eye and the fish. According to the dictionary, the eye represents God’s almighty power. For the second, the right eye of Horus represents the sun. The left eye represents the moon. Horus was the ancient Egyptian national patron. He was usually depicted as a falcon-headed god. Both eyes together in picture, symbolises the Universe. The fish for example, can symbolise Ichthys.
Plรถtsligt var de slut. De som inte kunde, eller inte fick ta slut. Dagarna som bara var 300 till antalet, var till รคnda. Det skedde fรถr lรคnge sedan. Det var pรฅ en knapp de tryckteย och vips sรฅ fanns en extern aktรถr att tillgรฅ. Vem eller vilken, visste ingen innan. Det var slumpgeneratorn som bestรคmde det.
“รr allting bara en slump?”ย
Hens vistelsen blev kortvarig. Ett samtal fรถrรคndrade mycket. Tre รฅr รคr en lรฅng tid men 300 dagar betydligt kortare. I tre รฅr var hen pรฅ arbetsplatsen som blev rรคddaren i nรถden, och som sen var platsen dรคr hen ville stanna.
Nรถden uteblev dock. Tillbaka i trรคsket skulle bรถdlarna fรฅ sitt. Trots det kom nรคsta rรคddningsplanka. Trehundra nya dagar att hรฅlla sig ovanfรถr vattenytan med.
Plรถtsligt var de slut – och rรคddningsplankan alldeles fรถr kort. Tillbaka i samma lรคge var det bara att trycka pรฅ knappen igen. Denna gรฅng ย aktรถr nr. 2. ร terigen via slumpen.
Pรฅ ny plats och ny mark att plรถja, kรคnde hen sig slagen under bรคltet. Pรฅ vissa omrรฅden, nรฅgot nedvรคrderad. Inget nytt under solen sรฅ att sรคga.
Hur ska detta sluta? Fyra mรฅnader gick innan nรคsta rรคddare i nรถden kom till undsรคttning. I en till synes lika lรฅng period, fick hen vara ifrรฅn arbetslรถshetens bojor.
“Fyra mรฅnaders frihet!”ย
Det gรฅr inte mรฅnga dagar innan det var dags igen. Hen ska till coachen, hen ska denna gรฅng fรฅ vรคlja!
“Vilken befrielse!”
Plรถtsligt har det hรคnt nรฅt. Det har infรถrts LOV (lagen om valfrihet). Hen gรฅr pรฅ seminarie, hen funderar och till slut gรถr sitt val. Aktรถr nr. 3 stรฅr pรฅ tur. Inte dรคr heller blir vistelsen lรฅngvarig. Inte pรฅ grund av permision ute i det fria arbetslivet, utan av resursbrist.
Hen mรฅste vรคlja igen. Hen gรถr sitt val. Hos nummer 4 trodde hen att det skulle bli bรคttre men…
Som kudden ovanfรถr mitt ansikte, hรฅrt hรฅllen, รคr den gnagande tanken lika kvรคvd som det dรฅliga samvetet. Orden tystnar med uteblivna argument till varfรถr allt kokar ihop i en och samma gryta. En soppa vars slev aldrig slutar รถsa. Sen urminnes tider har blockaden legat som ett lock som aldrig lyfts. Kolossala klossar som vilar pรฅ ens axlar med huvudet under kudden รคr att kรถra huvudet i sanden. Nรคr ska det slรคppa, nรคr muckar den? Bakom egna galler i isolerat tillstรฅnd รคr den fรฅnge inom mig. Hen vet varken ut eller in, hen har bara funnits dรคr, lika tystlรฅten som tjuven om natten.
Efter lรถrdagens konstrunda och massor av intryck, var det dags fรถr nรคsta utstรคllning, dagen efter. Denna gรฅng en annorlunda utstรคllning. En utstรคllning som emellanรฅt flyttade och rรถrde pรฅ sig. Tillsammans med massor av folk och mรฅnga รคldre mรคn i keps, var det flygfarkosterna som skulle bli sedda och utstรคllda. Det var inte fรถrsta gรฅngen, vare sig fรถr mig eller arrangรถren. F 11 Museum brukar anordna en Flyg & Motordag pรฅ Stockholm Skavsta Airport varje รฅr. Jag har flera gรฅngerย varit dรคr. I รฅr var det dags igen. Egentligen inget nytt under solen.
Fรถrutom korv med brรถd ochย korv med brรถd eller varfรถr inteย korv med brรถd รถverallt, gick jag runt i folkmassan fรถr att bese de uppstรคllda flygplanen, titta pรฅ modellplan och blรคddra i gamla flygtidningar. Inte fรถr att jag รคr nรฅn entusiast numera, utanย snarare fรถr att det blir en sorts utstรคllning nรคr planen stรฅr dรคr, uppradade. Med flygplanย i luften varย det svรฅrtย att fota (med en iPhone 6), men intressant att se dem gรถra konster i luften. Det varย bara flygplan av รคldre modell detta รฅr. Fรถrr var det merย modernare stridsflygplan med (Jas 39 Gripen m.fl), men inte i รฅr. Vad sรคgs om en ย DH 100ย Vampire, enย Sk 16 ellerย Saab 91 Safirย (i grupp) och enย Spitfireย sรฅklart. ย
Efter nรฅgra korvarย med brรถd och lรคsk, traskade jag vidare fรถr att se det alla andra tittade pรฅ. Bland mรคnniskor med blickarna i skyn, sรฅg jag allt frรฅn ovan nรคmnda flygplan, till ย mer spektakulรคr luftakrobatik. Ett konstflygningsplanย med vingar lika korta som bordsskivor, svischade fรถrbi i hรถg fart. Rรถk kom ut dรคr bak och loop efter loop flรถg den enligt ett vรคl inrepeterat program. Efter en lรฅng dag bland flygmaskiner, kromade bilar och รคldre mรคn i keps, hade jag sett det mesta. En DC3:a en Yak-52:aย och andra gamla flygplan jag inte vet namnen pรฅ. ย
Den enda plats jag inte besรถkte, var sjรคlva utstรคllningshallen inne i museet. Nu undrar ni kanske varfรถr jag inte var dรคr? ย Svaret รคr det att jag har varit inne i hallen ett antal gรฅnger fรถrr. Jag har รคven flugit Viggen-simulatorn dรคr inne. Det som รคr mest fascinerande, รคr att under all uppstรฅndelse, pรฅgรฅr den reguljรคra trafikflygningen som vanligt. Fรถr ovanlighetens skull, finns bara en landningsbana att anvรคnda. Den lรคngreย av de tvรฅ, รคr under omasfaltering. Sรฅ medan gamla och specialbyggda flygplan gรถr konster i luften, kommer sรฅ plรถtsligt enย Boeing 737-800 frรฅn Ryanair ellerย enย Airbus A320-200 frรฅn WizzAir frรฅn ingenstans och landar eller lyfter mot varmare breddgraderย โ
Sista maskinen som varย uppe i luften varย Blรฉriot, men dรฅ var vi redan pรฅ vรคg dรคrifrรฅn. En lรฅng dag hade satt sina spรฅr i gamla leder. Jag hoppas kunna se planet i luften vid nรคsta uppvisning. Kanske redan nรคsta รฅr, vad vet jag? Annars var det mycket asfalt och mycket grรคs att slita skorna pรฅ. Som vanligt eller snarare som fรถrra och fรถrrfรถrra รฅret, inte sรฅ mycket nytt under solen.ย
Eko av ett tvivel i mitt sprรคngfylldaย Huvud En รถronbedรถvande affirmation slรฅr lรคger underย Minnesbalkenย Ingenstans att ta vรคgen, stannar trafiken upp I kaos…ย
Pรฅ galleri Sjรถhรคsten, โ2xFRANKโ, dรคr starka fรคrger omedelbart fรฅngade min uppmรคrksamhet. En korg med fyrkantiga รคpplen, kallad โkubistisk skรถrdโ, vรคckte min nyfikenhet. Jag funderade รถver dess djup, mรฅleriska kvalitet och rรถrelse, och mina frรฅgor besvarades direkt.
Jag granskade nรคsta mรคsterverk, โBlomlรฅdorโ. Blomlรฅda? Buketten stรฅr ju i en hink! Jag kisade, lutade mig fram, och dรฅ slog det mig. Hela grejen รคr byggd av fyrkantiga lรฅdor med bilder pรฅ. Staplade pรฅ varandra, bildar de en blombukett i en plรฅthink. Dรฅ fรถrstod jag konstnรคrens vision och insรฅg att ribban lรฅgโฆ hรถgt. Mycket hรถgt. Sรฅ jag valde trappan och fortsatte min konstnรคrliga expedition.
Utstรคllningen bjuder pรฅ en blandning av surrealistiska mรฅlningar och skulpturer. Rastafarifรคrgade djรคvlar och snablar stirrar pรฅ mig. Bakom soffan hรคnger en mรฅlning med titeln โKustbandetโ, som fรถrestรคller just det โ ett band upphรคngt pรฅ en tvรคttlina, prytt med kustmotiv. Denna lekfullhet genomsyrar hela utstรคllningen och speglar min egen humor. Trots de underfundiga titlarna รคr alla mรฅlningar av hรถgsta klass.
Efter att ha valt ut nรฅgra favoriter, var det dags fรถr nรคsta varv, helt รคgnat รฅt skulpturkonsten. Den knallblรฅ divan pรฅ bortre vรคggen, mellan fรถnstren och bredvid โGreen fashionโ, รคr ett iรถgonfallande inslag. Trots att den saknar belysning, รคr dess nรคrvaro obestridlig. Jag stod lรคnge och betraktade den innan konstnรคren sjรคlv kom fram fรถr att hรถra mina tankar.
De intensivt blรฅmรฅlade stengodsen fรคngslade mig, men det var konceptet med skulpturer fรถrestรคllande klรคdesplagg pรฅ galgar som verkligen fรฅngade mitt intresse. Jag uppskattade denna logiska placering. Tรคnk er en mindre trรคgalge med en dress/torso, รคven den i unikt stengods och med betydande vikt.
Lรคngre in i utstรคllningen รฅterkommer motivet i olika material och utfรถranden. Den sammetslena ytan รคr resultatet av mรฅnga lager fรคrg, vilket skapar en รถverraskande mjukhet i ett sรฅ hรฅrt material.
Fรถrutom den blรฅ divanen var mรฅlningen i mรฅlningen en favorit. Den var en oljemรฅlning med guldram, och den hรคngde som ett blรถtt tygskynke pรฅ ett rep tvรคrs รถver vรคgen. En pensel med rรถd fรคrg pรฅ tork hรคngde bredvid.
Huvudobjektet รคr placerat centralt i framkant, medan bilkรถer pรฅ bรฅda sidor om vรคgen skapar ett centralperspektiv och ger bilden djup. Ljuset som reflekteras mot bilarnas lack รคr en frรถjd fรถr รถgat, och samma effekt รฅterfinns i mรฅlningen โFrukt och grรถntโ, dรคr ljuset reflekteras i de grรถna bladen till vรคnster. En annan favorit รคr โRubba nรฅgons cirklarโ, som skildrar en kvinna vars cirklar rubbas.
Jag gillade mรฅnga alster, bland annat โIhopkokโ, โBoxvinโ, โOperatรถrenโ och โAvecโ. Rekommenderar utstรคllningen varmt. Passa pรฅ innan 12 september! Mitt korta besรถk pรฅ galleri Fiskhuset senare ska jag berรคtta om.
Jag har utfรถrt en grundlรคggande undersรถkning av metoden genom att sรถka efter relevanta beskrivningar online. Jag erhรถll viss information frรฅn konsttidskriften Volymsamtwebbplatsenhttp://www.polymetaal.nl.
Denna kortfattade beskrivning kommer att utgรถra en sammanfattning av artikeln โImagOn โ grafisk teknik med mรถjligheterโ publicerad i tidskriften Volym. Artikeln รคr fรถrfattad av Margareta Klingberg, och jag avser att anvรคnda den som referens fรถr att utveckla mina resonemang.
Rubriken framhรคver potentialen hos denna grafiska teknik, vilket jag instรคmmer i. Det รคr bildkonst vi talar om, men jag anser att den lika gรคrna skulle kunna klassas som fotokonst. Vid fรถrsta anblicken under mitt konstmรถte uppfattade jag det dock som grafisk konst, sรฅ jag utgรฅr ifrรฅn det.
โImagOn Intaglio-typeโ รคr en relativt ny konstgrafisk metod som anvรคnder vattenlรถsliga fรคrger i djuptryck. Det รคr รคven mรถjligt att kombinera olika tekniker i โi bildorginaletโ. Det รคr sรฅ mycket jag fรถrstรฅr just nu.
Denna arbetsmiljรถvรคnliga teknik utvecklades av professor Keith Howard vid Rochester Institute of Technology i Rochester, New York. Den รฅteranvรคnder material skonsamt och anvรคnder inga lรถsningsmedel. Fรคrgen kan enkelt tas bort med diskmedel och vatten.
ImagOn รคr en fotopolymerfilm som appliceras pรฅ ett underlag. Bildoriginalet รถverfรถrs dรคrefter till filmen genom belysning. Fรถr en mer utfรถrlig beskrivning, se โImagOn instructionsโ. Denna metod kan jรคmfรถras med etsning, men รคr betydligt mer hรคlsosam รคn fotogravyr.
Jag har fรฅtt en fรถrklaring. Men fรถr att verkligen greppa processen mรฅste jag vara med. Jag behรถver se ett alster fรถdas med den hรคr metoden. Att se det hรคnda skulle ge mig en helt annan fรถrstรฅelse. Men vilken konstnรคr skulle vilja ha mig som en skugga i ateljรฉn? ๐
Artikeln betonar slutligen den bildmรคssiga friheten som metoden erbjuder, vilket gรถr den sรฅ attraktiv fรถr konstnรคrer. Den mรถjliggรถr en sรถmlรถs blandning av olika tekniker och lager-pรฅ-lager-uppbyggnad, vilket ger oรคndliga kreativa mรถjligheter.
Plรถtsligt sรฅ… frรฅn ingenstans de kom. Sittandes med en kopp kaffe och en ostfralla pรฅ ett av stans cafรฉer kom orden till mig. Pรฅ min iPhones lilla skรคrm blev de till ett hastigt alster.
…Om att mรถtas i ett annorlunda farvรคl.ย
Andas luft, slรฅr i tomma intet pรฅ oidentifierad plats gestikulera vilt omkring
รppna รถgon, en blick i taket en undanmanรถver balanserar pรฅย ett brรคde
Medan solen vรคrmde utanfรถr satt jag ensam pรฅ mitt stamstรคlle. Pรฅ galleri Fiskhuset pรฅgรฅr just nu en samlingsutstรคllning med konst av tio kvinnor frรฅn รKKV (รrnskรถldsviks Kollektiva KonstnรคrsVerkstad). Utstรคllningen bjuder pรฅ en mรคngd olika uttryck och intryck, med totalt 72 verk.
Teknik och material รคr otroligt varierande, allt frรฅn olja och akryl till porslin, textil och grafik. Vi inkluderar รคven jรคrnetsningar, emalj, terrakotta och stengods, bland mycket annat. Listan kan gรถras lรฅng, men jag ska fรถrsรถka hรฅlla det kortfattat.
I โI ett hรถstfรคrgat klimat i gult och grรถntโ (olja pรฅ duk) av Annika Kronlind Arvidsson vรคnder tvรฅ mรฅleriskt รฅterskapade personer ryggen รฅt oss betraktare. De verkar se eller diskutera nรฅgot lรคngre bort i bilden, men deras exakta fokus fรถrblir ett mysterium. I kontrast till detta, i โKarin Olsรฉn รbergโ, mรถts himmel och vatten i en helt annan kolorit. En liten badande flicka omges av ringar pรฅ vattnet, vilket antyder en rรถrelse i bilden.
En virvel av vรฅgor i vattnet speglar den lysande himlen ovanfรถr. Reflektionen รคr otroligt skarp och skapar ett teleskoplikt perspektiv, uppifrรฅn och ned pรฅ den lilla flickan. Bakom henne tronar en gigantisk vรคv med digital utskrift. Den รคr visuellt fรคngslande och estetiskt tilltalande. Hรคnder strรคcker sig mot huvud och hรฅr i Marianne Saapunkis verk โManusโ.
Jag gรฅr runt mittensektionen, dรคr en samling porslin och skulpturer i emalj och andra material visas upp. Sรฅdant som inte alltid faller mig i smaken, fรถrutom Hertha Hillfons senaste utstรคllning pรฅ Liljevalchs konsthall.
Plรถtsligt kastas jag รถver 400 รฅr tillbaka i tiden, pรฅ en resa lika lรฅng som Karin EE von Tรถrne Haerns namn. Resan bรถrjar med โBegrundan 40 X 50 cmโ, en akrylmรฅlning som fรถrestรคller en kvinnas ryggtavla. I en stil som pรฅminner om barockmรฅlare som Caravaggio och Rembrandt, badas ena sidan av kroppen i ljus medan den andra fรถrsvinner in i ett lรคtt dunkel. Den mรถrka koloriten รคr mรฅleriskt รฅterskapad, och jag kan inte lรฅta bli att undra om det finns en viss inspiration bakom.
Stilleben fรฅngar allt โ fรคrg, ljus, skugga, mรฅleriskt djup och till och med rรถrelse, trots att rรถrelse inte รคr nรฅgot man vanligtvis fรถrknippar med stilleben. Tรคnk bara pรฅ ett pรคron som balanserar pรฅ kanten av ett bord. Det รคr en enkel sak, men det lurar รถgat att tro att pรคronet gungar pรฅ kanten, redo att falla till golvet.
Jag gรฅr vidare in i utstรคllningen. Upphรคngningen blir platt, men motiven fรถrblir levande. Jag ser nรฅgra grafiska alster i en modernistisk stil. Randiga mรถnster markerar รถvergรฅngen till det jag inte har kunskap om sen innan: โImagOnโ? En konstteknik jag ska undersรถka nรคrmare. Motiven รคr i en svartvit kolorit eller nรคstan i sepia. De bestรฅr av lรถkblommor och fรฅglar som stรฅr i stark kontrast mot den vita bakgrunden.
รntligen! รntligen kommer det jag รคlskar, det jag lรคngtar efter โ det abstrakta! Linjer mรถter ytor i en dans av skapande, ytor delas och cirkulรคra former fรถds ur tomma intet och bildar nya ytor. Fรคrg mot fรคrg, en explosion av nyanser, linje mot kontur, en skarp kontrast som fรฅr hjรคrtat att bulta. Jag stรฅr mitt i en virvelvind av varierande kolorit, omgiven av en symfoni av fรคrger. Jag stirrar, jag fascineras, jag fรถrlorar mig i allt som liknar vatten och labyrinter, i de mystiska djupen och de oรคndliga gรฅngarna. Jag observerar etsningarna, deras 1970-talets fรคrgteman som viskar historier frรฅn en svunnen tid. Jag tittar, jag ser, jag fรถrestรคller mig โ saker som bara jag kan se i min fรถrestรคllning, i min egen privata vรคrld. Enligt titeln vatten, ser jag plรถtsligt hur allt i den abstrakta bildytan rรถr pรฅ sig, dansar, flรถdar, som om det vore levande. Jag tar nรฅgra steg bakรฅt, jag betraktar, jag fรถrundras (creapy, men i bรคsta bemรคrkelse).
Nรฅgra tekniska alster av ImagOn fรถregรฅr en samling expressiva figurer fรถrestรคllande Taipei. Rastafaris-fรคrgerna, uttryckta genom linjer och kvadrater, ger en expressionistisk upplevelse fรถr betraktaren. Utstรคllningen avslutas med en djupare bildkomposition, skapad med en mer avslappnad teknik liknande van Goghs. De asymmetriskt komponerade stolarna antyder ett medvetet val.
Cirkeln รคr sluten. Alsterna delar samma kolorit och stil som de tvรฅ fรถrsta, skapade av samma konstnรคr.
Symboler รคr lite knepiga i den hรคr samlingsutstรคllningen med sina mรฅnga uttryck och motiv. Jag har svรฅrt att hitta nรฅgot gemensamt, men fรถr de vetgiriga och nyfikna symbolforskarna ska jag รคndรฅ fรถrsรถka ge en kort fรถrklaring. Tรคnk pรฅ det dรคr pรคronet som gungar farligt nรคra bordskanten, nรคstan pรฅ vรคg att ramla ner.
Pรคronets sensuella, runda form representerar kรคrlek och moderlighet. I grekisk mytologi ansรฅgs Athena, vishetens och krigets gudinna, vara pรคrontrรคdets moder. Inom kristendomen symboliserar pรคronet Jesu kรคrlek till mรคnskligheten. Kineserna ser dรคremot pรคrontrรคdet, med sin lรฅnga livslรคngd, som en symbol fรถr lรฅngt liv.
Feelings to boil heat on fireplace Timelines to fill clockworks in space New life to live lack on happiness Big dreams to go start in emptiness Take me to heaven fly on fate Nothing to fear rest in hate
Fรถr ovanlighetens skull, gjordes en utflykt med semesterkรคnsla, bara nรฅgra mil hemifrรฅn. Just รster Malma har vi talat om mรฅnga gรฅnger att besรถka. En restaurang med viltkรถtt till buffรฉn fanns ocksรฅ.
รster Malma, en plats fรถr avkoppling med restaurang och lokalproducerat viltkรถtt.
Smakmรคssigt och prismรคssigt – ok. Inte sรฅ extremt gott, men man fick ju รคta hur mycket man ville. Dรคremot รคr ju allt viltkรถtt till maten lokalproducerat – direkt frรฅn gรฅrdens slakteri. Vildsvin och รคlgar skulle beses. Herrgรฅrden/godset precis intill, hann vi inte besรถka. Jag gjorde ingen nรคrmare historisk koll, sรฅ nรฅgra bilder fรฅr tala fรถr sig sjรคlva.
Gรฅrdsbutiken blev ett tillhรฅll medan regnet gjorde oss sรคllskap. Nรฅgra vildsvin och elstรคngsel blev det sista innan avfรคrd och resa genom det sรถrmlรคndska landskapet. Kyrka efter kyrka passerade vi utan att besรถka nรฅgon av dem. Fรถrutom stoppet vid Godishuset, blev Stjรคrnholm (4 km hemifrรฅn!) den sista platsen innan hemkomst.
Interiรถren i gรฅrdsbutiken pรฅ รster Malma, med hyllor fyllda av lokala produkter och viltkรถtt.Entrรฉn till Restaurang รster Malma, med en djurhud pรฅ vรคggen som del av inredningen.
Just Stjรคrnholms slott har jag besรถkt otaliga gรฅnger. Vรฅra gรคster har dรคremot inte gjort det. Sรฅ det รคr av den anledningen. Det jag รคr mest fascinerad av รคr skulpturparken intill. Jag passade pรฅ att ta nรฅgra bilder.
Skulptur av en bok under ett litet tak i Stjรคrnholms skulpturpark.En humoristisk skulptur av en man som stรฅr pรฅ huvudet i grรคset, ett unikt inslag i skulpturparken vid Stjรคrnholms slott.Skulptur av en portal i Stjรคrnholms slott, omgiven av grรถnska.
Space between my cerebral hemispheres empty as the line to divide my soul Different powers to work on either side on me pull thoughts apart for giving me angst
Sluter รถgonen, รถppnar รถronen Lyssnar, blundar Letar i blindo, sรถker i register Mรถrkar, famlar Vรคntar i det sista, hoppas pรฅ tur Rรคknar, chansar Fรฅngar stunden, slรถsar tid Verkar, maskar รppnar รถgonen, stรคnger av Lyser, tystnarโฆ
Med brinnande iver efter att uppleva en uppsjรถ av intryck, hade jag inte insett fรถrrรคn i allra sista stund. Det var dรฅ den djupare innebรถrden av fรฅgelungen PAX uppenbarade sig fรถr mig. Jag kastade mig genast in i analysen, i min sedvanliga anda – alster efter alster. Pรฅ Galleri Fiskhuset var det pรฅ sjรคlvaste nationaldagen – vernissage pรฅ Fรคrgklicken 30 รฅr, en samlingsutstรคllning del 2. Fรถrst en snabbkoll pรฅ tvรฅ traditionella landskapsmotiv, aโla akvarell. Just akvareller dominerade – drygt hรคlften, om inte mer.
Efter tvรฅ dunkla akvareller var det dags att FLY, PAIX och sen den dรคr fรฅgelungen PAX, eller kanske en duva. Verket innan heter ju “Paix” (fred). Poรคngen med “Pax” รคr att pรฅ avstรฅnd, ser den abstrakta monotypin ut att fรถrestรคlla en fรฅgelunge. Jag tror inte det รคr bestรคmt – utan bara en slump, sรฅnt som jag ofta upptรคcker. Jag har ju en exceptionell fรถrmรฅga att se ovanliga detaljer i bildmotiv. Fรฅgelungen lรคmnar jag hรคn fรถr tvรฅ fรคrgmatchande akvareller i ljusare ton รคn de tvรฅ fรถrsta. Nu med motiv av landskap och solrosor. Mycket gult och grรถnt, men helt godkรคnt.
Utstรคllningen presenterar en dynamisk utveckling av motiv och stil, med bรถrjan i en akryl i kolorit blรฅ som fungerar som en รถvergรฅng till nya fรฅgelmotiv i โFรฅgel flygโ. Dessa fรฅglar, tillsammans med โUgglanโ och โSkatanโ, รคr tydligt igenkรคnnliga och ger en kรคnsla av rรถrelse. Tvรฅ akvareller med tydliga motiv leder sedan betraktaren vidare till det mest abstrakta verket i utstรคllningen, โVisshetโ (akvarell/tusch). Placerad strax efter en knallrรถd tulpan i akvarell, erbjuder โVisshetโ en abstrakt upplevelse med sina vita, svarta och gula former i modernistisk anda. Detta abstrakta verk fungerar som ett effektivt avbrott frรฅn den mer traditionella motivskรถrden av landskap och djur, och ger utstรคllningen en vรคlkommen variation.
I den andra sektionen av konstrummet och utstรคllningen presenteras en samling verk av en och samma skapare, dรคr olika tekniker samverkar. Samlingen inkluderar monotypier, blandtekniker och akvareller. Bland dessa verk utmรคrker sig โBlรฅ, blรฅ รคr kรคrlekenโ, en blandteknik som fรฅngade min uppmรคrksamhet. Verket, med sin abstrakta koloristiska palett bestรฅende av rรถtt, blรฅtt och svart, reflekteras i en sjรถliknande yta. โHรถstrapsโ, en monotypi, skapades genom att pressa en fรคrglagd glasskiva mot ett fuktigt papper. Denna teknik erbjuder en fascinerande mรถjlighet till ovรคntade resultat.
Jag bรถrjade min vandring genom utstรคllningen med van Goghs skor och ett lyckosamt fรถrsรถk till pointillism i โIntegrationโ. Under utstรคllningens gรฅng deltog jag i flera konstnรคrssamtal, vilket jag hoppas konstnรคrerna uppskattade lika mycket som jag. รntligen fick jag se nรฅgra oljemรฅlningar med fina motiv av โMagnolia pรฅ kvistโ, โRosor i fรถnstretโ och โVallmonโ. Plรถtsligt tog utstรคllningen en ovรคntad vรคndning mot fyrar. Inte i den ordagranna bemรคrkelsen, utan genom en samling akvareller med fyrar som motiv. Till skillnad frรฅn konstens fyrmsรคstare Hรฅkan Groop, som jag tidigare bloggat om, har dessa fyrar fรฅtt en mer central position. Allt runt omkring รคr avskalat, vilket gรถr att sjรคlva fyren stรฅr i fokus, centrerad mitt i bildytan. Konturerna รคr bรฅde linjรคra och mรฅleriska, vilket skapar ett lรคttare djup i bilden.
I nรคsta sektion introduceras mer rรถrelse i motivet, vilket framgรฅr tydligt av de rinnande bรคckarna och det dimmiga vรคdret som virvlar runt de kala trรคden. Ovรคdret verkar gripa tag i bรฅde de vindpinade trรคden och det forsande vattnet i bรคcken. ร terigen anvรคnds akvareller, men denna gรฅng med en trolsk stรคmning som uppskattas. Djupet i dessa mรฅlningar, liksom i mรฅnga andra i utstรคllningen, skapas frรคmst genom centralperspektivet. Bรคckens strรคckning formar konturerna som leder blicken mot blickpunkten lรคngre bort eller uppรฅt.
I utstรคllningens sista del, รถvervรคldigad av intryck, fastnade jag fรถr ett alster som lyfte akvarellmรฅleriet till nya hรถjder. Bland de fรคrgstarka akvarellerna av โThailรคndska juvelerโ och โStockholm i morgonsolโ utmรคrkte sig โMorgontidigt mรถteโ. Ljusets ursprung var fรถrst oklart, men dess skickliga รฅtergivning var slรฅende. En gestalt, lutad mot en vรคgg, badas i ljus, medan den mรถtande personen mittemot fรถrblir i dunkel. Hela motivet รคr i grรฅskala, med en ljuspunkt som ger en clairobscur-effekt. Varifrรฅn kommer ljuset? I min fantasi fรถrestรคller jag mig att det kommer frรฅn en lampa eller lykta i fasaden ovanfรถr den upplysta gestalten, som vi inte ser i bilden men vars ljus kastar en skugga รถver honom.
Efter alstret om mรถte kรคnde jag en stark lรคngtan att avsluta mitt egna mรถte – mitt konstmรถte. Dรคr fann jag en skattkista av allt jag sรฅ ofta sรถker. Djupet, rรถrelsen, den mรฅngfald av tekniker, de abstrakta motiven, clairobscuren och de fรถrtrollande ljussรคttningarna. Det som gjorde det hela sรฅ befriande var att det i stort sett, bara รคr bildkonstโฆ
โSommarsalong Mina vรคnnerโ โ en utstรคllning som sprudlar av kreativitet och mรฅngfald! En fantastisk mรถjlighet att uppleva en uppsjรถ av konstnรคrliga uttryck, dรคr varje stil och influens frรฅn konsthistorien fรฅr sin plats att lysa. En riktig fest fรถr รถgat och sjรคlen!
Efter att ha beundrat fรฅglar som poserade som om de var pรฅ catwalken och en kronรคrtskocka som sรฅg ut att vara redo fรถr en gala, fortsatte jag min klรคttring. En paus i trappan, lรคngre รคn en katt som strรคcker pรฅ sig, gav mig en fรถrsmak av vad som vรคntade. Nu รคr det konst รถverallt, och jag kรคnner mig som en รถverstimulerad hamster i ett konstgalleri.
Filippa Lรถvemarks konstverk fรคngslar med sin mรฅleriska kvalitet och skickliga skuggsรคttning, vilket ger djup รฅt motiven. Fรฅglar och fjรคrilar รคr รฅterkommande teman, placerade i olika miljรถer. Bakgrunderna, med sina naturmotiv, รคr avsiktligt abstraherade fรถr att framhรคva fรฅglarna eller fjรคrilarna och de fรถremรฅl de befinner sig pรฅ, sรฅsom taggtrรฅd eller elkontakter, i ljuset. Denna teknik skapar en fokuserad och fรคngslande visuell upplevelse.
Nรฅgot senare befann jag mig i trรฅnga passager och mystiska platser, inte inne i galleriet, utan i bildens vรคrld. Agneta รstlunds obskyra och hemlighetsfulla gestalter rรถr sig i dessa trรฅnga passager, omgivna av fรคrgytor eller kolorit i grรฅtt och svart. Detta skapar en diffus uppfattning om suspekta personer i en dunkel miljรถ, samtidigt som hon skapar djup pรฅ ett traditionellt sรคtt.
Snabbt vรคnde jag mig om och tittade pรฅ alstret mittemot de suspekta herrarna i svart. Det jag sรฅg, var tvรฅ kvinnors/flickors ben, dvs. underkroppar. Motivet talar till oss genom hรคndernas fattning och fรถtternas placering. En hand hรฅller om den andres hรคnder och tvรฅ par fรถtter riktas inรฅt som ett tecken pรฅ underlรคgsenhet, skam eller rรคdsla fรถr nรฅgonting. Koloriten i alstren fรถrekommer i fler av Neringa Stjernmans alster – nรฅgot jag gillar. Inte bara de lugnande fรคrgerna, utan stillheten och de tysta uttrycken i motiven.
Jag fortsatte min runda och betraktade alster efter alster i vanlig ordning. Strax efter Nerringas alster finns ett motiv av en pojke i rรถtt. Pojken, klรคdd i rรถd trรถja, utstrรฅlar en kรคnsla av sรถkande eller nyfikenhet. Det som fรฅngade min uppmรคrksamhet var konstnรคrens anvรคndning av en vinjett i sina alster. Allt runt omkring, inklusive hus och vegetation, blir mer otydligt, vilket skapar ett cirkulรคrt fokus eller skรคrpa kring pojken. Det pรฅminner mig om hur man skapar en vinjett pรฅ Instagram, dรคr motivet framhรคvs medan bakgrunden suddas ut. I detta fall รคr det pojken i rรถd trรถja som stรฅr i centrum.
Plรถtsligt kรคnde jag igen mig! Jag mรถttes av en samling alster av Helena Trovaj, vars konst jag tidigare analyserat. Jag รคr inte sรคker pรฅ om det รคr nya verk, men stilen รคr omisskรคnnlig. Jag minns inte exakt vad jag sa om hennes verk tidigare, men jag tror att jag gillade dem. Jag uppskattar nรคr konstnรคrer gรถr nรฅgot extra med akvareller, och det tycker jag definitivt att hon gรถr. Gula spรฅrvagnar, gula taxibilar och livfulla stadsmiljรถer รคr รฅterkommande motiv i hennes verk.
Mitt i galleriets lugna miljรถ, en skarp kontrast till det stormiga vรคdret utanfรถr, fรฅngade mina รถgon ett antal skulpturer. Bland dessa konstverk stack Helรฉne Andersons keramik ut. Skulptur รคr fรถr mig en komplex uppfattning, men i detta fall fann jag mig sjรคlv hรคnfรถrd av Andersons skicklighet. Hon hade skapat en samling handvรคskor och skor sรฅ realistiska att jag fรถrst trodde de var รคkta. Deras intrikata detaljer och livfulla fรคrger fick mig nรคstan att vilja bรคra dem och gรฅ ut i vรคrlden med en keramisk handvรคska om axeln.
Mitt i samlingen finner vi tvรฅ verk av Eva Andersson, var och en med ett unikt motiv och komposition. Jag uppskattar sรคrskilt kontrasten mellan himmel och vรคg i ett av verken. Den knallblรฅ himlen mรถter en vรคg eller gata i en mer orange ton, vilket skapar ett naturligt ljus i bilden. Det traditionella centralperspektivet anvรคnds effektivt, dรคr gatans kanter och husens strรคckning mรถts i den centrala blickpunkten lรคngre bort.
I konstrundans fortsรคttning stรถtte jag pรฅ modernismens element. Tobias Eklunds verk, prรคglade av Matisse-liknande ansikten och fauvistiska inslag, kombinerar starka linjedragningar med en livligare textur och form skapad genom mixed media. Nรคsta steg รคr att analysera dessa verk.
Smileysarna i det stรถrre ansiktet รคr charmiga, men de fรถrtjรคnar en egen utstรคllning. De kommer inte riktigt till sin rรคtt i det hรคr sammanhanget, kanske pรฅ grund av verken som kommer fรถre och efter. Jag hoppas att Tobias snart fรฅr en separat utstรคllning, dรฅ kan jag analysera hans verk mer ingรฅende.
Med en glรถdande iver kastade jag mig รถver till bortre vรคggen i galleriet, den heliga platsen dรคr galleristen alltid stรคller ut de stรถrre mรคsterverken och de mest fรถrtrollande skapelserna. Denna gรฅng var inget undantag! Neringa Stjernmans alster, med sin fรถrtrollande, varma kolorit, รฅtervรคnder triumferande! Frรฅn fauvismens och modernismens virvlande vรคrldar, kastas vi plรถtsligt in i ett stilla, stilla stilla-liknande tillstรฅnd, en andlรถs paus i tidens gรฅng.
Verket refererar till stillebenkonsten genom att avbilda en skรฅl med รคgg eller en terrin pรฅ ett bord med matchande bakgrund/tapet. Detta motiv รคr vรคlbekant inom genren. Konstnรคrens tidigare verk med underkroppar antyder att detta kan vara ett รฅterkommande tema. Bรฅde kompositionerna och koloriten i detta verk uppskattas. Konstnรคren lyckas mรฅleriskt รฅterskapa en kรคnsla av ensamhet, bundenhet och kรคnslor.
Jag lรคmnade de tre stรถrre verken bakom mig nรคr jag dรคrefter befann mig i kubismens tidevarv. Inte bara fรถr att Alexandra Kubiaks namn pรฅminner om kubism, utan รคven fรถr att hennes verk รคr i kubistisk stil. De starka linjedragen och de tvรฅdimensionella kvinnogestalterna fรถr tankarna till Picasso. Jag uppskattar hennes verk, men de med รถverdriven textmรคngd skulle kunna vara mer effektfulla utan den. Min personliga koppling till kubismen รคr att dess fรถrgrundsgestalt, Pablo Picasso, gick bort samma รฅr som jag fรถddes. Nu var det sagt.
Min resa genom konstens vรคrld tog mig frรฅn modernismens djรคrva penseldrag, via fauvismens explosiva fรคrger, till stillebenets stillhet och kubismens geometriska lekfullhet โ och sedan, som av en blixt, landade jag i surrealismens fรถrtrollande vรคrld. Det รคr hรคr, i drรถmmarnas och det omedvetnas rike, som min passion verkligen flรถdar. Som en hรคngiven beundrare av Salvador Dalรญs surrealistiska mรคsterverk och Renรฉ Magrittes gรฅtfulla bilder, finner jag en djup resonans med Per Nylรฉns skapelser. Hans vรฅgformiga hรถghus, med sina fascinerande sprickor i tegelfasaderna, viskar till mig om en vรคrld bortom det vanliga, en vรคrld dรคr fantasin sรคtter grรคnser.
Underfundiga titlar och en รฅterkommande hรคngbro som leder oss nรฅgonstans, vidare in i bilden, eller ut ur den โ det รคr nรฅgot jag uppskattar. Den starka koloriten, med intensiva blรฅ och rรถda nyanser i drรถmska miljรถer, fรฅngar min uppmรคrksamhet. Ljussรคttningen รคr tydlig, med ett ljus snett framifrรฅn som kastar skuggor pรฅ husets ena sida, vilket konstnรคren skickligt anvรคnder fรถr att skapa djup. Lekfullhet genomsyrar Pers verk, och dessa blir direkt favoriter i utstรคllningen. Men det finns fler โ rรคkna med det.
Utstรคllningen รคr en riktig pรคrla, med en imponerande variation av stilar och inspirationskรคllor. Konstnรคrerna som sรคrskilt fรฅngade mitt intresse รคr Per Nylรฉn, vars surrealistiska och lekfulla hรถghus รคr en frรถjd fรถr รถgat, Filippa Levemark, vars fรฅgelmotiv รคr bรฅde eleganta och fรคngslande, Alexandra Kubiak, vars kubistiska kvinnofigurer รคr bรฅde tankevรคckande och visuellt slรฅende, och Neringa Stjernman, vars varma stilleben av en รคggskรฅl och en soppterrin utstrรฅlar en kรคnsla av hemtrevnad och komfort.
I snรฅrskogen vandrar utanfรถrskapet, sida vid sida med lรถvtrรคden Motvinden รฅker slalom mellan trรคden, vinande fรถrbi, vinande borta Pรฅ stenen ensam sittandes kvar, ni och jag, vi eller bara jaget I ett dike ligger hopplรถsheten, utmattad, utan tro pรฅ framtiden
Det kรคnns som om det รคr medgรฅng i skrivandet just nu. Sรฅ sent som igรฅr pรฅbรถrjade jag planerna fรถr nรคsta diktsamling. Det kommer bli mer personligt och med en hel del mรถrker. Orsaken till detta sรฅ plรถtsliga infall, kan bero pรฅ ett รถkat sjรคlvfรถrtroende. Jag har mรฅnga gรฅngar tvivlat pรฅ min talang, men nu kรคnns det som om jag struntar i det och bara skriver. Det รคr det som รคr passionen. Att fรฅ uttrycka sig och berรคtta sin historia och om sina kรคnslor via poesin.
Det som kommer skilja frรฅn den tidigare samlingen dikter – den samling som inte รคr helt klar รคn, รคr att inga dikter frรฅn nya samlingen kommer publiceras hรคr. De dikter som kommer att dyka upp hรคr emellanรฅt, hรถr antingen till fรถrsta, ofรคrdiga samlingen eller fria dikter utanfรถr systemet (svenska/engelska). Det enda som รคr garanterat och genomgรฅende, รคr att alla dikter, all poesi pรฅ bloggen, fortfarande รคr skrivet av mig – ingen annan, om inget annat skulle framgรฅ. ๐
In reference to my visit to Galleri Sjรถhรคsten today, I opted for a monochromatic ensemble consisting of gray trousers and a blazer. However, I incorporated a touch of color through my shirt and Vagabond shoes. Notably, some of the artworks displayed at the gallery featured gray surfaces, which was an unexpected coincidence.
On the final day of the exhibition featuring the works of Margareta Gelles (painting, acrylic/oil) and Claes Andersson (painting/mixed media), the exhibition presents a captivating juxtaposition of muscle cars and playful artistic expression. The general description encapsulates the essence of the exhibition, highlighting the harmonious blend of automotive aesthetics and artistic prowess.
In the majority of Margaretaโs paintings, I discerned a character reminiscent of Disney. The other paintings convey expressions through gray fields and three-dimensional surfaces, which is the sole instance where I observed depth in her works. Notably, all other paintings lack three-dimensional compositions. This distinction is significant, in my opinion. Two of her paintings stand out as a stark contrast to her more whimsical artworks, even in their titles. These paintings are titled in Swedish, unlike the majority of her works that are titled in English. The paintings demonstrate her proficiency in employing diverse motifs while simultaneously incorporating her playful motifs. This observation has been confirmed. The paintings exhibit depth, movement, and adhere to conventional compositions and perspectives.
In Claes Oldenburgโs paintings, I consistently observe one or two automobiles, predominantly featuring significant power. The artist skillfully integrates these vehicles with text sourced from newspapers or his own compositions, effectively establishing a connection between the automobile and the text. Notably, the text is directly printed onto the canvas and subsequently covered with varnish. Towards the conclusion of my visit, I observed that Oldenburg employs a colored line in his artworks, employing a distinct hue for each painting, as a delineator between two sections. This technique is particularly noteworthy. The paintings are replete with traffic signs, lights, maps, and other ubiquitous imagery associated with the existence of substantial automobiles.
Summary of My Exhibition Visit
I hold diverse perspectives on the artworks displayed. I commend Cleaโs mixed media creations and Margaretโs two stylistic paintings. However, I find the other more whimsical paintings excessively expressive and difficult to comprehend. I appreciate how Cleaโs paintings allow for our imaginative interpretation. For instance, the artwork โSomeoneโ aligns with my preferred style, predominantly employing black color, a code of ones and zeros, and a diminutive female portrait in the corner. It exemplifies how we can discern concealed elements within art. The utilization of code is evident in other artworks as well, albeit with distinct connotations.
Presently, we delve into the symbolic research of the most prevalent motifs. A vehicle with substantial horsepower evokes the symbols horse and car. To facilitate comprehension, I will provide a concise symbolic description of โHorseโ and its connection to the automobiles in Claesโs paintings. The horse serves as a symbol of nobility, swiftness, and aesthetic beauty. Similarly, the automobiles in his paintings embody these qualities. Furthermore, they symbolize the acquisition and exertion of power. A galloping horse represents the power of nature and swiftness, but the symbolic significance of the horse varies depending on its color.
By high heels standsthrough words in a flow Your words filled of wet fragments by empty pacein a try to put lovein every sentenceYou open all gapsopen widely to give nothingโฆยฉ Bjรถrn Blomqvist 2015-05-21
Det var fรถr ovanlighetens skull, tyst vid min skrivarplats (ekbordet i matsalen med utsikt mot baksidan!). Sรฅ jag kastade snabbt ihop en dikt om just “Tystnaden”. Ett hafsverk helt enkelt ๐
Tystnaden i ensamhetens vagga grรฅmulen bakbunden i ett solvarv Fjรคrran ljud i ett gungande anfall svepandes i ett vรคdertรคcke
Tystnaden i nattmรถrkrets grepp bedรถvat avlyssnad under plรคd Vindens sus i sjungandes libretto upplyftande i ett tygstycke
Tystnaden i frihetens tjรคnst upplyst och befriad i ett dagsverke Regnmoln i filtrerat fรคrgformat vitare รคn lรถgnen om nederbรถrd
Jag var pรฅ en tillstรคllning idag, jag behรถvde undersรถka i samband med nรฅgra scener i bokmanuset. Nu รคr det gjort. Det gav mig inte sรฅ mรฅnga nya infallsvinklar. Ingenting sen sist i alla fall. Ingenting รคr nytt under solen sรฅ att sรคga. Dรคremot kunde jag hitta andra saker jag kan relatera till. Ur ett research-syfte kan jag nu lรคgga denna hรคndelse รฅt sidan och fortsรคtta skriva.
Fantasin/fiktionen och sjรคlva berรคttelsen finns i smรฅ bitar i mitt huvud. Nu รคr det raka spรฅret att sammanfoga dem och fylla ut dรคr det saknas. Jag kommer fรถrmodligen att hamna i en liknande situation lรคngre fram dรฅ jag mรฅste invรคnta resultat frรฅn ytterligare research. Sen har jag inget att frukta. Det รคr bara att kรถra pรฅ.
Manuset ska vara klart till hรถsten, det lovar jag denna gรฅng. Dรคrefter ska jag fรถrsรถka slutfรถra diktsamlingen, om inte det skulle ske dessfรถrinnan. Det รคr inte alls frรคmmande om den rรฅkar ges ut i tryck fรถre debutromanen. Nรฅgot jag รคr beredd pรฅ med tanke pรฅ den hรฅrda konkurrensen inom branschen.
Som trรถst eller bot pรฅ det, kommer jag direkt efter utfallet, pรฅbรถrja nรคsta romanprojekt. Om det blir en till relationsroman i surrealistisk anda med neurotiska undertoner, eller en kriminalroman, fรฅr framtiden utvisa! Idรฉer fรถr de bรฅda finns.
Itโs here on the blog you can read my thoughts – my thoughts about my thoughts in the field of art analysis, poetry and everything in between – often written thoughts about my thoughtsโฆ
Mellan tvรฅ ytor jag fรคrdas i dragkamp emellan polerna Delat sinne i passet lรคngs hjรคrnan rรถr om i vรฅgskรฅlen Utstrรคckta armar รฅt sidorna greppas av hungriga viljor Rรถkridรฅer ligger vรคntande i bakhรฅll mot min ovisshet Sรถmnlรถsa nรคtter i mรฅnsken mot ljuset genom slรคckta rum Pรฅ ett schackbrรคde jag gรฅr i tankebana i diagonal fil Pรฅ svarta rutor en vit hรคst plรถjer fรฅllan fรถr min fรคrd Ett steg fram, ett i taget mot stupet pรฅ ett spelbrรคde
circle marks on the table signs of yesterdayโs action marks on edge a falling glass hitting the ground struggle by anger contradictions a covered table upside down heats the smashed glass deep down through blades of grass
Nyfikenheten slรฅr till utanfรถr bokhandeln. Med blicken mot skyltfรถnstret vill jag i det nรคsta – gรฅ in. Hyllor av bรถcker slรฅr รถver mig som en litterรคr tsunami. Jag surfar pรฅ vรฅgen tills jag nรฅr avdelningen fรถr facklitteratur. Dรคr bland biografier och historiska verk finner jag en bok som genast fรฅngar min uppmรคrksamhet. Jag slรฅr upp den och kastas in i en vรคrld av kunskap och รคventyr. Tiden stรฅr stilla medan jag fรถrdjupar mig i sidornas magi, och jag kรคnner tacksamhet รถver att ha hittat denna pรคrla mitt i bokdjungeln.
Jag lyfter pรฅ bรถckerna och lรคser, blรคddrar och inser. En ny vรฅg strรถmmar till, en vรฅg av sviktande sjรคlvkรคnsla i en mur av jรคmfรถrelsedrift. Ett hinder mot den egna vรคgens filosofi.Bara dรคr, bara i havet av bรถcker blandas lust med rรคdsla att misslyckas i ett drรถmlandskap av mixade tankar. Vad har jag att? vad har de? …och vem ska jag lyssna pรฅ?
Starten bรถrjar lugnt denna gรฅng. Entrรฉhallen รคr inte lika fylld av alster som tidigare. Hรคr mรถter tre alster mig; tvรฅ i grafik och ett i textil. Mer behรถver det inte vara. Kvantiteten och kvaliteten vรคntar jag pรฅ รถvervรฅningen. Utstรคllningens dominant รคr konstglas av Betina Huber. Det รคr i betydligt stรถrre omfattning รคn den vรคgghรคngda konsten av Mona Hedin (grafik, textil).
Textilkonsten, med sina vรคvar och garn, erbjuder en unik tredimensionell djup i bilden. Grafiken, รฅ andra sidan, kretsar kring ett รฅterkommande motiv i olika fรคrgkombinationer โ en klรคnning. Pรฅ avstรฅnd kan den likna en katt med รถgon och en hjรคrtformad mun (eller รคr det bara min fantasi?). Klรคnningens symboliska betydelse รคr nรฅgot jag vill utforska vidare.
Textilerna visar upp en mรคngd olika naturmotiv, sรฅsom รถar, รคngar och landskap. Blommor och klรคnningar (vรคvar) รคr ocksรฅ รฅterkommande teman. Fรคrgpaletten รคr inspirerad av dessa naturmotiv: รถn รคr omgiven av blรฅtt (hav), landskapet รคr grรถnt och รคngen รคr orange. Fรถr att fullt ut uppskatta dessa verk bรถr man betrakta dem pรฅ avstรฅnd fรถr att fรฅ en helhetsbild. ย
Konstglas รคr en hisnande uppvisning av skรถnhet, elegans och ren konstnรคrlig briljans! Jag har sagt det fรถrut och jag sรคger det igen โ dessa verk รคr helt enkelt magiska. Galleri Sjรถhรคsten bjuder pรฅ en enastรฅende samling konstglas, en symfoni av former och fรคrger som tar andan ur en. Fรถrestรคll er runda, koniska och skรฅlformade mรคsterverk โ och det รคr bara bรถrjan! Att beskriva allt hรคr skulle krรคva en hel roman. Majoriteten av dessa fรถrtrollande glasverk รคr prydda med intrikata mรถnster i djup kolorit. De fรถrestรคller allt frรฅn majestรคtiska fjรคdrar, kloka ugglor, stolta รถrnar och delikata blommor. Men det stannar inte dรคr! Det finns รคven mer abstrakta mรถnster och texter eller budskap i nyanser av glasfรคrgen, som blรฅ eller rosa nyanser. Listan รถver motiv รคr oรคndlig, och skicklighetsnivรฅn รคr lika imponerande. Varje verk รคr ett bevis pรฅ konstnรคrens passion och hantverk, en sann frรถjd fรถr รถgat och sjรคlen!
Utstรคllningen visar en varierad samling fรถremรฅl. Den innehรฅller droppformade glas (lampskรคrmar), oljelampor, snรคckor och fossiler. Alla har varningen โrรถr ej glasetโ eller liknande. Glaskonst dominerar, med en liten samling textilier och upprepade motiv i grafik som fyller ut utrymmet.
Kรคnslan finns dรคr kรคnslan som gnager Jag รคr dรคr jag lever i en bubbla i ett ekorrhjul Nรฅgot ska ske nรฅgot hรคnder Jag springer i ett vakuum utanfรถr รคr tyst hรคrinne stรคngt Vรคggar i pansar dรถrrar av stรฅl i fรถrfluten tid det som var En fรคrd genom tunneln trycket gรฅr trycket som fรถr Jag รคr ensam jag sluter mina รถgon รถgon blรฅ
Hรฅkan Groop, kรคnd fรถr sin fรถrkรคrlek till fyrar, har skapat en serie pรฅ 15 mรฅlningar inspirerade av Corsewall Lighthouse vid den skotska vรคstkusten. Under en fem dagar lรฅng resa besรถkte han fyren och รฅterskapade den pรฅ 15 estetiskt olika sรคtt, frรฅn olika vinklar. Trots det gemensamma motivet รคr varje mรฅlning unik, med distinkta stildrag, kompositioner, ljus och vรคderfรถrhรฅllanden.
De flesta verken รคr akvareller, med nรฅgra Giclรฉe Fine Art-tryck. Mรฅnga av verken fรฅngar vรฅgor som slรฅr mot klipporna, med vatten som sprutar hรถgt upp i luften i vissa motiv. Detta stรคmmer med Hรฅkans kommentar om att det kan blรฅsa upp till 30 sekundmeter ena dagen.
Konstnรคren har รคven inkluderat nรฅgra alster av fyrar pรฅ ett betydligt nรคrmare avstรฅnd, som till exempel fyren och fyrvaktarbostaden vid Femรถrehuvud. Djupet i Hรฅkans akvareller uppnรฅs genom traditionella tekniker, sรฅsom centralperspektiv, strategisk placering av fรถremรฅl och anvรคndning av diagonala linjer. Dessa diagonala linjer delar ofta in motiv i tvรฅ sektioner, vilket รคr en vanlig kompositionsteknik. Till exempel kan en diagonal kustlinje (i 3D) dela bildytan i tvรฅ delar. I ett fall dรคr huvudmotiven avbildas platt, har Hรฅkan mรฅlat en annan byggnad i 3D i fรถrgrunden fรถr att skapa djup, som han sjรคlv fรถrklarade.
Hรฅkans alster visar en varierande kolorit, pรฅverkad av vรคder, tid och kanske รคven hans humรถr. Detta gรถr det svรฅrt att identifiera en konsekvent kolorit. De branta, steniga klipporna uppvisar olika nyanser, och vรฅgornas rรถrelser mot dem fรถrรคndras beroende pรฅ vรคder och tidsperspektiv i bilden. Detta bidrar till variationen, trots att motivet รคr detsamma. รven vinkeln frรฅn vilken motivet avbildas pรฅverkar variationen. Ljussรคttningen รคr oftast ur betraktarens perspektiv eller snett framifrรฅn.
Hรฅkans mรฅleri รคr otvivelaktigt imponerande. Hรฅkans skicklighet och produktivitet imponerar dock mest pรฅ mig, liksom de fascinerande anekdoter han gรคrna delar med sig av. Varje besรถk pรฅ Galleri Westerlind bjuder pรฅ ny kunskap, nรฅgot jag vรคrdesรคtter hรถgt.
Bland alla motiv stack ett ut som min favorit. Till skillnad frรฅn de andra vyerna รถver fyren med utomhusfokus, fรฅngade detta motiv interiรถren. Konstnรคren beskrev det som en vy frรฅn toalettfรถnstret, dรคr fyren badas i det starka ljuset frรฅn den rรฅdande solnedgรฅngen. Fรถnstret skapar en slรฅende kontrast till den upplysta scenen med sina tvรฅ mรถrkt grรฅ fรถnsterluckor och en 3D-centralperspektivisk gestaltning.
Symboler spelar en viktig roll i konst, och fyren รคr en framtrรคdande sรฅdan i detta verk. Fyren, eller fyrtornet, symboliserar manlig fruktsamhet och Kristus lรคra, och fungerar som en vรคgvisare fรถr sjรคlar som dras till tron, likt fartyg som navigerar efter dess ljus. Tornet, med sin maskulina arkitektur, representerar makt och manlig รถverlรคgsenhet. Konstnรคrens intresse fรถr fyrar รคr symboliskt fรถr bildskรถrden.
Pรฅ tvรฅ dagar har jag nรคstan skrivit ett helt nytt kapitel i romanen. Hypotetiskt sett skulle jag kunna sรคga att jag snart รคr inne pรฅ den andra fjรคrdedelen. En stegring i handlingen รคr pรฅ intรฅgande. Dรคrefter – bortรฅt mitten ska saker och ting ta sin verkan. Det รคr jag klar med, men vet inte riktigt hur jag ska vinkla det. Dรคremot vet jag hur allt ska sluta och hur allt ska fรฅ sin upplรถsning. Det svรฅra รคr som vanligt hur och med vad jag ska fylla allt emellan med ๐
Hjรคrtats solfรถrmรถrkelse i ett รฅskknall vredesutbrott Skuggor svarta sakta gรฅr รถver gata under hud Kastanjetter vibreraย i rรถda ljusets gรฅshud koka Gnisslets bedรถvande i en skivspelares armrรถrelse Mรถrka tankar ilande รฅka รถver brรถst under hud
Jag snurrar runt i yttre skikt Jag irrar fram och tillbaka Cirklar i motljus ringar av sot Regnmolns svarta klot pรฅ insida rondell I ytterkant pressa utsida ligga mot Jag stannar upp i andetag tvรฅ
Av systrarna Agneta ร hl och Elisabeth Rosenlund som stรคller ut tillsammans, sprudlar kreativa mรถjligheter och glรคdje!
Elisabeth stรคller ut mรฅlningar i tempera och olja/tempera, medan Agneta visar Collografi och Serigrafi. Mรฅlningarna har en tydlig stil med dominerande fรคrger som blรฅtt, vitt, turkost och brunt. Detta รคr sรคrskilt tydligt i motiv som handlar om hav och himmel. Kompositionerna med rektangulรคra och abstrakta former har en stark fรคrgkombination av lila, turkos och brunt.
I nรคstan alla mรฅlningar av Elisabeth รคr ljuset avgรถrande. I mitten av motivbilden strรฅlar en stor ljusbild med ett kraftfullt ljussken. Mรฅnga gรฅnger formar ljuset djupet i bilden, sรคrskilt nรคr ljuskรคllan skapar speglingar i vattnet. Genom detta upptรคckte vi djupet, delvis tack vare den vanliga segelbรฅten i fjรคrran. Ljuset koncentrerar sig ofta pรฅ ett specifikt objekt i bilden, oftast bรฅten i fjรคrran eller ett mรคnniskopar.
Det รคr emellanรฅt upprepningar av motiv – likasรฅ i kompositionerna. Det som verkligen skiljer dem รฅt รคr den skiftande koloriten bland alstren. Jag uppskattar tempera, eftersom det skapar en tunn och klar yta utan grova penseldrag eller texturer. Inledningsvis dominerar ljusa och kalla fรคrger, men senare framtrรคder en mรถrkare och varmare kolorit. Frรฅgan om det finns rรถrelse i motiven รคr enbart en lek fรถr fantasin. Bรฅtarna i bilden kan antingen rรถra sig eller ligga fรถr ankare. Det centrala ljuset รคr det som verkligen hรคrskar i Elisabeths alster, och symboliskt kan jag tydligt redogรถra fรถr det senare.
Djup finns det ocksรฅ. Diagonalt placerade fasader och fรถnster skapar ett perspektiv i bakgrunden. Detta kontrasterar mot de mer tvรฅdimensionella element med mat- och dryckestema i nederkanten. Bordets placering bidrar ytterligare till illusionen av djup i bilden. Dessa verk kรคnnetecknas av en viss mystifikation, vilket fรถrhรถjer deras estetiska vรคrde. De tvรฅ serigrafierna, nr. 19 och 20, รคr relativt abstrakta.
Det finns en tydlig rรถd trรฅd i utstรคllningen, trots de varierande stilarna. Elisabeths mรฅlningar skiftar i kolorit, och galleristen har noggrant hรคngt deras verk i fรคrgordning. Inga slumpartade hรคngningar hรคr, utan vรคl genomtรคnkta placeringar.
Detta avslutar mina observationer fรถr tillfรคllet. Jag ser fram emot vรฅrt nรคsta mรถte.
Through my eyesย youโll see Through my liesย youโll be hopelessly in loveย trapped by truthย By your tearsย I’ll dry By your fears I’ll dieย honoured to live trapped by you
I ett hรถrn stรฅr kreativiteten och gnager. Med ansiktet vรคnd mot fasaden kommer den ingenstans. Kreativiteten har mรฅlat in sig i ett hรถrn. Fรคrgen har torkat. Rollern har kรคrvat fast. Stenvรคggens textur รคr grov, fรคrgad i svart. I nittio graders vinkel delas svรคrtan i en smal strimma grรฅtt. Kreativiteten tappar greppet om handtaget. En roller ligger pรฅ stengolvet, uppfรฅngat av gรฅrdagens tidning. Mittomslaget vrรคker sig fram ut รถver golvet. Kreativiteten stรฅr kvar med fรถtterna pรฅ tidningen. Kreativiteten blundar, tittar och blundar en gรฅng till. รgonvรคtska droppar ned, rakt ned i hinken. Ringar bildas pรฅ ytan – svarta som allt annat runt omkring. Desperata rop hรถrs i rummet. Eko som studsar fram och tillbaka i hรถrnet. Mรฅlarhinken dallrar av ljudet om rop pรฅ hjรคlp. Vรฅgor i fรคrgytan fรฅr hinken att rinna รถver. En droppe fรคrg, ett rop pรฅ hjรคlp och allt rinner ut รถver golvet. Saker flyter, allt annat simmar men kreativiteten รคr orรถrlig. Stel som fรคrgen pรฅ rollens mjuka rulle stรฅr kreativitetens kvar och undrar om det snart kommer en lรถsning. Fรคrglรถsning, lacknafta och thinner fรถr sjรคlen.
Darkness in mind
black holes in universe
Feelings goes behind
deep words on verse
Puzzle of inner fight
wounded by ego trip
Souls dark as the night
phrases along strip
No words from heart
lose control losing life
New chance a new start
throwing the knife
Tears behind my eyes
cold fluid frozen ice
moments to catch flies
cuts my ties
ice in slice of waves cooling down ice in ties of days losing crown cold in bold to block thick thoughts cold in fold to lock sick throats drift in shift of heat takes away drift in swift of beat wakes today talk in walk on ice slowing speed talk in stalk on rice growing seed
Today, I found myself once again at the enchanting Gallery Sjรถhรคsten, for what feels like the hundredth time. This brief visit inspired my thoughts. I immersed myself in the profound art exhibition by the talented John Ramberg. His aquarelles, each a vivid masterpiece in various sizes and compositions, captivated my senses. The exhibition whisked me away on a mesmerizing journey. It traversed the stillness of inanimate objects. It moved through the serene woods to the exhilarating pulse of vibrant city life.
The first three images showcase striking scrap cars nestled in a dense forest. The motifs are sourced from the renowned car cemetery in Smรฅland. It is a must-visit destination. The rusty car wrecks intertwine with the silence. They transform into captivating works of art. These artworks reflect urban life and feature various vehiclesโfree from rustโand the vibrant presence of people amidst the cityscape.
The prevalent theme in numerous works is the vibrant use of yellow hues. The figures depicted are often silhouettes, allowing the artist to masterfully employ a contre-jour technique that enhances the composition. Additionally, light sources such as street lamps and car headlights add an evocative depth to the imagery.
The texture possesses an exhilarating roughness, beckoning viewers to step back and drink in the mesmerizing images from a distance. Drenched in vibrant shades of yellow and beige, these hues dance vividly across the canvas. Most objects exude a captivating linearity, while the artwork’s enchanting 3D depth invites the imagination to plunge into its wonder.
Nรฅgon inom mig sitter rattar och styr Nรฅgon framfรถr mig gรฅr sakta och tyst Nรฅgon i mitt huvud hรถr brister och fel Nรฅgon bakom mig finns sorgsen och rรคdd Nรฅgon i det undermedvetna fรถrhalar och tar Nรฅgon utanfรถr min sfรคr ovetande och rak Nรฅgon emot mig agerar stark och smart Nรฅgon till mig sรคger kasta och glรถm
Follow the path to follow the light Walk beside to walk alone Look around to look good Stand still to stand inside me Search now to search my inner Move inside to move my heart
Mitt i galleriet stรฅr jag som om jag letar efter en fรถrsvunnen socka. Huvudet sveper fram och tillbaka som en robot med kort batteritid. Jag har noga studerat alster efter alster, som om de vore konstiga slรคktingar pรฅ ett familjefoto!
Entrรฉn till Galleri Fiskhuset, dรคr utstรคllningen ‘Karolinerbilder’ med Gรถte Gรถranssons oljemรฅlningar pรฅgรฅr.
โ Har jag glรถmt nรฅt? Kanske att jag borde ha tagit en GPS med mig bland de detaljrika oljemรฅlningarna lรคngs galleriets vรคggar? Annars kan jag ju hamna i mรฅlningen av en katt fรถr evigt!
Gรถte Gรถranssons kvadratiska oljemรฅlningar i stora format pryder stolt vรคggarna pรฅ utstรคllningen “Karolinerbilder” pรฅ Galleri Fiskhuset. Varje duk รคr mรคsterligt fylld av enastรฅende detaljrikedom. Jag inser omedelbart den tjocka och matta texturen som ger liv รฅt verken. En imponerande kolorit i blรฅtt, brunt och grรถnt skildrar pรฅ ett fรคngslande sรคtt vardagen bland karolinerna. Blรฅ uniformer, klarblรฅ himmel, frodiga grรถna slagfรคlt, djupgrรถna skogar, kraftfulla bruna hรคstar och kraftfulla bruna bรฅtar vรคcker starka kรคnslor.
Stรคndigt i rรถrelse รคr alla – hรคstar och soldater, kvinnor och barn, bรฅtar och krutrรถk. Listan รคr oรคndlig, och detaljerna รคr rikliga. Allt, nรคstan allt, รคr noggrant utformat ner till minsta detalj. Det รคr i detaljerna som kraften ligger, trots den tjocka texturen. Detta รคr en mรคsterlig lektion i hur man komponerar en mรฅlning med finess. Den inkluderar element som var djupt rotade fรถre modernismens intรฅg. Med en mรฅlerisk stil ibland, men fรถr det mesta linjรคrt.
Djupet i hans mรฅlningar nรฅr imponerande hรถjder! Ljussรคttningen รคr storslagen och i mรฅnga verk – medvetet fokuserad. Tรคnk pรฅ mรคsterverket “Marketenterskan fyller รถl”. Den strรฅlar av en palett av blรฅtt, brunt och grรถnt, dรคr fรคrgerna samverkar genom uniformerna och vagnen i bakgrunden. Hรคr handlar ljuset om nรฅgot betydelsefullt, dรคr fokus ligger pรฅ titeln. De tรถrstiga herrarna i skuggan รคr nรคstan helt vรคnda bort, precis som vagnen. Men ljuset glittrar pรฅ marketenterskan, รถltunnan och รถlstopet! Allt annat fรถrsvinner i skuggan, medan dessa objekt lyser starkt. Gรถte skapar magiska fokuspunkter, dรคr varje motiv berรคttar sin historia.
Den lilla roddbรฅten i framkant eller de tvรฅ frรคmre soldaterna i ett annat alster. Antingen ligger de i ljuset eller sรฅ har kontraster och fรคrger en starkare kolorit. Det viktiga i bilden fรฅngas av ljuset. Matt yta och detaljrikedom รคr centrala aspekter. Den matta texturen framtrรคder tydligt nรคr vattenpรถlar och bรถssornas metalliska delar reflekterar och ger en blรคnkande yta. Detaljrikedomen รฅterskapar elegant blรคnket av vatten och metall.
Den guldfรคrgade flaggan lyser strรฅlande upp hela motivet och fรฅr en att tro att det รคr รคkta konst. ร terigen har konstnรคren, med sin osvikliga detaljrikedom, gett koloriten en glรคnsande, guldkantad textur. Fanns det konstverk som tilltalade mig? Absolut, flera stycken. Sรคrskilt nr. 17, “Illustration ur boken Gustav Vasa och hans folk”, gjorde ett starkt intryck. Utstรคllningen som helhet รคr imponerande och erbjuder vรคrdefulla insikter i studiet av detaljer pรฅ mikroskopisk nivรฅ. Dessutom demonstrerar den en djup fรถrstรฅelse fรถr hur hรคstar ska รฅterges i full galopp.
Det finns ocksรฅ en fascinerande symbolik som grep tag i mig precis i slutet av mitt besรถk. Tรคnk dig stridens hetta, kampens intensitet, dรถdens skugga och djup misรคr. Mรถrkare รคn sรฅ kan det knappast bli. I just de mรฅlningar dรคr dessa teman utforskas, flรถdar koloriten av det mรถrkaste slaget. Grรฅtt, kallt, och en tรคt dimma av mรถrkt krutrรถk som ligger som ett tรคcke i bakgrunden. Man vill blรฅsa pรฅ duken. Man hoppas att gestalterna dรคr bakom sakta ska trรคda fram ur dimman. Den dyker bara upp nรคr de mest gripande och mรถrka hรคndelserna utfรถrs framfรถr vรฅra รถgon.
…In i trรคngseln – in i folkmassan –ย in i alstren – sรฅ in i…ย
Nja, sรฅ illa var det inte! Helena Trovajs akvareller pรฅ Galleri Sjรถhรคsten drar verkligen folk till sig, bรฅde innanfรถr ramen och utanfรถr. Det var fullt i galleriet, vilket รคr fantastiskt! Mรคnniskorna i hennes alster symboliserar liv, rรถrelse och stadspuls pรฅ ett inspirerande sรคtt. Utan dem skulle det bara vara bilar och spรฅrvagnar i rรถrelse, men med dem fรฅr hela scenen liv. Den lilla rรถda flรคcken intill signaturen ger en lekfullhet i nรฅgra av motiven. Det rรถda blir en strรฅlande rรถd trรฅd som binder allt samman!
Platser pulserar av liv och rรถrelse. Mรคnniskor vibrerar av energi i salonger, pรฅ livliga perronger, eller mitt i den intensiva stadstrafiken. Detta รคr essensen av Helenas alster.
Nรฅgonstans i sjรคlva motivet pulserar den lilla rรถda ytan, som en glรถdande kรคrna av energi. En husfasad, en husgavel eller en stadsbuss frรฅn SL, allt bรคr pรฅ sin egen historia. Och bland folkmassorna strรฅlar det rรถda fram; kavajer och jackor dansar i takt med trafikljusen som blinkar mot tidsandan. Dessa rรถda nyanser tycks bรคra en djup symbolik, en viskning av kรคnslor. I alstrens kompositioner fรคnger jag allt det som vanligtvis fรถrfรถr mig. Djupet, perspektivet, den mรฅleriska och linjรคra skรถnheten, rรถrelsens flรถde, symbolikens djup och fรคrgernas livfullhet โ en symfoni av sinnesintryck.
Gula taxibilar, en gul spรฅrvagn och framfรถrallt de livliga folkmassorna ger verkligen liv รฅt bildmotiven. En gata i New York med skyskrapor i bakgrunden visar stolt hur konstnรคren framhรคver centralperspektivet. Detta skapar en fantastisk djupkรคnsla i bilden. Gatan och husens fasadlinjer samlas harmoniskt mot en gemensam central punkt, likt en inbjudande tunnel.
Genom att utelรคmna detaljrikedomen uppstรฅr en mรฅlerisk kvalitet, dรคr inga skarpa linjer definierar grรคnserna mellan ytorna. Det รคr en kraftfull vรคxelverkan mellan tvรฅ kontrasterande ytor som skapar distinkta konturer.
Koloriten รคr i mรฅnga alster tydligt mรถrk, accentuerad av kontrasterande inslag av vitt och den vanliga rรถda fรคrgytan. I motivskรถrden rรถr vi oss som betraktare mellan storstรคder och vรคrldsmetropoler. Paris, New York, Stockholm och Lissabon รคr nรฅgra exempel. Vรคdermรคssigt kan det verka grรฅtt, men det finns ocksรฅ alster med stรคmningsfulla vintermotiv som verkligen fรฅngar รถgat.
Markiser i rรถtt pryder kafรฉerna som en fรถrfรถrisk inbjudan till livets fest! Hรคr รคter, dricker, vandrar och dansar mรคnniskorna med glรคdje och energi i sina hjรคrtan. Men om de inte befinner sig i rรถrelse sรฅ vรคntar de ivrigt pรฅ tรฅget, tunnelbanan eller spรฅrvagnen, som om varje sekund รคr en del av en magisk resa. Det รคr en kollektiv motivskรถrd, ett kalejdoskop av liv och hopp! Att รฅka kollektivt eller ta en taxi, valet ligger i dina hรคnder โ fรถr รคventyret รคr alltid nรคra!
Det estetiskt tilldragande med Helens motiv รคr det underbara samspelet mellan fรคrgerna. Dรคr vitt skapar livfulla siluetter av figurer, folk eller fordon. Detta ger en glad fingervisning om ljusets kรคlla i bilden. Vรคxelverkan mellan det vita och primรคrfรคrgerna skapar en inspirerande mรฅlerisk tendens.