When on my island it is more wintery than autumnal…
… well, you know, this nature id madness right now…
Sooo… when I am done for a day playing in snow, I come back here to Smögen. Where looking around I get it…
I get it why painting, especially, is such a must here.
And writing.
The sea, that smell…
Boats and architecture…
And colors.
Because colors here are just fun.
Pure fun.
Even if you take it black and white.
I mean… here you got to be creative.
You just feel that kick.
LOL
And yes, art…
It is here everywhere.
Amazing, breathtaking, free… and often not noticed by tourists.
Why?
Do you buy art?
I am asking as an artist.
The one who used to have exhibitions an buyers and now…
Nothing.
I paint only for my walls.
And yes, I destroyed my paintings, a lot of them…
But also I am asking as someone buying handmade… handcreated…
Do you?
Or maybe you feel an original painting is too much, too many feelings, too much emotions? Maybe?
And here everything is so arty…
Not only in artists, not only painted, sculptured, bidden together, crafted, but also when it comes to so called regular people…
Also…
Like every island always was a pusher…
Pushing all of us to create.
To change, give birth to something new, paint a dream, wish…
To write.
Or to change the space…
Change it into something new.
Find yourself in an old hut.
And give it a new meaning.
Okay, maybe smells funky but still.
It is like being in a castle… old, bit squeaky… full of memories.
Ghosts?
But one thing I am sure…
Here everything is art.
People pushed into its arms, creating, being all the time in this state of after or before.
Proud or confused…
The same is with nature surrounding the rocks, on the rocks, or this combined to the whole architecture.
Muses swim in the sea, whisper…
Oh the sing like sirens…
… make us all wanting paper, brushes, pencils, pens… writing, painting, joining bits together, sculpting… pottery, oh yes, please.
Now!!!
Let me create!!!
No, I do not want to be famous, I just want to create… new…
Create!
Genius loci is here sooo… special.
So strong.
So touching everyone like he was looking for new beings to keep here, forever.
A year is something full of seasons, occasions, important days, moments…
Some of them, dates, days an nights are since the far away past known as those special. Connected with beings, the mighty veil, spirits running around… legends and myths, beings which can be very dangerous, so better is to know how to protect yourself. How to… be safe, or just to know…
Or… there is more.
If you are truly interested in so called Nordic Life, its ethnology, cultural anthropology… stories and fairy tales, check “the Nordic Animist Year”. Got one myself few months ago. Must admit, was not cheap but, in Danmark books are not cheap. Ever. And to be even more honest, I was expecting something better reading quality… you know, different paper, thicker spine, something looking more like a book than a brochure. Photos bigger, words, everything just differently combined.
More like a true story about a forgotten folklore of this part of Europe. But, I get it. It was a struggle to create it, it was published by author sooo… oh yes, and the author – you can see him here. You can also check his Instagram. Or read about Rune Hjarnø Rasmussen here. On his own page.
Sooo… why have I hunt for this book? Well, because it is all year round, it is not only for 2022 or 2023… it is a generic knowledge, a story about religions, heathens, about those bits, forgotten maybe or being only the reflections of its own big past but… I wanted to have it all combined. And this little book gave it to me. The rest, the research, deeper, you can do yourself.
Or just ask grandparents of you are lucky to have them.
Well…
… this is something we heathen ones like. The old bits still being seen here, in those new traditions. Is it good? Is it bad? There is no correct answer. The knowledge is power but can also be overwhelming, the most important thing is, if you have a book you have a choice… to go deeper, or just read, know an not use it. But stupidity is never a fancy things, so if you are scared that those words will change you, no worries… only if you let them. Only if you have some hunger for the past in you.
PS. Not only for animists! I should mention that first. And to be honest, I would love this book in this bigger form, with more stories, more tales, more… pictures. You know, the way the books in my Uni library. Thicker cover, less white pages… yes, I know, details, but details make a lot for me. Me a scientist and me a bibliophile. I would love it with photos from now, photos from shamanic spots you can find around Scandinavia. And northern parts of this lower Europe.
Of course…
But for now, for many of you it can be a discovery,
And maybe a deeper understanding of those remaining bits.
And now
“Rainy moments
windy moments
last leaf
stubborn leaf
attached to the branch
which wants only
to
let go…
to just become
naked again
sometimes a sunny moment
sometimes a gloomy one
and some fog
havgus
waves
stroms
just an island
when autumn slowly ends
now…
a few mushrooms
filled rivers and ponds
less people
more me
somehow
more…
dreams
visions
wishing list
words and poems
slower walks
touching the hidden
understanding
what is wrong…” Ch. J.
Okay… yes, some people travel with their pets.
Mostly dogs of course, somehow we all got used to dogs on the laps, leashes etc.
You can find bowls with water all around streets of Sweden.
Really.
Some also need some… well, you know, churchy things.
And sometimes in the mirror you can see even more, and think…
… it can not be true. Fuck, come on!!!
Goats?
Really?
Yes, really. It was like… I mean…
It made my day!
But in such arty place, it is somehow… normal.
And somehow, even standing in the corner, between the walls, looking at the roofs almost touching each other…
Even being in the shadow, feeling the gentle song of wind…
Even standing in a line in a shop, buying a memory, feeding another artist…
Even then you can not forget it is an island.
Okay, a rock in fact… wait…
In fact bunch of rocks combined.
You smell the sea.
You feel it.
It is everywhere, under you, above and next to you.
You breath it in and speak with its words.
But the shopping part… yes, we should mention it, especially mention that around end of August starts SALE time!!!
Trust me.
Sometimes it is worthy to be here after the season.
I mean…
… it is like a candy… bag of candies.
And somehow they are all mine!
All mine!
Nope, it is not my city, not my place, not mine at all, but still it feels so.
Feels like I was here alone, like I could touch everything, look everywhere and get into every room, spot, place.
Crazy feeling.
And all those details.
So connected to the Swedish culture but also modern somehow.
Is it because of IKEA?
Maybe?
I love such places after season.
When there is no tourists, some how so called normality is back, that connected to a regular living… you can smell an everyday dinner, simple homemade meal, see a couple slowly going for fishing maybe…
And I can pretend I got lost here and there and touch those walls, that wood. Feel the true structure, hear the stories…
And the roofs, ready for winds and rain…
Walls hiding people or just letting some of them be hidden?
Or maybe…
There is something more?
Because this place is magical and so quiet after the season.
Boats, yes, and some fishy smell… normality…
And rocks.
I love rocks! But still, the architecture… narrow streets…
Hidden gems.
And all those cute bits…
I mean, fairy tale, right?
But… so crowded.
I mean too crowded for me to live but for a photo session, oh my, a dream, with a foggy weather especially… maybe one day…
Oh, I wish.
