TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

VIEWING ALL POSTS FOR: JULY 2004

Wednesday, July 28, 2004

6:34 PM
Posted by jodi rose

I've been clocking up 11 - 15 hour days in the studio this week. It's a very intense process, but the programs - each bridge has it's own 'module' - are taking shape, and developing the level of intricacy and depth that I was aiming for. I think - but then delirium has well and truly set in. Having serious space issues, even with 18GB to work on - typing this while I wait for something to back up so I can delete it and keep editing.
Stars for today kind of amusing:
Imagine two identical paint palettes. Two blank canvases. Two sets of brushes. A great artist has got one, a chimpanzee has the other. Are you going to be able to tell which painting has been done by whom? In these days of modern art you can't always be sure from a passing glance. Still, though, the person is going to be more able (we hope) to explain their picture, than the monkey. Very different end results can be achieved from the same raw materials. You have everything you now need in order to create something truly wonderful. Other, perhaps, than an ability to see how this can be done. Keep looking.
Or, indeed, listening.
Still in a final flurry of fundraising for Copenhagen and Alain de Botton - have also been invited to Iceland to record ice geysers, and possibly a workshop in Vilnius, Lithuania. Praying all day and night for the wonderful philanthropist who has the vision and desire to support this magnificent art project! I have to be ridiculously confident and self promotion is necessary, as there is a thin edge which I am precariously close to, of thinking, how on earth am I going to pull this off?!??!
Another recent comment: "We don't have any cultural capital without people like you"
Shuffling off now, to visit a house near a bridge.....

Thursday, July 22, 2004

4:48 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Holed up in studio P53 at the ABC on Harris St, making delirious bridge music. Part three of the process so far - having recorded the sounds of the structures of 5 Australian bridges in the last 6 months, and then worked with Ben Fink on composing and Ion Pearce and Trevor Brown improvising to the raw compositions - extended cello techniques, flute and sax - I'm now sitting with Russell Stapleton who is weaving his enigmatic magic over them. (that's a pro-tools plug-in FX joke for anyone who's wondering.:) we found an FX called raspberry sparkle, which is being used on the Macintyre bridge. Having developed a hardcore purist attitude to the field recordings over the last few years - no, get your aural handprints off them! - it's fun to let loose and go totally psychedelic.
Even more so knowing that they will be played on ABC Classic FM, as it's all part of the ABC Radio residency.

Another recent comment on my work 'One of the few, good new ideas', from Damon, one of our fine public servants, who had even heard of me before I explained. So there you go!

Staying back in the studio tonight to edit some more interviews, listen to archival material and generally drive myself over the edge.

Only two weeks to go now, and the final production for the residency will be completed. Exciting and sad.
We had a great time in the studio on Tuesday, with a lovely actor - Susan Prior - reading text and quotes and poetry about bridges. She was marvellous, brought something really special and magical to the project. Then I had to get up and record introductions to each bridge - was resisting having my own voice involved, but again, decided to give in gracefully.

On the international artstar front - I've been invited to take part in a documentary on people who travel in unusual ways, as a bridge artist - based on Alain de Botton's book 'The Art of Travel'. So now I REALLY have to get myself to Europe in August - anyone with even $5 to spare, send it over, please!!

Must ask Jonathon to put that paypal 'Donate' button on the website. I really need a philanthropic patron, to gift me a years wage and just get on with taking this to the next level. ie the one where it pays on a regular basis. The ABC/OZCO gig has been amazing, an incredible chance to purely focus on your creative work for 6 months, with really excellent production and technical support. I am of course extremely grateful - but now I want it all the time!!!!!!! Working on that 6 months in a village on the coast of finland, where I can write my novel - I've heard the bridges singing. Who knows what the world will make of it, but I'm enjoying finally getting things out there.

Sad to have missed Liquid Architecture in melbourne, but I wasn't together enough to plan for it 3 months in advance, when the studio bookings are made, and so had to be back in Sydney when it was going on. Sounds like there was some wonderful performance and sound. Have been getting over the winter hibernation, back out into the world and meeting new people - that's what they say you need to do, in a new place. Not that there was anything wrong with the old people, they just seemed few and far between on the ground here. Ahh distance, if I could live successfully between places life would be so much more satisfying. It's that weird thing where you have all this contact with amazing people, all over the world, and your actual physical day-to-day life seems strangely empty in comparison. Maybe it's that old matter of attention, and being present. A lesson I keep having to learn.

Had a wonderful email from Jakob Kirkegaard, who records the sound of ice geysers and nuclear power plants - invited me to go to Iceland next month. hmmm another reason to get over the other side!
www.secretsounds.dk gorgeous!

Sunday, July 18, 2004

10:44 AM
Posted by jodi rose

lying in bed, working on my laptop, listening to Cat Power. Glad I bought her CD the other day - 'you are free' - it reminded me of her live show in Barcelona, where she kept apologising about how much she sucks. Which is apparently quite usual for her. Something lovely about that level of public vulnerability, which gave me confidence in using my own skills to make the bridge compositions - it's not about a level of technical skill, but expressing something in a way that is unique to my voice. And I've heard the bridges singing. No matter how much I talk to various people in a working collaboration about keeping the intrinsic musicality and rhythms
of the bridge sounds intact, boys always seem to want to cut them up and mess with them - which can end up sounding beautiful, and really interesting but is not actually what I want to convey with the sound
works. It's a rocky path between taking on ideas and input from other people and being swept off course, and becoming a control freak artist who won't let anyone else have any creative influence. Although I am starting to understand the latter stance more and more. Must be that venus in virgo thing.

Ongoing process of negotiating boundaries, and learning to be absolutely clear and upfront with people, and tell them as soon as something doesn't
feel right. I'm on a very steep learning curve right now - producing a major feature for radio broadcast, first time ever. Producing not one but two CD's - again, first time ever. If I don't pull together the money for trip to Overgaden and isea and travel doco - learning to do a live multi location concert using remote and streaming technology - first time ever!

It's fabulously stormy today, with almost gale force winds - spoke to philippa, and emer, and nic - down in the snow having a fantastic time in -5 blizzards :) Flatmates coming home soon this morning with ingredients for champagne pancake breakfast for my birthday - have been very resistent to even noticing it, let alone celebrate, but finally gave in gracefully last night and invited a few people over. Quite excited now about wearing my new ruffly pink princess skirt. A shame I don't have any angel wings to go with it. Must make some. maybe I can include the angel photos from bronte cemetery with CD cover design for australian bridges. The Angel of Anzac Bridge.

Reading more on michel serres, about writers and journalists and artists being like angels, transmitting messages - and how at some point you disappear, vanish for the message to come through more clearly. I love that.

Going to vanish now and listen to my delightful friend andrew, rambling in riga.
http://rixc.lv/radio/

LOCATIVE MEDIA nr. 001-2004: Situated experiences of a resident in networks - listen and make sure you look at the pictures as well for the full immersive experience!
http://mlab.uiah.fi/~apaterso/apaterson_rixc_air_200
visit mari in bergen, norway
http://www.elephantpaths.net
preview of bridge guard residency in slovakia
http://www.bridgeguard.org

Saturday, July 17, 2004

9:07 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Sydney, it's not so bad. Making the most of warm sunny days in the middle of winter, although the seasonal cold tonight comes as a shock. And of course nothing is properly heated, so you feel the cold more than in... say, Helsinki. Ok I know it's getting ridiculous, but I can't deny it anymore. I just wanna be there... finland, finland, finland: the country where I want to be!

PHILANTHROPISTS WANTED

You, yes you. Any spare cash? Support a fantastically unique Art Project, magnificent in scope and delirious in vision. Recently described as "just so extremely beautiful and poetic" and "moving, humorous"; and "One of the few new good ideas!" the Singing Bridges team will be appearing in Copenhagen at Overgaden Sound Festival, and possibly taking part in a documentary on travel in unusual ways. This depends on the support we receive - so please, send money now! Only $5,000 needed!!

** End of advertisement/sponsorship opportunity **

Having an interesting time, going out a bit more than usual and meeting some very out-there people, which makes me feel more normal than usual. Going into the studio on Monday for final two weeks of production on the ABC Radio project.
It's been a strange few days, having to struggle to maintain my vision for various aspects of the project, with people - wanting to be genuinely helpful and engaged - but effectively taking it off into other directions. I'm happy with a certain level of collaboration, but at some point have to realign it back to the essence of the project and idea. And, after all, it's all about listening to the inner voice - of the bridge, of one's self.

Melbourne was gorgeous, very cold, but lots of great conversations and really good to see all my friends there. Had a fantastic ranting intellectual conversation with Justin about bridges and philosophy, as a discussion for the program. 'The Mundiad', launch at Brunswick St Bookstore last Thursday was fab, - a bilious rant against the impossibility of love in the modern world (or words to that effect misremembered from the launch speech) go and buy a copy now!
Having that crazy determination to get back out into the world, before one final fling attempting to finish writing the masters thesis.

Monday, July 5, 2004

1:09 PM
Posted by jodi rose

ABC Southbank

Back in lovely melbourne for a week. Wrangling with the laptop at the ABC, all seems to be working fine now. Enjoying being able to work anywhere, in a cafe, in bed, on the couch... it's a technological revolution!!
Working on writing the text for radio feature on bridges of australia, it' scoming together slowly. Way too much material, of course - my issue in life seems to be always one of too much stuff. Finding the voice to express my journey and experiences in an interesting, engaging and poetic way.
Visit to the accountant this afternoon - getting tax in order early this year. It's very lush being home again, long baths and plenty of fun distraction with philippa and emer on the weekend. Justin has a book launch for his epic poem in rhyming couplets, on thursday at brunswick st bookstore, published by black ink. Must get round to writing that book proposal up. Dreaming of landing in a soft calm place to write for a few months after this. At the point where I just want to get it finished and move on - seem to be having that a lot lately.
Didn't get funding for airfare to overgaden sound festival/isea in august. A bit sad not to be going back to helsinki, and being part of a crazy sound crew in copenhagen, but there will be other opportunities and having more time to set up possible residencies and exhibitions is probably a good thing in the long run. Much as I would love to just run off romantically in a decadent European Bohemian dream, there is that gap between dream and reality to bridge. (ha ha ha) I am the bridge. Ohmigod I have to go now, delirium has well and truly taken over. xxxx jr