TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

  

VIEWING ALL POSTS FOR: APRIL 2006

Saturday, April 29, 2006

10:47 AM
Posted by jodi rose

so, the prime minister announced that the new 'smart cards' won't be compulsory, but you won't be able to access any government services without one. hmmmm.

week of technical details for upcoming bridge testing - if anyone happens to have a triaxial low g accelerometer lying around, could you please email me as I really need to borrow one for a week. then buy it! such a shame all those beautiful bksv instruments melted in the acoustic research lab fire at sydney uni, they were perfect and accessible. although densil said, we'd rather burn them than lend them to you... I think he was joking.

ideas for bridge theatre filtering in subconscious.

I'm back in the swing of darlington - abc daily circuit. Walks in the park most mornings, and had a deviation on thursday night to art opening at acp. Turned into a raucous evening, hanging out with lisa, lou, colin, willow. olga and merv b. Very bizzarre reunion with people from year above me at high school, who also happened to be there.
New motto: anything, anywhere, anytime.

The lovely matt at my local cafe asked where I was heading this morning, told him, work at abc. sounds fun he said. yeah, spending hours in a small dark room listening to the sound of my own voice - just what I love doing on a saturday. Still, it's not a bad way to make a living, and now I'm immersed in the sounds am starting to have ideas for structure. It's a very zen process, you can only use what is there. Anything that didn't make it onto tape really isn't much good now. Have to let the material guide you.

Quite funny listening to all the recordings I made of public spaces and cafe - top 40 pop music is the predominant theme. Will come in handy as a counterpoint to my reflective musings, good not to take yourself too seriously. Extending my fascination with the personal/public dichotomy. Enjoying being back in sydney where the cafe staff play an eclectic range of personal choices, this morning was an old Tom Waits. As opposed to endless trashy euro-pop, american hip-hop, or heavy metal/U2 in Sturovo.

Been a melancholy nostalgia listening back to musings during my time there, moments of intense loneliness, joyful celebrations and slowly building relationships and a sense of community. It's an ongoing process, learning to balance the physical local connections with virtual remote international networks. Not to mention staying afloat financially, maintaining some kind of physical fitness routine and emotional balance. Talking with Gail about 'how on earth are you doing this?' we both recognised that it's important not to worry too much about money. People who earn heaps seem just as stressed by it, so you might as well step lightly over the gaps, join the dots, and keep dancing along the way! Maybe tonight will be a chance for some dance activism, at the chippendale warehouse party. No, that's not a male striptease revue, but a suburb :)

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

12:04 PM
Posted by jodi rose

I have my identity back!!
After a long kafkaesque ordeal with various forms of beauracracy taking up all of Monday, starting with being left at abc reception like an unwanted parcel until i could locate someone to let me in. Then bugged the lovely sarah for a security pass, as I had thought it was all in train but nothing was arranged. So, now I have my lovely padded quiet dark room to sit and contemplate border music in - wrote down ideas somewhere, it feels like a very long time ago I was on that bridge guard gig. It's one of the keystones in my life, and very comforting, being able to stroll these grey corridors and chat with colleagues, go for lunch and 'make great radio' ;)

Although I wouldn't like to be back in an office full-time, but for a brief respite from constant chaos it makes a welcome sanctuary. Even found my special 'decline the fire' herbal tea from chinatown, a few (freeland independently commissioned)_projects ago. It promises to 'improve the looks, eliminate poison, decline the fire, promote the metabolism, regulate the endocrine system, treat throat, tonsil and prostate gland inflammation'. everyone needs a miracle tea!

So, after wrangling my way back into my place of random employment, I set out across the road for the passport office, confident that my application was complete and it would go smoothly. Oh no. After waiting an hour, I had to get a bus to town hall for the new medicare receipt (ok, I needed it anyway but was annoying), then got back in the queue and the next person who 'helped' me advised that as my birth certificate wasn't in the same name as all my other ID and all my previous passports (the ones not stolen - buried somewhere deep in storage and obstinately refusing to be found) - I would have to get an official change of name certificate. Luckily, births deaths and marriages was just around the corner, but it was almost 3pm and with a public holiday next day, things were looking grim for my urgent application.
Then fate smiled once again, an old friend from one-tel now works at the counter for name changes (and marriage licenses... you never know) and he made the extremely frustrating process much more bearable, which didn't stop me bitterly resenting the fact I was being made to go through all this rigmarole. Look, everyone has to, he told me, the legislation was changed in 1996 - so, even though I haven't used the surname 'shaw' that appears on my birth certificate since I was 7, and have absolutely nothing in that name, including all my bank accounts and three former passports, I had to formally change it. Quite excited to discover my paternal great-grandparent was from scotland, that explains the current inclination. Maybe. Was tempted to go with something ridiculous, like surname: sonicartstar first name: jodirose, but in the end stuck with the name I actually use.

So, I have a fresh sparkling new identity, which is pretty much the same as the old one, but with a lot less immigration stamps to show for all my travels. Ah, well, just have to build them up again. Definitely a reason to take the silja line cruise from helsinki to stockholm, although it won't be the same without the 700 media artists on board, just drunk finns and swedes letting loose in international waters. Apparently the government here is considering introducing compulsory ID cards - which they've been wanting to do for some time - but the 'combat terrorism and welfare fraud' argument is probably hard to argue against in the current political climate.

Ah well, shades of a totalitarian state, when big brother was more ominous than a reality tv show - although maybe that's equally horrifying in terms of social control and disintegration. Well, back to Slovakia for me, where at least the corruption is admitted and fairly obvious, but some freedom of speech and social welfare conditions actually seem to be improving. It's so depressing coming back to a beloved home country that has thrown out so many of the principles of a just, fair and tolerant society and is overwhelmingly geared towards the wealthy and conservative. New workplace relations laws are already doing immense damage - anecdotally - to the stability and standard of living, and we're still so smug about what a great place this is to live.

Anyway, time for me to get back to some art. Having a somewhat trying experience with my current major project, being told that all the tech will be looked after to my specs, and now find I have to run around sourcing and chasing things up, then get the budget approved. Still, ultimately it is very very exciting and the start of a whole new level of sonic bridge building, so I won't complain too much.
Except to say that being a free-form nomadic artstar is all very well, lots of fun, travel, wonderful people, engaging creative work, but living out of a suitcase on a friend's floor is not the most glamorous or grounded base for a burgeoning professional career! Ah well, at least it's a familiar location, I can walk everywhere and start getting fit again - three days this week, around the park, lots of pelicans in the lake, and an eel thrashing around this morning - and go to badde manors for coffee, and a nostalgia trip (last of my waitressing days), and where I can believe six impossible things before breakfast.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

8:04 PM
Posted by jodi rose

flew back into sydney last night, watching distant purple lightening frizzle over the ocean in the summer electrical storms. forgot how steamy it is here, still hot and humid - starting to miss winter. working on that trans-seasonal wardrobe. back to spring soon. it's mayhem in my biorhythyms. night day winter summer hell where am I again?
kept waking up completely disoriented in slovakia, no idea where i was.
can't wait to get back there ;)

woke up this morning and wrote chapter three and half of chapter four.
it's amazing what coming to ground in a quiet calm environment can do for a girl's creativity. Loving the lush camperdown living space I find myself in, until the family gets back from NZ. Now still have all that typing to get through. And the trip I thought was chapter one keeps getting progressively later, as I meander through various aspects of back-story. Think it makes sense.
It's looking like chapter five is the final resting place for my launch.
Best not to worry about these things, I can have as many words as it takes. Then it's the editor's problem! Ah if I could only ghost-edit, I would be very very happy. Love writing, but editing is a challenge.
Especially being from the generation that had grammar deleted from our curriculum, I wouldn't know a split infinitive if it bit me.

if you search closely through the archives of experience in radio memory by brandon labelle, you may find something from my first trip to the novy most bridge in bratislava, as part of this strange manifestation of global networks and internal radio experiences at radio revolten, in halle germany. listen and wonder.
Hint: go to transmission 9: sonorous landscapes/cultural viewpoints

If this reads as slightly more delirious than usual, it's the flu making my head gluey. Truly disgusting, ache all over. Promised my body I would rest when I got back to sydney, but it's taken matters in hand for itself. Will feel better when mum gets here tomorrow, she's promised to make sympathetic noises and cups of lemon tea, and is catching the final hour of my exhibition at performance space - which closes on saturday for anyone who didn't make it yet ;)

A few errands to run, track down my old old old passport which I think was in storage vaguely remember seeing it when searching for bridge postcards and maps to go in the exhibition - have to find original uk work permit from 14 years ago, then get brand new passport next week for next permit. Trip to Glasgow looking definite. very very very exciting. more info once it goes public.

Otherwise, making great radio next week (tm stephen tilley thanks for that superlative superconfident phrase) well I hope it will be ok anyway. feels a long time ago the whole border guard thing. but all there waiting to be filtered into a new musical feature.

Then off to Brisbane to make great art on a bridge. Permanently. How cool is that?!!! I really do love my life, even when feeling like death.

Tonight it's gourmet pre-made pumpkin soup and finally get to watch the wedding crashers on dvd, which I missed so many times - am in the mood for trash.

love and hugs
xx jodi

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

10:12 PM
Posted by jodi rose

awash in rose cousins spoiling me with their hospitality. tonight is anne and paul's turn, just got up for a cup of tea to get me through the next few hours emails, found vanilla chai in the cupboard and paul with dark chocolate in his hand in the doorway.
michelle told everyone at big kids daycare 'this is cousin jodi' and entertained us with improvised minimalist/baroque interpretations of nursery rhymes on her Casio PT-30.
had a magnificent walk this morning around worser and scorching bays (the worser the bay the better the sailing, promises the yacht club) while jenny had her hair maimed at sophisticuts. reached the chocolate fish cafe barely minutes before she arrived - possibly the most spectacular location for caffeine I have ever experience, except perhaps 'the store' at kekerangua (?) on the way up from kaikoura, where we saw seals swimming in the ocean.
this morning a tv crew did vox-pops with the table next to us, including an athlete who knew jenny from her world triathlon days (she invited me to come for a run with her, saying 'I'm really out of shape' but I pointed out that her idea of in shape and mine are vastly divergent, and I had no chance of keeping up) about the rolling stones concert they had come up from christchurch to enjoy - word was the stones themselves might come down for a beverage in this world-renowned wellington cafe, but we couldn't stay, already running late for our lunch appointment at ministry of food. following which I made a lightening tour of the salvo's and a few clothes shops; resolved to really follow through on the regular excercise and healthy food this time (although heartened by jen's admission of feeling unfit - now she really IS superhuman, used to run up and down those hills in takaka like they were bumps in the road!), and then caught the train to porirua. where I log on for the first time in almost 5 days - eeeeeek the guilt - and discover two major projects requiring urgent work. so, back to the juggling act.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

9:58 PM
Posted by jodi rose

and the wedding of the millennium

Thursday, April 13, 2006

11:11 AM
Posted by jodi rose

I really am at the end of the rainbow.

Flew into christchurch this morning, dropped my luggage off at the email place in cathedral square, to embark on a flurried response to a wonderful opporunity for developing the worldwide theatrical performance I've been dreaming of the last year.
Amazing how clearly the stars deliver on your wishes.
Slight shift in perception following intense discussions with Kay, repositioning myself as director of the new bridge foundation/institute of impossible ideas in order to generate income and networks for the global bridge symphony next year. Some days it's great being an artists, others I thrive on intuitive business savvy.

All taking place while adjusting from life on the (art)farm, through a quiet night in wellington and now the cathedral square internet cafe. Life as a sonic bridge nomad does have its challenges, but rewarding too. Seem to do a remarkable amount of productive work in these places, successful festival proposal from one in paris, and fingers crossed about the futuresonic idea.

Yesterday's Wairapa News featured a front-page photograph of me on the anzac bridge in kaiporo -a town that no longer exists. although the community and stories are going strong - thanks to kay's memory work. First time I've been on the cover of anything!!!

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

5:52 PM
Posted by jodi rose

happy young people playing in the sunshine

Thinking in the bath about youth - and whether it is indeed wasted on the young - now I'm starting to feel my advancing years creep up and demand their toll. Keep meeting wonderfully grown-up teenagers, who remind me of myself in various ways - I was 14 going on 24 - the latest, Victoria who came to coordinate the kitchen for the open day weekend was delightful, sassy, into speed-car racing but equally excited about her gown for the upcoming ball. Gorgeous. And of course Mary, back in Slovakia also had qualities I now recognise in myself - preternaturally mature and self-confident (but with hidden streaks of doubt) - it's a strange feeling, meeting people who evoke nostalgia for how you used to be. At the time, completely taking it for granted - as I probably am now, although feeling creaky and decripit.

There's that strange thing, too where you're in the country but actually walk less - strolling along state highway number 2 just isn't that enticing, and the backyard connects to the paddock filled with a neighbours cows - they still scare me en masse, even after all these years. Those solemn eyes and solid, unmoving bodies.

Then I had an email from my cousin's schoolmate and now an art colleague of mine, asking for contact details to let my cousin k. know about the 20 year high school reunion. eeek. uggghhh. lucky they're a year older than me... but still, that's come on damn quickly.

Scrolled through the info about our school on the website - which didn't exist ten years ago when I tried to find out about the reunion - not that I'm a geek or anything (?!??!?), although the romy and michelle experience could be kinda funny - but we had great interesting cool fun people at high school. The geography teacher used to call us 'the gypsies', hanging out down the back, smoking (I didn't - even under peer pressure), wearing headscarves (ok, well I did that) and 'jigging' to play pool in the nearby poolhalls (ooops, guilty there too) notice I'm not even going to mention alcohol consumption.

See, even after a missepent youth it's amazing how far you can come when you do decide to focus. My trouble was being smart enough to not have to try very hard for many years, and then when I did need to start applying myself had become very lazy and bored easily. Once you find something to apply yourself too though, you can achieve a lot, even as an average student. (that's going in the speech!)

So, there I was, flicking over the pages of maroon memory - and up smiles my old (no she was quite young then and looks the same now) music teacher, who I find out is now the principal. Way to go!

It made me really happy to see her there, leading those young adults with passion, humour and integrity - even if she did tell me, years ago 'you can't even play the piano, what makes you think you could sing?' which may have been part of her humour, dealing with uber-intense teenagers all day long, but I took it to heart. Not realising the inherent illogicality of the statement - it's amazing how those off-the-cuff comments can stay with you for years, shaping your sense of self and making you do all kinds of weird things. Like prove that it doesn't matter wether or not I can sing, play the piano, draw or act - I can play bridges, and that's something else!!

Ah the fragile skeins of adolescent self-confidence.
It concerns me how much time, energy and emotion women spend worrying about weight and attractiveness, when really we could be using all that mental effort to do whatever it is we want to do. Not waiting to be the perfect shape or have enough money or find love or buy a house or have the right job first.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

3:24 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Wonderful visit to the Pukaha Mt Bruce National Wildlife Centre, winner of the Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria award for on-site conservation. THe Campbell Island Teal (rare duck) remained hidden, but I saw Kokako, Kaka, Takahe (round, flightless bird thought to be extinct until some discovered in the 50's or 80's, with surely some relationship to the dodo), Tuatara (amazing camoflage lizards in existence since the age of the dinosaurs), and gorgeous brown Kiwi in the noctural viewing area. Very excited to finally see a kiwi.

A beautiful walk through the second generation forest, which includes rimu, hinau, rata, kahikatea, tawa, tree fern and easter orchid, all lush, moist and verdant, mossy twisted boughs, very middle earth.
Strangely, also a grove of california redwood, planted here in the 1930's in an experiment to see if they were a viable plantation timber - apparently not, as the trees grow too fast and don't become a hardwood in this climate, like they do in the states. So that was the thrill of nature for today. Dropped in to Bridget's sheep farm next door, she was out but the sheep are all home in the paddock and up the hill, with her three dogs snoozing off their mornings exertions.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

10:07 AM
Posted by jodi rose

I keep thinking that one day I will awake refreshed and filled with energy but something about the combination of fresh mountain air, rich food and constant visitors has left me shipwrecked with exhaustion.

The weekend ceremony and celebration was a roaring success, hundreds of people came through the house which is now the Kaipororo Musuem, with the memorial dedication on sunday a surprisingly moving event. Over 250 people attended, the Minister for Veterans Affairs promised to pass on the high level of interest and support to those higher-up, and gave a very affecting speech about how touched he was to see the community so involved in this memorial. Major McColl opened the event, with a military formation who stood in the 'memorial' position on the bridge, guns down, head bowed for the duration. After his introduction, he invited each of the families descended from the soldiers who died in the two wars to come and lay tributes on the bridge beneath the plaque. By the end there was quite a crowd assembled, it was sobering to reflect on the effect of war and the loss of these people still felt throughout the years. The Major also pointed out in conversation that while peace activists may have mixed feelings about celebrating those named on the bridge, it was not soldiers who made wars, but politicians. Indeed - and Bush seems intent on creating another insane conflict with Iran, with as little justification as the last.... has he learnt nothing? Evidently not.

Anyway, back to the tiny concrete bridge over the Mahakiki river in Kaiparoro, which on sunday was blessed by an hour of sunshine during the ceremony, in a weekend of squally storms and filthy weather.
The kids who came along to take part in the performance had a great time rehearsing on saturday, up in the attic which was originally the clockmakers studio and has a fabulous secret playarea under the eaves. We made human bridges (happy swing bridge everyone!) and practiced ringing (and not-ringing) the series of bells, holding the ribbons and dancing or twirling over the bridge. In the event, some of these kids were sick and couldn't make it, so I recruited a couple of random girls (one of whom was someone's neice, they were very touched to see her up there holding the ribbon) and two of the young soldiers, along with sally and pam who are family members descended from the bridge builder (I think). We started with the kids walking single file onto the bridge - each concentrating very hard on not letting their bell ring - then I directed them to ring and stop along the line, and all together. After that we had a little kerfuffle getting the ribbons in place, but eventually had all five stretched across the bridge, and then Ursula cut the ribbons - they symbolised each of the five countries where the soldier's are buried. She is the granddaughter of the woman who originally cut the ribbon to open the bridge, and had the scissors and samples of the ribbon which Kay matched for this purpose. After they were all cut, the kids, soldiers and adults ran to the side of the bridge and fluttered them over, making a kind of ship leaving into the future. A few people commented on the music, saying they enjoyed hearing the different places - I was just glad they could hear it, and got something from it - and I had a lot of fun incorporating the cows (who sounded a lot like the Turkish woodwind instrument) and traffic into the piece.

Then all the speeches (3 minutes each, very economical), a Maori hymn sung on the eve of the 28th Battalion leaving, and finally the Anzac prayer... they shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old.
So even though I'm vehemently opposed to war and don't believe it benefits anyone except arms dealers and afore-mentioned politicians, I was very touched to be part of this community ceremony and to honor the memory of the young people who gave their lives to serve their country and fight for freedom. Whatever that really means.
Also it had a lovely circularity for me, as the first bridge I ever recorded was later re-named the Anzac Bridge.

After the bridge memorial was finished, most people came back to the house for afternoon tea, chatting and mingling - over 150 of them and it didn't feel crowded. Enjoyed talking with lots of the 'oldies' (you have to be over 70 to qualify!) had plenty of laughter and interesting stories from people who are engaged, lively, and taking active roles in their community and family life. Ok, I was a little harsh before - I guess alzheimers, dementia, stroke and other illness can be an 'excuse' for becoming disengaged - but it's so much more to do with your spirit and intention than level of physical health or mental acuity.

Now I have made some great connections here, and will have to come back! It's time for my spirit to get some sunshine and excercise. Perfect timing, Jody P. just arrived at the door on her way to have lunch with a friend, and will take me to the wildlife sanctuary up the road, that happens to be where she's going. Leaving for wellington tomorrow morning and then akaroa for the wedding of the century!!

Thursday, April 6, 2006

7:58 PM
Posted by jodi rose

the very fabulous kate and kay

Nomadic Bridge Artist Celebrates Kaiparoro

'Our Land, Our People, Our Bridge and, Our Stories'
Weekend of Celebrations April 7-9 2006

Sonic bridge artist Jodi Rose is visiting New Pacific Studio at Mt Bruce for the celebration and rededication of the Anzac Memorial Bridge on Sunday 9th April, 2pm as part of the weekend of celebrations, which also include a Mystery Dig on Saturday, 10am at NPS.

Rose is working with a group of local children to explore the cultural connections from this bridge across the world and to create a work responding to the history and stories of the Kaiparoro area, for Sunday's celebration and rededication ceremony.

...Now for something completely different...

This is where I am right now, writing in my fabulous room in the restored normandell house, chaise lounge by the window, bells on the table. Filtering, planning and responding to ideas about the site and local area to create the performance with the kids on sunday. I'm still fascinated with the concept of sonic signatures, that a place transmits something of the soul and culture of its people through music. Had a wonderful time at the music school library, collecting examples to sample and cut-up and re-use from each of the countries where the people memorialised on the bridge are buried. Egyptian variations on popular themes, from Les Musicians du Nil (glad to have the Nile in there somewhere!), Debussy: Children's Corner (had to narrow the search for french music down somewhat, used the date 1918 which is when Debussy died)... some interesting synchronicity already - one of the wild cards that came up in the Turkish search is Rast Destgah, Ethnic Series PAN 2017 Mugam ensemble, that is an Anthology of Azerbaijainian Music, featuring a 53 minute improvisation. In conversation at dinner that night, kate mentioned the various tribes of the Jewish diaspora, including the Azerbijan who were mythologically oriented. Another strange link was the Mere Boynton CD, Waikohu, with Kohu the word for mist or fog, referencing the fairy people or mist maiden, and 'infers that reality is shrouded in mist, it is not possible to be too sure of what you see...this album (allows) the listener to glimpse through the mist and discover something new at every turn.' Another piece of Turkish music randomly chosen was a taksim, and displays 'the mysticism of mevlevi dervishes, meditative, religious nature' - perfect for a memorial service and celebration. Reading more on Debussy's orchestral works, I also found that he made a 'very free interpretation of Mallarme's 'L'Apres midi d'un Faune', a series of backgrounds against which the faun's dreams and desires stir in the afternoon heat'. There's just not enought symbolist poetry-inspired music these days!! ;)

I'm using very small samples (ie not infringine copyright!) from these works to create subtle resonances in the soundscape, mixed with ambient recordings from the bridge site which I made today when the cows responded with an extraordinary syncopated symphony of mooooing, the trucks rattled past and water bubbled along the stone riverbank. The kids will be using various simple performance techniques to evoke the start of their journeys along a river of dreams and desires, using bells, ribbon and bamboo, with the bridge becoming a ship at some point. Now all I need is to encourage some interprative dance (or ballroom would be fine too) and we'll be sweet. :))

This is a gorgeous project to be involved with, contributing something to my half-homeland (can you be a part new zealander?), getting to know more fabulous people, and staying in lovely surroundings. Sometimes money isn't everything - the intangibles can be equally valubale - but there's even some of that too!! The previous whinge about professional rates doesn't really apply here - its just those damned socialist principles in my bohemian upbringing that make it hard to successfully transition from do-anything-for-love to do-some-things-for-money-too... workshopping it.

Thursday, April 6, 2006

7:39 PM
Posted by jodi rose

audience before composer workshop at wellington school of music

*acknowledgement to justin clemens for original typography and concept
see ten thousand fcuking monkeys brilliant post-everything dystopian sonnets

wrestling with mixed emotions about my descent into the seedy compromised world of commerce. ah it was so much easier when my soul was pure and my bank account empty... although, come to think of it, somehow down to the last $3.72 yet again - but it's only temporary this time. it's a strange thing, this doing art for money business, (coming soon, in the very near future to a bridge near you) not entirely sure how I can reconcile it with the intention and philosophy of my practice, but guess that's what keeps me in practice these days ;) and it's likely to continue. assessing the offers I receive now in light of new professional status and accompanying daily rate.
if you want to play/hire/propose, talk to my agent....

reading about the marina ambromovic's performance art series for performa 05, in the guggenheim new york. she recreated some of the 'greatest hits' of performance art, but asked permission, paid a fee and credited the original performance artist. apparently tired of having her work ripped off, and seeing other ideas re-performed by a new generation who think they're original. according to Art in America Feb 2006, 'if the original artists were credited and paid, the whole messy medium could be brought into the world of copyright and distribution and licensing fees - in a word, into the marketplace'. yikes, thinks me, that's exactly what I've been kicking and screaming about this week.
It's a hard call, to sustain life operating only a poetic and philosophical or aesthetic realm - at some point you have to do tax, write budgets, make quotes and administrate your creative life as a small business.

'by treating the irremedialy category resistant performance form as if it were, say, popular music, and translating 'instructions' as 'score', a performance could be re-presented by anyone with the necessary stamina and determination (no small qualifications).
yes indeed. I am reminded of my introduction to ambromovic's work at a performance piece which took place in the old melbourne gaol on russell st, circa 1989 or 90. After wandering through installations in various cells (rea had photographs in one, a short film was running in the old courtroom) you were confronted by very stern, tall young women in jumpsuits, who had received special training in security and crowd management in order to perform the artwork. They strapped you down to a slanted wall in the old women's excercise yard - a small enclosed concrete space with greenish skylights - securing ankles, wrists and torso with thick leather straps, and then left you there for half an hour. It had quite an impact, although I may have got the time or other details slightly wrong, that all becomes part of the work. The memory of it, the documentation - which may not be exactly as it was.

Speaking of constraints, I was interested to read two paragraphs in completely different contexts which have sparked a flash of lucidity.

The first was in the same issue of art in america, at kate c's house last night, where I stayed after the highly successful and well-attended composers workshop at wellington university school of music, adam concert hall. Who is adam? he also has an art gallery there! Smart, engaged questions from the audience, and I managed to give a chronological overview of my work from the past 12 years using a ridiculous array of technology, from dvd to cd to minidisk to itunes to live to photoeditor to quicktime video. very smoothly too, it was noted.

Anyway, Michael Duncan writes, in an article about the newly hyped 'self-taught outsider artist' that 'despite its cachet in the heady days of internet access, the notion of globalism seems to have lost its lustre. Now that the world has supposedly shrunk, what seems increasingly interesting are the regional distinctions.' Indeed, and almost everyone, everywhere seems to be getting more fixed and parochial in some ways, unwilling to engage with the scary world 'out there'. Then in the newspaper this morning, an article about the US Government trying to pass laws criminalising illegal immigrants and anyone who assists or employs them (who would do all the work then? asks one) talked about the tightening of border controls all over the world. Such a strange juxtaposition, on one hand the world is expanding, multinational claims that globalisation is the WAY, (and it certainly benefits the multinationals) and on the other, retreating back into our corners, closing the borders to anyone 'undesirable', and becoming more fearful and intolerant of outsiders and anyone unknown.
At least they keep building bridges.

One of the questions asked yesterday was about collecting all the various materials I displayed into one format and publishing it, which I am trying to do from a narrative perspective as memoir/novel. Later, at dinner Kate expanded on her concerns for the archiving of digital material, talking about how her catalogues from 25 years ago are no longer readable, as the software programs don't exist anymore, and hardware long since superseded. It's one of the problems in the digital age that I've seen mentioned only once, but digital data actually doesn't last forever - it's so easily obsolete. Even colour photographs, she said, fade after 2 years and cease to exist in 14. Having been in a thinktank about the future, she had wrestled with these problems many years ago, also the idea that if society does break down completely - through apocalypse, nuclear or environmental - how can you ensure knowledge survives that will enable the next people to rebuild agriculture, housing - all the things you need to maintain life. After that we digressed into fabulously scurrilous art scene gossip, which sadly I can't repeat except to say a million dollar book of helmut newton nudes was involved.

Wednesday, April 5, 2006

7:27 AM
Posted by jodi rose

first view of the bridge

having intense vivid dreams in this old house, one a few nights ago where nigel in barcelona was showing me all the ID cards he'd collected with my name and different faces. so, there I am living multiple lives in spain - am with you in spirit miss lizzie en famille, john& kim , krick and nigel, my favourite lollymakers.

went to the patricia piccinini show at wellington city art gallery, those creatures she makes are very spooky, lifelike and just wrong - but then I guess that's the direction we're heading with bio-tech, cloning etc. a cute series of motorbike-fish hybrid creatures, all glossy, sleek and prehistoric/post modern, while the pig/human and scaley backed honeyeater guardians are visceral with belly button, hair and lifelike skin. my cousin erin was intrigued - she wanted to know 'what do they eat?' so we asked the attendant who didn't know, but tried to imagine with us (omnivores) and had some great insights and comments.

This afternoon Kay took me to Eketahuna, walked along the river to a dilapidated swing bridge built 1891 (and badly in need of re-stringing!) then the cemetery - high on a windy hill, early settlers, many larsens and svenssons reflecting the hidden scandinavian history of the area - with the most insane list of by-laws, including not being allowed to put flowers on a grave without written permission from the council. Lordy.

Then we made it to the Anzac Memorial Bridge, lovley curve to the walkway, peeling white paint, and beautiful old memorial plaque. Six people from the area who died in WWI are commemorated there, and three who died in WWII. Most of them lived nearby, or worked on farms; the descendent of one grew up in the house I'm staying in... one of the three killed in WWII was a nurse, travelling in a jeep in Egypt which collided with a truck - how unlucky can you be. Survive the war only to have a car accident. I'm not sure how those buried in Turkey died, but their memory lives on in this tiny rural bridge.

This is the windiest place I have ever been, even windier than Wellington. Apparently, the wind blows around the globe, and there is basically nothing to buffer or slow it down until it gets to New Zealand. Then the mountain here eats it! They're very fierce, and I imagine the messages written in the currents are strange and defiant - Michel Serres talks about the earth writing messages in a highly sophisticated language that we can't decode, but travels through the wind, ocean and other currents. yes, he's a french philosopher, no-one seems to blink an eye when those guys come up with crazy ideas - but gives me support for the bridges having their own language.

You're wondering about the Scandinavian thing? The local settlers decided long ago that they needed help logging the thick forests, and brought in immigrants from Denmark and Norway, thinking they would have experience - the norwegians probably did, but there's hardly any forest in denmark. Anyway, they had a hard time, not speaking english and no-one thought to find a bi-lingual teacher for the school, so were treated ast second class citizens, but helped build the modern towns in this area, including this house for the clockmaker.

So, my head is spinning with clocks and winds from around the globe, now it's time to leave for wellington school of music where I'm giving the composers workshop this afternoon to the sonic arts students.

Tuesday, April 4, 2006

9:56 AM
Posted by jodi rose

punk rebellion at three

get to the airport way too early saturday morning, and of course plane is delayed by previous flight being late arriving. you would think I'd know by know that the last minute check-in is the best idea, but no. pathologically early. used to arrive at dinner parties at their start time, on the dot, until it was pointed out to me that this was actually terrible manners, and besides which nothing fun would happen for at least an hour. then I went to slovakia and was routinely late, while everyone else got there at the exact time of the invitation.
so, anyway, had a fabulous fun-filled family weekend in wellington, staying with erin, mark, zoe and kathleen. paul, anne, campbell and michelle came over for dinner saturday night, very convivial, laughter and lots of great food, all going well, until..... kathleen climbed up the doorway of the kitchen and announced she had cut shelly's hair. uh-oh, really? not pretend? we all trooped into the bedroom to have a look, and there was michelle, transformed from a 3yr old princess with golden locks to a raggedy urchin with fringed mullet. except for anne being a bit upset, it was very funny. then as erin tried to explain to kathleen that it would best if she didn't cut hair again, as she really hadn't done a very good job, she looked up and said: but she looks like a top model. the hilarious thing was, she did - you could pay $150 for a haircut like that in newtown. I think it's her first punk rebellion, she's going to be a very interesting girl as she grows up.

Next morning, accompanied erin to see uncle jack, who is 81 and lives alone up the hill from karori, and needs regular care visits in addition to the district nurse and meals on wheels. he was in the shower when we arrived, so we retreated to the back yard and admired the cemetery on the next hill, then ventured into the house but unlucky erin had a brief conversation in the hall while he was wearing only a zimmer frame, but managed to convince him to dress before coming into the kitchen. it's sad to see an elderly person become decrepit and lost interest in anything except tv, such a contrast to my grandfather and great-uncle pat (his brothers), jim swam 2km a day at balmoral and was always ready to explore a new restaurant, travelled round australia in a campervan when he retired, went to peru, and loved the company of beautiful women (he was a geography professor - in fact edited the macquarie atlas, so there you go, it's genetic!!). And Pat got up every morning at 4am to milk the cows on the farm in takaka, where I was sent every christmas for many years, only leaving to travel once, but as lively and gruffly affectionate a man as he was all through my childhood. I don't think getting older is any excuse for being lazy or losing interest in the world around you, which only makes you melancholy and self-absorbed. And believe me, I know. It's not necessary either, just met a wonderful man in the corridor at nps, who told me he has a walking stick now, but otherwise sparkly-eyed and very active - the clockmaker who built this house was the man who installed the clock in big ben, and he would get shipped back out to london to do repairs whenever the strike went haywire.

Admired the first two wind sculptures along the bay towards wellington airport, part of a series of eight. One is a huge orange needle, that spins and turns in the wind - echoing the orange wind socks on the runway, but far more elegant and 10 times longer (about 50m). The second is a circle of neon lights, powered by a fan-thing, and as the wind picks up speed, the neon circles light up, going from yellow at the bottom to red at the top - so when you see red, it's a hurricane!
Handed a flyer by a young woman at the railway station in the morning, which I see in the paper today is in direct breach of the court suppression order in a rape case where two policemen who had already been convicted of a previous offence were acquitted in the latest trial (and details/names kept secret) while the woman's past history was admissable as evidence. apparently it's one of new zealand's worst kept secrets, and these men considered themselves immune to prosection - sadly, it seems once again that police really are above the law. similar case in LA where a group of policemen were recently arrested for doing house robberies, dressed in uniform.
Strangely, I often feel outside the law, even though I'm actually doing nothing wrong - except having the temerity to live the way I want do, and being successful at it. Time to stop apologising.
My god, there's a rabbit in the front garden. Woke up this morning to cows out the kitchen window. A striking contrast to redfern. Time now to go meet the anzac bridge I am the inaugural memorial fellow to, which is dwarfed by the new highway and was going to be blown up until kay set up the friends-of organisation to save it.