TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

  

VIEWING ALL POSTS FOR: FEBRUARY 2007

Monday, February 26, 2007

11:00 PM
Posted by jodi rose

I finally did it, I caved and joined the spaced out generation.
A little nerve-wracking, starting with just one 'friend' - the ubiquitous Tom, who has 158,764,164 friends, which is surely a little excessive, although I don't imagine he's having cups of tea with them all on a regular basis. (Like the artist with 50 assistants - what would you do with them all? I only need the one. And a few good friends.) Raises interesting philosophical questions about the nature of friendship in this sense, as most of the people you will never meet - but then it's very cool surfing from gintas k over to kafka via miss clara rockmore to finn of tommland. I feel more connected already! Finding new ways to network and expand the activities of the bridge princess every day.


Will you be my friend?

Friday, February 23, 2007

11:52 AM
Posted by jodi rose

I ran into a friend on the street the other day, and after chatting for a while he asked me; 'Jodi, how DO you make money?'

aha. the 64 thousand dollar question. or 64 cents is more like it lately.
stringing together grants and residencies and government funding...
then there are the gaps. jumping, teetering, skating on the ice.

Having an 'It's a wonderful life' moment, so any bridge angels out there please come on down and make yourself known!

Taking some tips from the magnificent mime artist I saw yesterday after seeing a showing of a friend's physical theatre companies latest work in development. A few of us ended up in the office, watching this guy doing his heartfelt mime to 'torn'. sheer genius. haven't laughed so much in ages.

Going for a swim at clovelly this afternoon with the wonderful philippa and connie, maybe that will help restore clarity and optimism. I'm all outta faith.... but not for long. xj

Monday, February 19, 2007

3:26 PM
Posted by jodi rose

The activity update email I sent out last week has given surprisingly positive results - for someone who has a public diary, I'm weirdly shy about writing on lists or to groups, and rarely do so - heard news from some old friends who haven't been in touch in a while, and so far have had invitations from a theatre group, an artist's talk and a radio broadcast. there you go, must do that gentle self-promotion update more often.

Talking on the transit lounge site late last night, engaging in various conversations about the authenticity of place, living a life in transit, airports, kisses and more. finally have got myself back on solid ground enough to enjoy the vagaries of this transient life, reaching out to people on the other side and decoding the signals more easily.

About to strip back my life to the essentials - everything that fits in a suitcase - but in preparation have been dragging more and more boxes out of storage. with a purpose, going through archives and collating previous work into a coherent form - and generating new ideas for projects on the bus out there. Fabulous, I love when all the tangents you've been following drift into a pattern, and suddenly you see there is nothing random at all about your sudden fascination with missed connections, wishes, brooklyn bridge webcam and theatre workshops.

Playing the bridge instrument at dorkbot tonight, come along it's fun!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

11:57 PM
Posted by jodi rose

'life shrinks or expands in direct proportion to your courage'

who said that? I can't remember.

scraping together every last ounce of courage for this next leap.

do I mention often enough how absolutely gorgeous my friends are?
so fabulous. I love each and every one of you completely and utterly.
especially the lovely poetic soul who sent me the magic wishing tree xx

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

11:27 PM
Posted by jodi rose

LOVE IS THE SPACE BETWEEN SOUNDS Upstairs hallway at Tonic, Lower East Side

"throw my ticket out the window
throw my suitcase out there too
throw my troubles out the door,
I don't need them anymore
cos tonight I'll be staying here with you"

if your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash (leonard cohen)

anyway, have a lovely valentines day -
friends without borders the radio dj said this morning, I like that.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

10:33 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Just had a gorgeous sonic world trip courtesy of soundtransit, taking me from a stormy night in sydney to bubbling mud in karosta via Tibetan roofers, old factories along the canals of montreal, crows in cuba, and woodcutters in latvia who kept our friends warm during their stay. completely fantastic project, you can design your own itinerary and book a flight around the world through the sonographic contributions of an international community of sound artists who have contributed their work.

All licensed by 'creative commons' which allows the material to be remixed and used as long as the original is credited, so 'the work doesn't end with the recording being uploaded, but can be used by anyone in anyway' as Nick Marriette shows in the program mixed for The Night Air, with intriguing narration by the artists about the locations, their process and context. Some inspiring philosophical reflections on Sufi beliefs about giving the attention of your heart to the beloved, in a selfless remembering of god (or spirit, whatever you need to call it) - commenting on the similiarity of field recording to being in a state of concentration and awareness where you forget yourself and become one with the place where you are recording. mmmm, works for me.

Not much longer to wait now for those inspiring berlin conversations.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

1:08 AM
Posted by jodi rose

Listening to Goldfrapp, finally wrestled the stuff in my room into some semblance of order. When oh when will I be mininal???

It's fun living with so many people, even though Haysie and I are almost exactly opposite - all she wants to do in her free time is watch footie or cricket, which is the very last thing I would choose to do - we both share an addiction to webcams. Her tip is the surf cam at australia's coastal watch - live waves, which no doubt I'll be using when landlocked in berlin and overcome by the desire to see the ocean like I was this morning. The signs at Clovelly said 'danger waves'.

Wandered into Grant Pirrie gallery on the way home, one of my favourite contemporary art spaces in sydney. australia even.
consistently intriguing work and wide range of practices and styles.
saw a painting that I absolutely fell in love with - Marisa Purcell 'Wish' - and if I had a spare seven grand would definitely buy. Sadly all the money I can scrape together goes on airfares and making my own art - but one day, we'll be collectors too. It had an oceanic sense of peace, with floating gold temple in the middle and a flock of birds flying off to the right. Haysie tells me the squealing birds that have taken up residence in a tree round the corner are Yellow Crested Cockatoos, not Galahs as I randomly guessed. Really not great with wildlife. And if you see a black cockatoo, it's gonna rain.

Had an impromptu drink with rachel in the back yard, she finally made it back from malaysia weeks late, after having passport issues. her family are from Sarawak, and have just moved back there as her grandmother passed on all her land to the daughters. The land is immense and deep in the jungle of borneo, with illegal logging activity going on all around, so rachel's mother is in the process of suing whoever she can to get it stopped. Extraordinary, I had no idea of the experience juxtaposition rachel must be going through, back in redfern - amazing to find the people around you have these wild lives that collide in kitchens and balconies. Another friend of haysie's was going off to study community cultural development in guatemala - it's a diverse mix of people walking through these doors!

the angst is lifting, thankfully, and recovering a sense of perspective and humour. emer said tonight, you're thinking too much. aha.
but she also pointed out that it was no wonder I had some degree of mental hyperactivity, considering the stress level that goes along with having no stable home base or regular income. most people don't choose to live like that, jodi, she reminded me - and it's amazing that you've kept it up for this long. well, thanks to all my very supportive and generous family and friends, especially lisa who is keeping a handle on the bills and supplying company, conversation and gin. xx

Friday, February 9, 2007

2:50 PM
Posted by jodi rose

....just when I was starting to wonder if I actually was insane, received this fabulous text from one of my lovely lithuanian sound artist friends (and a remixer of the singing bridges audio) with his podcast for sound folly about frequencies of the universe. gorgeous reminder that we're all out there tinkering on our own particular wavelength, and sometimes they do intersect.

'Elementary Particles' Gintas K

"Every age has it's own instruments and instruments have their own timbres. A computer has become the main instrument in our time; sine waves and white noise - it's generated and most frequently used timbres.

I created this podcast by using 5 components and their symbolic meanings: 145 Hz and 235 Hz sine waves which are basic frequencies of male and female speech - harmony; white noise - disharmony; 80 Hz sine wave which sometimes goes below the scale of human hearing - hell; 10 KHz sine wave which goes above the scale of human hearing - heaven. 80 Hz and 10 KHz reveal musical infinity and human limitation and, in some way, human possibility to create infinity from his limitations.

The work consists of intro, outro, and four parts, that symbolize earth and the order of mankind. Rhythm as a driving force of living is a key element in all parts. Does this concept mean that I'm trying to create the universe of spheres? - No. Does it mean that conception is more important than music? For sure - not. Does it mean that music is above everything? - But music in these times doesn't exist ... there is only sound art."

"the pulse and click of your cyberheart is melody to my analogue to digital converter" (another beautiful track title from gintas k)


OWN [SOUND] ART
Podcasting. Or art by subscription.

====

8th February 2007 - The second podcast in a series of 4.

====

Podcasting is the broadcast medium of the masses. It is possible for anyone to make and publish a podcast about anything they please and to access a global audience with the click of a mouse. Throughout February 2007 folly, in partnership with SoundNetwork, is publishing a series of specially commissioned podcasts that explore the possibilties of the medium for artists and the distribution of their work in sound. Anyone can subscribe to the series and with each download (1 every week in February) the listener will add a new piece of art to their digital collection.

This series not only explores the practical delivery of sound art on the internet, but also the very nature of communication through broadcasting; from the transmissions of a cosmonaut beyond our own atmosphere, to communicating ideas about spirituality through frequency, and through inviting sounds from our computers to occupy our environment as a backdrop to our own lives.

The series continues with podcasts from Neil Webb (15th Feb) and Antony Hall (22ndFeb).

Friday, February 9, 2007

2:13 PM
Posted by jodi rose

One of the songs I've chosen as a musical influence has the lines:
'she's got everything she needs, she's an artist, she don't look back...
she never stumbles, she's got no place to fall'

That's pretty much it for today. don't look back and whatever you do, don't look down. out on the highwire suspended over a raging torrent.

Feeling uncomfortable in body, mind and spirit this morning. took myself off to the ocean for a swim, refreshed a few ions, and had a photo shoot with a llama in a friend's garden. yes, that is as silly as it sounds, and the reason for it even more ludicrous so I won't go into it.

A little bit tired of being on the edge of this particular chasm. not dealing with uncertainty very well at all. help, please, if you can.
send wishes, money, send flowers, send a care package.
I promise I'm learning to be strong and gentle and kind and have faith in the process of life unfolding... it just takes a while to sink in.

Thursday, February 8, 2007

10:07 AM
Posted by jodi rose

A complete stranger wrote to me last week, and asked:
'How do I become a Saint?'
'I don't know', I tried to reply, 'I'm still working on becoming a human being. Some kind of miracle, perhaps?' but the email bounced back.

Anyway, I have developed my own four step - program or pillars of wisdom - to get me through the days. Along with 'courage, grace and love' from a friend's photographer friend, written on the studio wall.

Show up
Be present
Keep dancing
Let go

I think at least 80% of life is just showing up.
Having failed dismally at that recently, it's really provoked a growth spurt. Lucky, as I was somewhat challenged in my emotional development in some areas. But then, maybe we all are, somewhere.

Visited my guru the other day, and she told me:
be happy. It's really very simple, you have a choice to be happy or not, in any moment or circumstances. Don't try or analyse or worry about what you have and haven't got, are and aren't, simply choose to be happy now.

I know this is sounding like a dreadful american motivational catchphrase (and by the way, I'm seriously going to write one of those 'achieve your dreams and live the life you imagine' for artists, cynics and other misfits' books one day) but when you think about it, it's more zen-like. You don't need any 'thing' or any 'one' to show how or make it happen - it's all there in your mind.

So, maybe one day we will approach a leonard cohen-like state of calm, grace and humour. I saw the movie 'I'm your man' tonight, interspersing performances from the 'came so far for beauty' tribute show at sydney festival with a lovely interview - the songs are so great, especially the wainwrights, beth orton, antony and jarvis cocker, but I could listen to his voice for hours.

Anyway, Leonard says: 'when you stop seeing yourself as the hero of your life, and stop expecting to win' - something amazing happens... But I can't remember what (that's me, not him with the memory lapse this time)

One of his artworks: "I never got rich/ I never found the girl/ Follow me"

and final words of pain and wisdom 'my reputation as a ladies man made me laugh bitterly at the ten thousand nights I spent alone.' aaah leonard.

More conversations in the studio today and my psychology homework (there'll be a quiz on which is which and what is what):

segue into whales in the opera house
you'll get attached
no, I'm practising letting go
you need more than bubble
I thought I heard a random tick

Funny, reading my notes for composition from 2005, and am banging on about exactly the same things - good to see at least the angst is consistent.

Thursday, February 8, 2007

10:05 AM
Posted by jodi rose

Notes from Slovakia

Illumination slips elusively by
remember how I hate commerce
you are a lonely island in a vast ocean
jokes Crick about me in barcelona
living a life of poetry, how insane
strangely is what I am impelled to do

some inner force drives me to the particular
and bizarre, the textures and longing
melting silk under my tongue
scratchy rough world can't touch me
here I am snowdrops, moon-petals, ice particles

I like to be anonymous
slip nameless through unknown streets

I want you to sing to me
luscious molten rough gravelly treacle
whisky and moors flow in your voice
out of control, stumbling and lurching
your way closer, a face I can't read
yet to learn the signs to decipher
and a smile that lights up my heart.

I seem to be nowhere
successful despite myself
not sure what to do with it
or where to go next
the world scrapes me raw

I fell in love once
with sky blue eyes,
dramatic oceans of mood
pillowy lips, corkscrew hair
darkening cloud
quickening sparkles
but like all my other loves
enchanted, I let him go
float drift fade away
odd that now I can
hardly remember his name.

---

Everyone loves to see white hot
fire trails lighting up the night
do you ever stop and think about
how it feels to be that shooting star
burning a thousand years energy
to blaze along your velvet way?

I watched the lunar standstill when
the moon hangs, plump and juicy
with orange wish so low in the sky
she traces the arches of my sea green bridge

I am the keeper of the moon
her path out of bounds tonight,
once in nineteen years,
while I feel this way every day
strain, stretch and pull to be
free of earth's gravity
then sink once more beneath the hills.

I want to dance kiss laugh sing
instead lie in bed, alone, awake
wanting you, waiting for peace.
perhaps the whisky will help.

single malt balverie double wood
amber scent drag on fire breath
I search for one on my wavelength
but feel so out of bounds, off course
give me a sign, will we ever connect?

This journey is about
love and longing
sorrow and forgetting
life and hope
sensuality and rain.

---

something about the randomness
of the places, and connections
which i like.

somehow trying to encompass it all
have a grand plan that covers everything
is not quite right.

there has to be an element of chance,
of chaos, unexpected meetings,
and poetry.

essence. the nature of connections
being grounded in a place
going deeper, not skimming the surface.

maybe it is like one of those romantic quests,
to actually attain the object of one's desire would
render it null and pointless, erase the power
it has over your imagination.

---

reminds me of leonard cohen's other great saying,
that you have to fail in your mandate sometimes
and stand without guilt, to say I failed
and perhaps failing was the ultimate mandate

Thursday, February 8, 2007

10:01 AM
Posted by jodi rose

bridge symphony composition
general notes july 05

"it's a love song
about being in one place
and aching for someone in another
having moments of intense connection and trying to find ways to build them into sustainable relationships
mobility, being always unpacked, nomadic
new adventures, new experiences - but no roots or stability
sending out a signal - I'm here, I hear you.
waiting for a reply back

use silence
gaps between sounds
building bridges in air and sound

build across the space with struts
[s] n [s] n [s] n [s] n [s] n [s] n [s] n [s]
noise/silence meet in middle
build bridge then crash it!
tension, instability, chaos

darkness selfdoubt danger loneliness
under the bridge
all falling apart chaos

slowly rise above the murky underworld into a strange
ethereal place of light
ambient minimal cool calm beautiful

work with contrast in texture
gritty industrial/bubbling soft spooky/
bells clanging metallic pure resonance

aim NOT to make an incoherent cacophony

the world sends messages to itself
angels in places of transition
love and the sublime

where do you start
gritty crunchy industrial
leading people onto the bridge
build it up to the middle
then unleash the popping cables
it's a slow bridge!
needs the darkness underneath to balance cables and bells
spooky alien unfamiliar turbulent sad lonely
find way out through distant bells
follow their tone to place of pure sensation
and experience
being present in the moment
finding the joy in connection wherever it happens
and for however long
letting things be what they are,
not trying to make them into what you want
resolve at peace with self in skin open to life ready for new adventure

transcending - metaphor
sending messages, signals
bleeps minimal bell tones pulses
space around sounds
giving love and letting it grow"

Saturday, February 3, 2007

12:26 AM
Posted by jodi rose

another crazy few days.

still decompressing from all that intense mental energy, conceptualising the myriad aspects of this global symphony caper. having a chance to talk about influences and new directions in music and art with julian day on his new music up late show - profiles of artists 'off the record'.
can't wait. tune in to abc classic fm, or listen online in the next week:

new music up late
'off the record'
sat 17 feb 10.30pm - 12.30am
or listen online

went to nigel's exhibition opening tonight, gorgeous work as always, using his sonic microscopic technique with tiny diaromas on lightbulbs...
excellent opening talk from tony mcg, referencing james joyce, talking about radio and memory. chatted with a very down-to-earth and funny art dealer about possibilities for transforming singing bridges into some kind of saleable commodity - get it on the wall, he told me. rethinking and reframing the work - another whole dimension of fabulous fun!

dropped into the abc to pick up my slovak experimental radio series of CD's for selection on the show next week, it's the closest thing to an ongoing professional environment I have. enjoy the random conversations there so much. danny told me about an article in the herald today about 'affluenza', based on the work of a visiting london pyschologist who called sydney 'the most vacuous of cities. The Dolly Parton of cities in australia.'

some of the comments on the blog are hilarious, one person saying, well, as long as we're the MOST vacuous, that's ok, others talking about their neighbourhood as being the only good one. (ooops, did I do that recently - guilty as charged maybe. not the best but the one I like to live. although the beach is nice, but all those people doing endless rounds of physical fitness really irk me). Luckily, not one of the following categories applies to me, or many people I know:

'When they are not working the longest hours in the developed world, they pursue perfect bodies through joyless fitness regimes, or obsess about property prices. And they are always looking around anxiously, in the hop that others aren't doing better.' (Oliver James, quoted in the article 'Vacuous, shallow city with no soul' by Brigid Delaney 27/1/07) although maybe if he'd hung out in the park more and talked to some random passers by, or people who are just going about their lives without worrying too much about how they look or maybe even some artists, he might have had some different insights.

mind you, I feel that way sometimes too, but having recently exorcised my demons about peoples expectations it doesn't bother me so much anymore. he compares sydney to new york, saying there is 'material wealth but terrible sadness at the core', 'alienation', and 'a life leached of meaning'. he also talks about the strain on relationships caused by this hunt for perfection and 'the one', and calls being in love an illness, 'it's like drugs'. his suggestions: be authentic, vivacious and playful.
read a book, make a daisy chain, help a friend move house.

...again I am reminded of the benefits to being broke but happy. time. time to do what I please, hang out with friends, enjoy life in a simple way. oh, and make art. reflect on the world, connect with people.

speaking of which, had a wonderful conversation with a friend from my misspent youth who I haven't seen in almost twenty years. gave me a vivid insight into all kinds of patterns I've taken for granted since - funny how you forget the effect people have on you over time. he's as bitingly intelligent, subversive, funny and kind as I remember, and has been doing wild international projects like setting up community radio stations in east timor (solar powered, as self-sustaining as possible).

on a completely different note, had a lovely evening last night at Hedwig, such a powerful rock'nroll show, full of passion, bittersweet regret and the desire for love and connection. Iota gives an amazing performance, the audience was spellbound every minute of it. An old friend invited me, and rocked up wearing a bright red t-shirt saying 'I'm your soulmate', which apparently girls on the street are very appreciative of. He told me he'd had it ironed - well, I'm going out with Jodi Rose, I had to make an effort. Cute. And very apt considering the subject matter of the play. We had fun, it was great to hang out with someone I know so well over many years, with absolutely no expectation or self-consciousness. And it's impossible to feel like you're being too loud or too much, as he is always dialled up a few extra notches in intensity - which I find strangely relaxing... other people may just find strange. in a good way.

anyway, after all that contradictory rambling, maybe time for sleep.
have been on a 3am cycle with all this writing, the nights are so lush. big full moon shining in the window now and a warm playful breeze.

'Art is never finished, only abandoned.' Leonardo da Vinci

Thursday, February 1, 2007

12:53 AM
Posted by jodi rose

'I'm only happy when it rains... I'm only happy when it's complicated.'

yes, finally a glaswegian drizzle has descended over sydney. centrepoint is blurred in the mist, and my soul is at peace.

although that could have something more to do with getting not one but TWO grant applications finished tonight. something about a deadline, I just can't let it go past if I've decided to apply. very satisfying.

fingers crossed.. and now the long wait to hear the lottery results.

had a wonderful time the last two afternoons with the incredibly generous michael b, who is collaborating with me on composing the surround sound global bridge symphony. when I say collaborating, he's more of a mentor really, I'm there with the raw sounds and he is taking me through the process of abstracting and manipulating them to highlight the inherent musicality. today we worked with resonance from the rouen cathedral, which is perfect for the bridge as an urban modernist sacred space. we're listening to the angels or ghosts in the steel, and secret codes passed through from another dimension... with deep rumbling subs and ethereal church bells. my kind of afternoon fun.

'don't panic; you'll find there IS no centre' and
'you can't hurry sound' are quotes of the day.

completely infatuated with the tesla talisman 308 radio. jess is working on a logo for new project and having fun with bakelite.

indulging my new favourite pastime of keeping an eye on the brooklyn bridge webcam - it's the best one I've found, updates evey three seconds or so and there's snow on the bridge today - people seem to dance along the path as the images flicker past. Brkln Brdg @ Centre St is the one to click on. The image is much closer than in the fog yesterday, those cathedral arches clear in the morning almost-sun. I could watch the traffic flow all night. there's something about transit and connection there. I really needed that, to be reminded of the genuine yearning for a deeper connection. It's somehow catapulted me into a new state of mind and being, beyond the merely personal into a higher understanding. see, that's the joy of being an artist, all your pain gets transformed into something else entirely. this process is an essential part of the synthesis.

the last time I felt that way it led to this wishlist, and we're close friends now... in fact, maybe even getting married soon - is that year up yet a??? katie was talking about having a mass wedding for all the australians in berlin - must remember to take my cream silk evening dress. mmm blueberry soup.

So, I've finally managed to coalesce this global symphony into a rockin' proposal with all kinds of different elements, from engineers and bridge data to flash player virtual conductors and play bridge vj instrument controllers, and acoustic architectural simulators. Man, I hope it all works out, we are gonna have so much fun!

mmm the video keeps breaking up and going pixellated with blue and green stripes - gorgeous. something very compelling about watching people walk across a bridge, in real time, on the other side of the world. Now, if only I could hear the cables as well..... stay tuned.

musing. when do you stop moving? I love my fellow nomadic friends so much, knowing we will always meet up, after stops in delhi or helsinki or glasgow or zagreb - you people keep me sane. the friends who stay in one place are pretty damn fine too, I'd be lost without you.

so many stories taking place under the harbour bridge the other night. a very comfortable bed set up in the palm trees near my bench, with orange blanket, pillow and a bag tucked under a rug - although I never did get to meet my neighbour, thought he may have been the wildly conducting singlet wearing guy in late forties with curly hair; but definitely not the older german couple looking for the way to the steps; or the guy who drove up in a blue mercedes benz, got out in his tracky daks and basically had a lapdance from his hot younger girlfriend on a the steps of the park outside the hyatt. classy.

for all my friends in sunshine-challenged places, you can watch the ferries go by on sydney harbour too!

opening night of hedwig and the angry inch tomorrow then nigel's exhibition on friday. book reading from colette yesterday:
blissful languid irresolute supine. surrendered again to a lazy happiness.