TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

  

VIEWING ALL POSTS FOR: AUGUST 2008

Friday, August 29, 2008

3:17 PM
Posted by jodi rose

BRIDGE RADIO WIEN 107.9 FM
LIVE TODAY!!!

FRI 29 AUG / 6 - 8 PM

Schwedenbrucke, Donaukanal U1, U4, Ring 1, 2 Schweden Pl.

EVERYONE IS INVITED TO PLAY ON THE BRIDGE

Bring your instruments - electronic, acoustic, percussion, voice, strings, wind...

BYO Radio, recording device, headphones, microphone, laptop, FRIENDS

JOIN THE BRIDGE RADIO LIVE INTERVENTION

www.sound-delta.eu

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

8:34 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Arrived in Vienna on Monday, caught the next bus to Bratislava with minutes to spare,an hour later was meeting fellow radio artists in front of the hotel danube. took my things to the boat, docked in fabulous industrial port harbour; went back out to explore the city and have dinner; ended up in karaoke bar and left at 6am for trip back to Vienna by water, so didn,t make it to the eyelash bridge I was hoping to record;all day yesterday on the boat; very relaxing 12 hour journey back to Vienna; through a lock just as nightfell and moored in our present salubrious location between Marina Wien and the Danube Hilton: New arrivals include cosmin and spektr; both of whom I know from singapore, going up on deck to watch the sunset and check out the signal on the fancy receiver: life floats on in a very sublime way...

Sunday, August 24, 2008

2:02 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Last rainy sunday in Berlin... camped out in the internet cafe, making the most of my final hours online and tech-equipped. As you know, I'm about to become a post-media artist. Apologies for unanswered emails, in advance. Letting a few deadlines slide by too. You know, I just don't have the energy. Burned out from trying to arrange mega projects. I'm just going to float for a while. Assuming I manage to located the french radio boat crew tomorrow. The directions I have are: go to Bratislava, and call this french mobile phone number. I have absolute confidence that we will find each other, even with this vague arrangement. And hey, it's a chance to really live what I preach... this from a letter to a friend earlier in the week:

"Sometimes it's good to free yourself from trying to know anything, or make choices. Just give yourself to life and see where it takes you."

And where it takes you is a mystery, until you get there, at which point is simply becomes where you are. I like the return to Bratislava, there's a nice circularity to it, since the name of the barge is 'Ange Gabriel' and the first time I went there in 2002, I had to meet a Mr Gabriel for my very dodgy loft bed with leopard-print decor and mirrors. It was next to the american embassy, and he wouldn't let my Slovak friend come with me to the apt, due to some left-over paranoia... everything worked out fine then, and am sure it will now.

The beginning of a plan hatching for October, will see where it goes...

Bon voyage, may be able to update sporadically from the Danube, otherwise, see you in three weeks. xxx jodi

Saturday, August 23, 2008

2:01 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Final weekend, trying to wrap up all the loose ends in my life before leaving berlin again on monday. Oh ok, so that's not gonna happen. Doing my best to set things up and sort them out so that all will continue to run smoothly in my absence - yes, three weeks on the ange gabriel barge on the danube, no internet, not computer, actually sounds fun!

There's a radio studio on the boat, or so I hear, looking forward to some floating radiophonic art practice. I'm doing my best to find people to play on bridges with me, have talking with Konrad and Armin in Vienna, then meet fabulous friends Luka and Nova in Linz, who are there representing Slovenia, also Helen and Heiko will be their collecting their Golden Nica for Nuage Verte. Nice one!!

So, just as I start to feel at home in Berlin again, connect with my various friends and communities, got lost in the west and enjoyed the incredible marscapone gorgonzola and truffle pecorino cheese platter at a friend's local italian deli, after a few minutes bliss on a sewing machine patching my jeans, finally had a mildly trashy night out with Edi and her visiting NY artist friend, misbehaving on the street....

Realised that if I want to be a seriously collectable artist, I need to get a lot trashier, am way too responsible and together! Maybe we can find a balance somewhere. Still, this fragmented floating life is pretty damn good right now. Off to saturn to buy mini discs, then quiet evening, movie with Jas, and final fleamarket trip tomorrow.

Look out for bridges singing near you - have submitted works to this new online soundmuseum project, and next issue of vibro files.

Life is completely open for October/November, feel free to write in with a suggestion and we'll make a plan. Anything to help decide. Invitations that include food, accommodation and/or funding will be favorably received. All genuine replies considered.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

8:45 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Lost in Berlin after Hotel Chernobyl, gradually finding my way back.
Having a good week so far, great bargains at my favourite fleamarket on the weekend, boxhagener platz, home to all kinds of cool retro-electro junk. Picked up a great 8 band world radio, sony mike, and black wig... all kinds of possibilities. Making plans for the Danube bridge concerts, lining up my local artists in Vienna and Linz - just discovered the two Luka's will be there from Ljubljana, and happy to play if we can find the time! So love having people in my life who turn up again in random places...

Fantastic writer's group last night, had really useful and productive crit on my first draft of Singapore Punk story, which will eventually be a chapter in the memoir. Definitely finding the flow, and tone, good questions from people in the group, about what exactly I mean by punk, and from someone who doesn't know me - who are you and why should I care? Indeed, exactly. Thinking about how to write yourself as a character, and giving more information about context, although the kids liked the mix of detail on people, culture, politics...

Woke up this morning and wrote for 3 hours, now to do that every day. Then another 3 hours.... It feels like some kind of breakthrough, clarity of intention and focus much clearer than before. Need to wrangle a spare computer from someone to work on during the boat trip... anyone? An old laptop lying around... just need word processing and basic audio editing.... beep beep beep transmission over...

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

3:54 PM
Posted by jodi rose

You are cordially invited to come to the FORGOTTEN BAR PROJECT gallery in Kreuzberg on this coming Wednesday.

The following works will be shown:

Jacob Kirkegaard: "HOTEL CHERNOBYL"
12 photos of 40 x 30 cm (2006)
'Hotel Chernobyl' offers a photographic view into the one and only hotel existing inside the Zone of Exclusion in Chernobyl, Ukraine.

Sarah & Jacob Kirkegaard: "CHERNOBYL ALL INCLUSIVE"

In October 2005, Sarah and Jacob Kirkegaard explored the touristic potential of the so-called Zone of Exclusion in Chernobyl, Ukraine. After more than 20 years of abandonment, the area has become Europe's greatest nature reserve. However, it still holds the uncanny charm of a nuclear no-man's land where everything but memory has long been eradicated.

"Chernobyl all inclusive" is a remix of footage recorded during this visit. It presents two parallel reports of the same journey: one in sound, the other in image, both taken from the same rough DV recordings. While the video stills and cross-fades focus on the claustrophobic interior of „Hotel Chernobyl" - an improvised housing container provided for the rare guests to the Zone - , the vivid sound narrative evokes a whole range of experiences and associations from the trip: from endless car drives and checkpoint dialogues to the rustling of trees overgrowing the deserted settlements.

We hope to see you there
Feel free to bring friends.

Details:
The exhibition will only be up on this evening
Wednesday the 13th of August between 18:00 - 22:00 uhr
Address: Schönleinstrasse 28, 10967 Berlin Kreuzberg


Jacob Kirkegaard - http://fonik.dk
Photo preview - http://fonik.dk/works/hotel.html

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

12:12 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Offerings to the Hungry Ghosts

"...sometimes it's hard to know if your soul is stuck in the place you
have left, or just stuck online somewhere when you don't have net
access. anyways you should let it catch up with you before you move on again. breakfast was a good start. maybe there are some special berlin places that don't have free wifi that you could nourish yourself with. it's possible that you are just exhausted and need a bloody good rest and i sounds like you are doing just that, when you are ready add more walks into the mix. walking fixes all kinds of problems."

"I know it's hard when people come and go. But if you feel Berlin is your home, you'll get by :) For me, I think when you're in Europe, you're close to me. I mean, mentally always but you know.

I'll make a little drumming for you tonight if you still feel lost soul!"

thank you for the wisdom and support - here's to a new day.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

11:52 AM
Posted by jodi rose

Tuned in to the european sound delta on radio wne for a preview of next month's esoteric radio trip along the danube... excellent aural stimulation this morning, starting with speedcore mix of 'it's a small world after all' going to DJ Cabine - Cabine Experimental, a little bit dance a little bit breakcore, and now floating ambience courtesy of Mick Harris & Martin Baytes. * now 'me and my rythmbox'... can't wait to join the boat.


EUROPEAN SOUND DELTA


RADIO WNE


Didn't make it out dancing on friday night, which turns out to be a good thing after all - had a message on myspace from one of the performers, saying 'hope you weren't there at wr, tooooooodrunk!' and another from a friend who was at the alternative 'quiet noise' concert, saying it was too early and not so interesting. So only really missed out on the west african music, that's berlin for you, at least 3 things a night that could be amazing, or maybe not so...

Great talk at writers group last night, about how explicit to get when writing sex, varying opinions. I'm all in favour of not changing names to protect the guilty, but then perhaps it would be better all round to preserve anonymity. Writing up stories and travel article, hopefully that will help move on and land here, mentally and emotionally.

Thinking about bridges for danube project, both miking up the real ones, and exploring virtual or metaphysical bridges, through stories, connections, conversation... all open to improvisation and whatever happens on the ground, in the air, underwater...

Monday, August 11, 2008

7:45 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Had my visa meeting at the auslander behorde today, hilarious as always, talking conceptual sound art and existential angst with the German immigration official. Confirmed what I already suspected, that it won't be so easy this time, I was blessed with a loophole before, but don't think I can stay another year.

So, maybe the beginning of the end of my euro-fling, in this incarnation at least. It's ok, feels like time to move on.

Where to though, I have no idea. Well, maybe one or two, extremely amorphous, who knows what form they will take.

Feel like my soul still hasn't caught up from Singapore - not sure if the hungry ghosts ate it, but any rituals anyone can advise for calling the soul back would be great. I'm still a zombie, I really need it back, and think the soul pirates off Singapore might have tried to snatch it as I flew past..... hardly connecting with Berlin at all.

Just hanging in there till the danube cruise, then who the f**k knows what. Still have to scrape together money for a ticket home, although having invitations to go hang out in Delhi and make that the sound art capital of Australia, which is tempting, I tell you. Via Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo... Amazing how much I miss the colour, movement, noise, heat, people - only think it's culture shock 'in reverse' in terms of coming back to somewhere that you know well, and finding it so unfamiliar and strange. Enough of the gypsy buskers already!!!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

9:58 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Berlin Loves You

sometimes a reminder is needed
another zombie day
haven't completely landed
not sure where I'm left drifting
somewhere out over dark sea
washing onto strange shores
need something to anchor me

Saturday, August 9, 2008

4:31 PM
Posted by jodi rose

UNITY SONG

"a paean to bootlegging,
to memory,
to ubiety,
and to the Unity
of the Song"

nostalgic sounds from singapore and the underground
beautiful, wisftul, mesmerising and that's just the writing!
tune in to this personal archive, memories, music, life - listen up.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

4:22 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Slowly landing in mind and soul, this time have spent a few days in limbo. Not quite here, nor still there - it was strange at first, feeling so disconnected from somewhere at once totally familiar and completely bizarre. Evening out now, a couple of bike rides across town helped, although got a flat on my way back from Turkish market in Nuekolln yesterday, and had to leave my bike outside a friend's place on simon-dach strasse,while I schlepped home with all the fruit and veg I could carry for less than 5 euro. It's hard to spend more then, unless you have a truck to take it all home in. Now arranging with d.rock to borrow some of his bike fixing kit, meeting at volkspark f'shain where I'll be crashing the tuned cities picnic. Ah well, couldn't make the event, at least I can go to the after-party. Following that, opening night at white rabbit, new space in the studio of Jerome, who I met at La Generale in paris all those months ago. Already going there next week for derek's death metal night, and listening to the bass beats of 'girls just wanna have fun' and intercom electronica made me wanna dance, so jetlag be damned, I'm going out tonight!

I love being back in Berlin. Ok, it's been a weird few days and not feeling connected with the city at all, but now I'm hooking into the vibe again, loving that intertwined scene. Writing tomorrow. And all the rest - so many projects to keep up with, future plans, here there and everywhere. It's all worth it though, when things start happening, they really happen. Was looking forward to a few quiet weeks catching up on proposals, admin, sending out tracks for various compilations, but have a feeling that I might not be as hermit-like as I imagine.

Ok, a few links, for those of you who like to live vicariously...
get up and dance!! and remember to believe sixty impossible things before dawn - that reminds me, the lyrics playing as the plane touched down at tegel 'dawn breaks'. I love that.

White Rabbit

Intercom makes me move it!

Girls just wanna dance...

Raving Mad Karlos - how can you resist?!?!?!?

Thursday, August 7, 2008

6:38 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Arrived back in Berlin with the smoothest transition between places I can remember. Joel picked Clea and I up from the apartment, after my last kopi and kaya toast at tamang jurong food court, where I wrote notes for my singapore punk spirit short story. Drove us around to respective places, dumped my luggage at the aiport, went for lunch on the east coast, met mark for a good bye coffee in the city, back to the airport - thankfully am pathologically early, as my flight delayed until 4.30am, but the qantas angel put me on a plane to frankfurt instead, with much better connection for berlin, and avoiding heathrow entirely. ah the bliss. lay on the floor of changi airport, listening to the melange of sounds from piano lounge singer, waterfall and football channel. Got the TXl bus into alex, easy transfer to M2 and out at the top of my street, picked up the keys from corner cafe, and landed in new plush apt for next 3 weeks, bless my Finnish friends.

Have just managed to scrape myself up from the floor and to local cafe for wlan, as wifi not working at home - oh the trauma!!
Berlin is strangely quiet - partly summer holiday season - but miss the noise, the heat, the people, the traffic, the construction - hell, I even miss the MRT, and I hated every second on it. Mostly the people tho. Having reverse culture shock, or just jetlag daze limbo. Feel between worlds. Loss and love and connection and yearning.

Monday, August 4, 2008

9:03 AM
Posted by jodi rose

Almost time to go... had the last artist's dinner at our local satay/rojak hawker centre; have sorted through every flier and collected memorabilia, can't quite bring myself to try and pack everything again just yet... leaving tomorrow, final day of running around to return equpiment, pick up work from the museum - light, luckily, just the 5x dvd's and mini fm transmitters, which will come in very handy on the danube; thank you isea!!

Making final dates for drinks and coffee, then back to berlin. Ahhhhhhh. Sad and happy. What's that called? Some kind of poignant emotional mix anyway.

Friday, August 1, 2008

8:18 AM
Posted by jodi rose

Well, I've survived the ISEA maelstrom, just!
Had a fantastic time, various art openings, conference talks, meetings on streets and in corridors, hundreds of australians in town. Good to have a burst of familiar faces and voices to assuage the homesickness, although I fluctuate between not wanting to leave Singapore and being totally thrilled about going back to Berlin, with a tinge of sadness at not making it back down under this time.

Still doing everything I can to make this haphazard life work, that includes careening wildly around just a little bit longer, following the syren call of those cables, wherever they take me.

Had some good constructive feedback on the installation, both positive and the critical points about image quality, size, and the use of visual elements. There's an entire lexicon of expanded cinema that I need to explore, and think through presentation and performance in that realm. One of the questions at my talk was 'didn't I feel that the sound was poetic or strong enough on it's own?' My answer is, on the contrary, I am still deeply intrigued by the sound alone, and find the purely aural incredibly satisfying. It's just that need to cross into a wider audience, give something that people who maybe don't have such a strong relationship with sound to find ways into the work - and yes, something to put in a physical space. Which has always been my weak point, hence 'conceptual sound artist'... Still, think this is the most resolved it's been yet, the placement of objects in space... had good positive feedback about the distributed nature of the piece, (spread out along 15-20m corridor), and many people enjoyed the content and format of the tiny videos and having to stroke your ear against the speakers to listen closely. I tried listening to another work through headphones, and in the space, it's still hard to cancel out all the other works, so was never going to be perfect. Somehow the mix of different sounds between pieces works well in most places too - cosmin and marie-helene's humming aurora, blends with andreas and vladimir's mongolian landscape atmosphere, while tad's robot punk gamelan orchestra rings out over everything.

Today is documenting, wrapping up process with another meeting... definitely set some interesting ideas in motion, who knows what will come of it!

Taking solace in the words of Rebecca Solnit, reading 'A Field Guide to Getting Lost' by the pool at Sarah and Kate's hotel when it all got too much last week. She talks about being lost in the most beautiful poetic way, very inspiring and reassuring:

'To lost yourself is a voluptuous surrender; lost in your arms, lost to the world, utterly immersed in what is present so that its surroundings fade away.'

This is very satisyfing in terms of being deep into a process that seems a long way from some final destination or certainty of any outcome:

'Leave the door open for the unknown; the door into the dark.' Quoting philosopher Meno from the Socratic dialogues: "How will you go about finding that thing, the nature of which is totally unknown to you?"

'This is the basic tactical question in life. The things we want are transformative, and we don't know, or only think that we know, what is on the other side of that transformation.

Love, wisdom, grace, inspiration... How do you go about finding these things that are in some ways about extending the boundaries of the self into unknown territories, about becoming someone else?'

It's amazing when you can feel yourself in that state of becoming, and be somewhat aware of the choices you make, but still give up control, to a voluptuous surrender that may take unexpected paths.

Continuing with Rebecca:

'For artists of all stripes, the unknown, the idea or form or tale that has not yet arrived, is what must be found. It is the job of artists to open doors, and invite in prophesies, the unknown, the unfamiliar...
it is where their work comes from, although its arrival signals the beginning of the long disciplined process of making it their own..'

Which reminds me of a conversation I had about creativity, with Lonce and a visiting engineering professor at NUS who we ran into after a meeting with Prof. Nakatsu. The visiting prof asked wether we thought children or adults were more creative? In response to our answers, he quoted a recent book on the subject, saying that although children have access to that unlimited, 'pure' or naive imaginatoin, that to remain creative as an adult requires a far deeper level of creativity, in finding both the discipline and context to express and give form to the imagination. Interesting.

Anyway, back to getting lost 'Scientists too, live always at the edge of mystery, the boundary of the unknown... but they transform the unknown into the known, while artists get you out onto that dark sea.'

I love that. Think it's the title of my next work.
"Out onto that dark sea"

She goes on to quote Keats, 'When a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without an irritable reaching after face and reason'.

Although maybe that's a gender thing, women seem much more able to cope with the irrational and uncertain... although of course it's human to find ways towards resolution, to want to make patterns and order and sense of things.

Finally, she talks about the origins of the word 'Lost', from the ancient Norse, for disbanding your army, falling out of formation and going home 'los.'

'I worry notw that many people never disband their armies, never go beyond what they know. Advertising, alarmist news, technology, incessant busyness, and the design of public and private space, conspire to make it so...

And there is another art of being at home in the unknown, so that being in its midst isn't cause for panic or suffering, of being at home with being lost.

Being in uncertainties, mysteries, and doubts'.

Well, at least I know I've got that one covered pretty thoroughly, if nothing else I'm at home with mystery, uncertainty and the unknown. Bring it on!