TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

12:08 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Hello World!

I'm still alive. Barely. Wiped out in flurry of visiting artists, curators, musicians over the weekend. Henry took me to dinner with Andrei Smirnov from the Theremin Institute in Moscow, and Mobius from Cluster, and his wife who drives a fantastic 30 year old Alpha Spyder. Fast. She is way cool. Brandon La Belle chatted with me about women sound artists, we're catching up in more depth next week, running some ideas past him re installation and philosophy of bridges and sound. Then Juha flew in from Helsinki, set up a meeting with the Pixelache family, brought Phil Niblock along to my studio, also Matthieu, we arranged the possibility of a few weeks in Paris to research and set up the technical resources and find a location for public bridge performance and intervention. Eva told me I'm on her long-list for a project at a Belgian contemporary art museum in 2009 (I forget which one), and Dava gave me a quick tutorial with diagrams on making circular screens and 3 video source projections for the show in Singapore, then introduced me to Teresa over brunch on Monday, who is curating a show in Portugal where I may also send a bridge envoy in June or September.

I love it, am starting to deploy people to make art in my place. Somaya volunteered for Paris, and the Slovene bridge team may already be there for another project....

Things are looking up. Any day now I will turn around and find myself one of those artists with 30 assistants and a constant worldwide schedule. The article in Zitty apparently refers to me as 'The Mover'. Nice. Indeed, constant mobility is the only way to keep this show on the road. Today is following up threads from conversations, typing esoteric art philosophy notes to filter them through my brain into the next chapter of art writings. Inspired by the collaborative working process with transit lounge, to keep things flowing between people, keep balanced with my own practice and time to replenish myself.

Let yourself go. That was the mantra walking somewhere, one day recently. Can't remember where, but it took on a myriad of meaning and significance at the time. Letting go of your 'self' by which I guess I mean 'ego', and also being present without expectation. No plan, as someone else said to me, that's the way to go. Or have a plan, then forget it. As usual, the personal side of life is strangely ambiguous and confusing. One day, I will learn to be clear and in the moment. Feels like every signal is scrambled, the send and receive equally. No idea what goes on, but maybe it will become clear one day. Or at least slightly opaque. Semi-translucent perhaps. A little more effort, a little less obscure, I'm open to the possibility and willing to meet anyone half-way, just so tired of throwing emotional energy into a vortex.

Just saying no to the lazy, selfish and uncertain - they are so 2007! I've got better things to do with my life... Like play on bridges, be with my friends, write song lyrics and manifesto's, etc etc you get the picture. Saying Yes to the charming, engaging and interested.

One of my recent friend's was giving me grief about writing personal stuff in the blog, he thinks I should stick to the subject. Focus. Draw a line and don't cross it. But life just isn't like that. Everything affects everything else. My emotional state is part of the work I make.

Having a Sophie Calle moment, what can I say.

This week, I'm putting out a Wishlist to the universe. Anyone who can suggest or offer or exchange any of these things, please get in touch:
Preferably by Friday, although later replies will of course be answered.

1. Galerist. International sound/public art specialist please.
2. Agent. Book deal. Bring it on.
3. Apartment in Berlin from March 15th. All my own.

Working on making things you can buy. bridge models with sound samples, diagrams and drawings for collectors, ephemera, traces.....

That's all for now. The rest is up to you....