After an exhausting 36 hour journey, I've made it home safe and sound. It was relatively uneventful travel, just some minor annoyances, sleeping (well, not so much) in the airport, a 3 year old behind me on the 9 hour Munich to Philly flight, a non-reclining seat on that same flight. I luckily just go waved through customs, with no searching necessary. I had a 4 hour lay over in Philadelphia, then was informed that I was bumped from my confirmed flight to Pittsburgh, got moved to standby on the next one to Pittsburgh and also a confirmed seat on the last one. With my upcoming trip to Ann Arbor I was really quite tempted to take the first flight on Firday morning and the free round trip ticket, but if I can avoid using US Airways again, I most certainly will. I was told not to expect to actually get called for the standby, I was just happy to have a seat on the last one, since Mum and Dad were already in Pittsburgh. I hung out in the gate and I did get called for the eariler flight and was in Pittsburgh around 11p, I was able to get my bags from the office without a problem. When I got home I got a nice little note in my bags that TSA checked them, happily, I was found not to be a security risk. They also swiped one of my locks (TSA approved, of course) and busted a zipper on my bag, thanks TSA.
I'm still a little tired, or on soul delay, as one of my favorite authors writes. I'll probably lay low for the next few days and run some errands and visit a few people before Christmas and going to Ann Arbor for New Year's.
Be posting once more, after I've been able to summerize the whole experience.
--AM
21 December 2007
19 December 2007
19 Dec 07
Just about packed and getting ready to go to the train station to begin my 36 plus hour journey home. I'll post one more entry when I get home and settled. Goodbye, Zagreb!
As always, thanks for reading and all my best,
--AM
As always, thanks for reading and all my best,
--AM
16 December 2007
16 Dec 07
This week went by frighteningly fast, as has the past three months.
The week began anticipating a call from the foundry that has been handling my work alerting me the casting process has been completed. I got that call on Tuesday and went to see my casts on Wednesday. When I arrived they were all done just waiting for the patina of my choice and my final stamp of approval. After careful inspection I noticed my signature had been ground or sanded off the piece and the sprue holes needed to be filled. I waited for them to fix one of the pieces, when I saw it, I couldn't tell there were holes there to begin with and the chiseled in signature read better than my writing ever will! So I left the foundry and also my work for the last time. I was only correct in the former prediction. On Thursday I was called to come to the company which bought the work from me to sign certificates of authenticity and check out the packaging that the pieces will be delivered in. The certificates were quite incredible, the company printed them in house, as I would expect. I learned the company is a security printing company that designs and prints smart cards, currency, security cards, and passports. Of course the packaging was as exquisite as the documents, each sculpture was wrapped and placed in royal blue satin with the company logo printed in silver, placed within a silver foil box, and finally tied with pewter and blue ribbons, again printed with the company name.
My friend that I was going to be staying with surprised me with an email telling me she was coming to Zagreb to see me before I go back home! She came in on Thursday night and has stayed until Sunday evening, she is traveling to see a friend in Split and will return on Tuesday. So we spent the past few days walking around the city and checking out some exhibitions and galleries.
I really can't believe that it is Sunday night as I type this update and I will be home at this time next Sunday. So the next few days I will spend cleaning up the studio, packing, and taking care of all the mundane "leaving the country" tasks.
Now I have begun the worries of having too much weight to bring back, even though I was sure to pack clothes and other items I would have no problems saying goodbye to at the end of this adventure. I wouldn't feel quite as uneasy if I had access to a scale so I could weigh my bag before I leave. I am considering scoping out the fitness center in our building for a scale I may borrow for such a task of ensuring I don't have to pay $50 in overweight fees.
I'll try my best to post again before I depart, maybe during my overnight stay at the airport, if Munich has free wifi.
All my best
--AM
The week began anticipating a call from the foundry that has been handling my work alerting me the casting process has been completed. I got that call on Tuesday and went to see my casts on Wednesday. When I arrived they were all done just waiting for the patina of my choice and my final stamp of approval. After careful inspection I noticed my signature had been ground or sanded off the piece and the sprue holes needed to be filled. I waited for them to fix one of the pieces, when I saw it, I couldn't tell there were holes there to begin with and the chiseled in signature read better than my writing ever will! So I left the foundry and also my work for the last time. I was only correct in the former prediction. On Thursday I was called to come to the company which bought the work from me to sign certificates of authenticity and check out the packaging that the pieces will be delivered in. The certificates were quite incredible, the company printed them in house, as I would expect. I learned the company is a security printing company that designs and prints smart cards, currency, security cards, and passports. Of course the packaging was as exquisite as the documents, each sculpture was wrapped and placed in royal blue satin with the company logo printed in silver, placed within a silver foil box, and finally tied with pewter and blue ribbons, again printed with the company name.
My friend that I was going to be staying with surprised me with an email telling me she was coming to Zagreb to see me before I go back home! She came in on Thursday night and has stayed until Sunday evening, she is traveling to see a friend in Split and will return on Tuesday. So we spent the past few days walking around the city and checking out some exhibitions and galleries.
I really can't believe that it is Sunday night as I type this update and I will be home at this time next Sunday. So the next few days I will spend cleaning up the studio, packing, and taking care of all the mundane "leaving the country" tasks.
Now I have begun the worries of having too much weight to bring back, even though I was sure to pack clothes and other items I would have no problems saying goodbye to at the end of this adventure. I wouldn't feel quite as uneasy if I had access to a scale so I could weigh my bag before I leave. I am considering scoping out the fitness center in our building for a scale I may borrow for such a task of ensuring I don't have to pay $50 in overweight fees.
I'll try my best to post again before I depart, maybe during my overnight stay at the airport, if Munich has free wifi.
All my best
--AM
09 December 2007
Ljubljana, Slovenia
I woefully regret to report that I had to postpone my Poland adventure until my next visit to Europe. I'm hoping that will be in two years...just in time for the next installment of the Biennale di Venzia. I have a lot of obligations to finishing up work in Zagreb and also the workshop I am participating in (see previous post) that my trip would have been rather abbreviated, when I go to Poland, I want to make sure I have enough time to see everything. Traveling there alone was going to take almost two days, whether by plane or train. There are no direct flights between Poland and Croatia right now, during the summer months that changes. I would have had to fly to London, land in Stansted, then get arcoss London to either Luton or Gatwick to then fly to Krakow. Connecting flights are ususally no problem, but changing airports can be a messy and time consuming prospect. In this case, it was going to be more money and time consuming than anything. The flights from Zagreb to London don't line up on the same days as London to Poland, so I need to either get a hostel, or sleep in the airport(s). The train is 20 hours and is over $200 one way. I'm certain I can fly from the US to Poland roundtrip cheaper than the continental flights round trip. I am really disappointed I couldn't make the trip, I was planning to visit a good friend there, but after telling her the possible travel arrangements, she agreed that is it too much for just the few days I would have been able to travel.
Before my decision not to go to Poland my other international friends made arrangements to rent a cabin in a National park near Zadar, a coastal city in Croatia. I told them if my plans were canceled I'd join them, but the cabin was reserved for a certain number of people. So I figured I could get a hostel, it's the off season so the hostels in Zadar require at least a three night booking, one day too long for my schedule. So, I chucked that idea too. I did, however, finally make it to Ljubljana, Slovenia. I had been intending to go earlier in my stay in Croatia, but just didn't get to it. I am so glad I did.
Ljubljana is close enough that it makes a really nice day trip, just 2 hours one way and about $30 round trip by train. I got into the city around 10am and heading for the main square, on my walk there I was thinking, "gezz this town is really dead." Once I got to the square I realized that much like Zagreb, everyone heads to the open air markets on Saturday. The city is a bit smaller than Zagreb, Old Town is quaint, and quite picturesque. I walked around the market and peeked into some churches, but mostly spent the day wandering around. There is a really nice mix of wonderful architecture ranging from the medieval castle, classical, neo classical, baroque, art deco, art nouveau, the list goes on. I coughed up the two Euro and toured the house of Ljubljana's favorite son (sorry Slajov Zizek, they must think you are too subversive or obtuse, I'm not sure which yet) Architect, Joze Plecnik. Pretty cool little house, impressive that his items were so well preserved. It's said that no one architect has shaped a city as much as Plecnik did, everywhere I turned in Ljubljana, I saw something that was of his design, neo-classical to art nouveau. He was also commissioned by the Czech King in 1921 to redesign the Hapsburg Castle in Prague. This was a controversial move since he invited a Slav, not an Austrian. His last work was done in the Croatian region of Istria for Tito. So not only was he commissioned to do work for his capital city, but also two others of neighboring countries, pretty prolific guy. Late afternoon I did the typical Central European thing and got some coffee and relaxed, waiting for dusk to see the Christmas decorations. It was worth the wait, I got a cup of hot wine (another staple that I would like to import into the US) and checked out the lights. All throughout Old Town planets, stars and comets are made from bundles of Christmas lights are hung throughout the streets and across the river. The trees are covered in blue and white lights. Quite easily one of the best light displays, even in its simplicity. I was happily exhausted and headed back to the train station around 6 or 7 and got back in to Zagreb going on 10. Pictures have already been posted on flickr and myspace, along with ones from the first foundry visit.
I am really excited for this workshop that I will be working with, as dorky as it is, I am happy to be reading some theory again (oh my God, did I just write that?). Since I am late to joining the workshop I wasn't fully aware of the goings on, and it turns out the work that is done in the workshop will be exhibited, the one leader on the Zagreb end of things wants me to get a piece together pretty quickly to be exhibited next weekend. So that will end up being two shows going on in the same week, luckily the one is pretty much an inconspicuous performance during the opening, so not much prep is needed, but this other show, my ideas might be getting a little too complex for only having a few days to pull it together. I have a meeting with my New Media professor on Monday to get everything finalized and help with completing the piece.
I'll probably only have a few more posts before I am home. That's a concept I'm struggling to fathom since there seems like, and there is, so much work for me to do between now and then. Better get to work.
--AM
PS: After some digging around (and no thanks to Wikipedia, one of the few times they have failed me), I figured out what exactly Rakija is...it's homemade Plum Brandy with a relatively low alcohol concentration compared to other similar liquors.
Before my decision not to go to Poland my other international friends made arrangements to rent a cabin in a National park near Zadar, a coastal city in Croatia. I told them if my plans were canceled I'd join them, but the cabin was reserved for a certain number of people. So I figured I could get a hostel, it's the off season so the hostels in Zadar require at least a three night booking, one day too long for my schedule. So, I chucked that idea too. I did, however, finally make it to Ljubljana, Slovenia. I had been intending to go earlier in my stay in Croatia, but just didn't get to it. I am so glad I did.
Ljubljana is close enough that it makes a really nice day trip, just 2 hours one way and about $30 round trip by train. I got into the city around 10am and heading for the main square, on my walk there I was thinking, "gezz this town is really dead." Once I got to the square I realized that much like Zagreb, everyone heads to the open air markets on Saturday. The city is a bit smaller than Zagreb, Old Town is quaint, and quite picturesque. I walked around the market and peeked into some churches, but mostly spent the day wandering around. There is a really nice mix of wonderful architecture ranging from the medieval castle, classical, neo classical, baroque, art deco, art nouveau, the list goes on. I coughed up the two Euro and toured the house of Ljubljana's favorite son (sorry Slajov Zizek, they must think you are too subversive or obtuse, I'm not sure which yet) Architect, Joze Plecnik. Pretty cool little house, impressive that his items were so well preserved. It's said that no one architect has shaped a city as much as Plecnik did, everywhere I turned in Ljubljana, I saw something that was of his design, neo-classical to art nouveau. He was also commissioned by the Czech King in 1921 to redesign the Hapsburg Castle in Prague. This was a controversial move since he invited a Slav, not an Austrian. His last work was done in the Croatian region of Istria for Tito. So not only was he commissioned to do work for his capital city, but also two others of neighboring countries, pretty prolific guy. Late afternoon I did the typical Central European thing and got some coffee and relaxed, waiting for dusk to see the Christmas decorations. It was worth the wait, I got a cup of hot wine (another staple that I would like to import into the US) and checked out the lights. All throughout Old Town planets, stars and comets are made from bundles of Christmas lights are hung throughout the streets and across the river. The trees are covered in blue and white lights. Quite easily one of the best light displays, even in its simplicity. I was happily exhausted and headed back to the train station around 6 or 7 and got back in to Zagreb going on 10. Pictures have already been posted on flickr and myspace, along with ones from the first foundry visit.
I am really excited for this workshop that I will be working with, as dorky as it is, I am happy to be reading some theory again (oh my God, did I just write that?). Since I am late to joining the workshop I wasn't fully aware of the goings on, and it turns out the work that is done in the workshop will be exhibited, the one leader on the Zagreb end of things wants me to get a piece together pretty quickly to be exhibited next weekend. So that will end up being two shows going on in the same week, luckily the one is pretty much an inconspicuous performance during the opening, so not much prep is needed, but this other show, my ideas might be getting a little too complex for only having a few days to pull it together. I have a meeting with my New Media professor on Monday to get everything finalized and help with completing the piece.
I'll probably only have a few more posts before I am home. That's a concept I'm struggling to fathom since there seems like, and there is, so much work for me to do between now and then. Better get to work.
--AM
PS: After some digging around (and no thanks to Wikipedia, one of the few times they have failed me), I figured out what exactly Rakija is...it's homemade Plum Brandy with a relatively low alcohol concentration compared to other similar liquors.
05 December 2007
5 Nov 07
Ok, ok, enough heckling, Aasta. Sorry for the delay in updating the blog, I've only got two weeks left and still plenty of things I want to accomplish. Surprisingly once the show was up I thought everything would slow down a bit. I was of course wrong in that assumption. Although I wouldn't be able to stand it if I didn't have much to do.
This morning I went to the foundry that is producing my bronze pieces to sign, date, and number the waxes. I needed to be there around 9 am so I left the dorm at 7.30 to take a tram to the end of the line, a bus ride, and a 15 mitues walk finally got me to the foundry. I spent the next two hours checking the place out, I got to watch them do a bronze pour, (they've got a pretty slick system!) making sure my wax positives are just the way I want them, then carefully signing them. As I was leaving they were already putting the sprues onto some of them. Once they are poured, I will return to pick out the petina that I'd like to have on them. I'm not sure what the copper to brass ratio will be in the bronze, but if it's got more copper in it, I'll just leave it, but if not, I'll see if I can get a reddish petina applied to it. I think I might have to return as early as Monday or Tuesday. It'll be really nice to see them finished before I leave! (pics on flickr)
Next week is the Fair of Culture sponsored by the Student Centar in Zagreb. Its the bigger event that is going on, in which there is also an exhibitiont that I was selected to be a part of. Another part of the visual arts segment in the fair are collaborative workshops with artists from Zagreb and some from other countries. I applied and will be working with other new media students from Zagreb with Professor Nicole Hewitt and then we are working with a group of students from Vienna, and another artist. The workshop will focus on Post-Conceptual Art Practices and examine "alien spaces and migratory processes" that are inextricably linked to the remnants of colonialism, neoliberalism, and global capitalism, through reading critical texts, presentations, films, video, etc.
I am hoping to escape Zagreb this weekend to get to Poland, my friend is really looking forward to my visit, as am I. Although with this workshop, show, and foundry work, the trip will be shortened. I don't anticipate that I will need to cancel it all together, I'll just have to keep it to the basics. The soonest I will be able to leave is late Thrusday night, I probably won't be able to write again before my departure, so I'll be writing after my Poland adventure!
All the best,
AM
This morning I went to the foundry that is producing my bronze pieces to sign, date, and number the waxes. I needed to be there around 9 am so I left the dorm at 7.30 to take a tram to the end of the line, a bus ride, and a 15 mitues walk finally got me to the foundry. I spent the next two hours checking the place out, I got to watch them do a bronze pour, (they've got a pretty slick system!) making sure my wax positives are just the way I want them, then carefully signing them. As I was leaving they were already putting the sprues onto some of them. Once they are poured, I will return to pick out the petina that I'd like to have on them. I'm not sure what the copper to brass ratio will be in the bronze, but if it's got more copper in it, I'll just leave it, but if not, I'll see if I can get a reddish petina applied to it. I think I might have to return as early as Monday or Tuesday. It'll be really nice to see them finished before I leave! (pics on flickr)
Next week is the Fair of Culture sponsored by the Student Centar in Zagreb. Its the bigger event that is going on, in which there is also an exhibitiont that I was selected to be a part of. Another part of the visual arts segment in the fair are collaborative workshops with artists from Zagreb and some from other countries. I applied and will be working with other new media students from Zagreb with Professor Nicole Hewitt and then we are working with a group of students from Vienna, and another artist. The workshop will focus on Post-Conceptual Art Practices and examine "alien spaces and migratory processes" that are inextricably linked to the remnants of colonialism, neoliberalism, and global capitalism, through reading critical texts, presentations, films, video, etc.
I am hoping to escape Zagreb this weekend to get to Poland, my friend is really looking forward to my visit, as am I. Although with this workshop, show, and foundry work, the trip will be shortened. I don't anticipate that I will need to cancel it all together, I'll just have to keep it to the basics. The soonest I will be able to leave is late Thrusday night, I probably won't be able to write again before my departure, so I'll be writing after my Poland adventure!
All the best,
AM
30 November 2007
30 Nov 07
This week has gone so fast, like much of my time here, but on the other had Monday seems as it was a month ago. It probably has something to do with the week being so busy. I spent Monday through Wednesday mounting photographs, painting pedestals, measuring walls, and remeasuring--all the kinda stuff needed to get ready for a show. Wednesday morning and afternoon we installed our work. I left that day needing to remount my larger images, (42 x 55 cm) in between two panes of glass, both 70 x 100 cm and then have them hung. Hanging glass like this isn't the nice hammer in a nail and wire up the back to hang on the wall. I had to wrap rope around either side of the frames, so it would run vertically up to tied up to a pipe about a meter and a half above. This is no easy task to complete just a few hours before the opening. Luckily I had plenty of help, and got it done in no time. Don't get me wrong, I had my images hung once on Wednesday but according to Professor, they didn't look enough like 'objects' my argument was that they are documentation of the actual event that was the art, but I was overridden and had to do the glass and rope...aka the European Style of hanging. The piece does look really great and I am happy that I did go with the glass, but I just wish that suggestion would have come earlier than 6pm the night before the opening.
Overall the opening went really well, champaign and everything! We have to take everything down next Wednesday, it's a very short show, but still very happy to have the opportunity. Pictures are up on Flickr. Gotta go sign my contract for the award piece!
All the best,
AM
Overall the opening went really well, champaign and everything! We have to take everything down next Wednesday, it's a very short show, but still very happy to have the opportunity. Pictures are up on Flickr. Gotta go sign my contract for the award piece!
All the best,
AM
23 November 2007
23 Nov 07
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Sorry it's a day late. Yesterday was pretty much studio as usual for us Americans in Croatia. Although when my Croatian friends saw me, they did greet me with "Happy Thanksgiving" and asked about how the holiday originated. We did make reservations at one of the few Chinese restaurants in Zagreb, for 15 guests, the four Americans, six Croatian, two Hong Kong, one Slovenian, one Slovakian, and one Czech. Since I couldn't be at home, this was certainly the best way to spend it, with very good friends from many different places.
It's incredible how fast my calendar is filling up these last few weeks I have in Zagreb, we are preparing for the show to open on Thursday, then I will have a piece in group show at the Student Center, I need to visit some lecture classes to gather recordings for one of my final pieces, go to the foundry that is casting my work at some point...the list seems endless. I am planning to shorten my stay in Zagreb so I will take the long way back to Munich via Poland to see Auschwitz, Krakow, and a friend in Opole. I still might plan a weekend trip to Mostar, Bosnia, as long as the weather stays somewhat mild. However, I may have to plan the trip before I leave, I found out today a piece of mine has been accepted in a group show opening on Dec 13 and closes on 16. I should be around to take down my work so I can bring it home. It's also easier to travel with only one lighter bag rather than all of my luggage.
Looking forward to a lazy kinda weekend, the extent of my work will be editing the video I shot this morning, and finding a digital photo lab to print out 5 x 7s from the Tkalciceva installation. No hockey this weekend, apparently there is some figure skating exhibition. Other than that, I will plan to hang out, and catch up on some reading, half way through Kafka on the Shore by Marukami, hopefully will finish that on Sunday.
--AM
It's incredible how fast my calendar is filling up these last few weeks I have in Zagreb, we are preparing for the show to open on Thursday, then I will have a piece in group show at the Student Center, I need to visit some lecture classes to gather recordings for one of my final pieces, go to the foundry that is casting my work at some point...the list seems endless. I am planning to shorten my stay in Zagreb so I will take the long way back to Munich via Poland to see Auschwitz, Krakow, and a friend in Opole. I still might plan a weekend trip to Mostar, Bosnia, as long as the weather stays somewhat mild. However, I may have to plan the trip before I leave, I found out today a piece of mine has been accepted in a group show opening on Dec 13 and closes on 16. I should be around to take down my work so I can bring it home. It's also easier to travel with only one lighter bag rather than all of my luggage.
Looking forward to a lazy kinda weekend, the extent of my work will be editing the video I shot this morning, and finding a digital photo lab to print out 5 x 7s from the Tkalciceva installation. No hockey this weekend, apparently there is some figure skating exhibition. Other than that, I will plan to hang out, and catch up on some reading, half way through Kafka on the Shore by Marukami, hopefully will finish that on Sunday.
--AM
20 November 2007
20 Nov 07
Over the weekend Zagreb had its first snow of the season, I had a lovely view from my dorm window. There are a bunch of trees lined in front that caught the snow just perfectly, pics are on the new flickr (see previous post). The snow was short lived, its forecast to get back near 16 C (60 F) by the weekend. I'm also just getting over another head cold, this time complete with sinus headache and ear ache. Considering this, I haven't been to hockey training since last Monday, but hope to be feeling well enough to go by the end of this week.
This week everyone is preparing for our show that opens next Thursday. I'm just about ready just need to print images from the installation I did last week in the main square, not that that will be a quick task. I still need to determine the size of one sequence of a pot, so that they will hang on the given wall space evenly, I think they'll end up being around 18 x 22" or 20 x 30" depending on which wall I use and how low low the resolution will become when I enlarge them in Photoshop. Then I also have 84 8 x10" photos, one of each of the pots, every two hours of the installation (9a-9p). I've been told that I can print them in the lab at the Academy, but just need to let them know when so they can get fresh toner :)
Tomorrow I will sign the contract with the company concerning production of my piece. Professor seems to think that the pieces will go into production very soon, within the next two weeks, so we can be on hand when they are made. Now that most of my "in studio" work is complete, I have time to get to the afternoon figure drawing class, which actually proves to be quite enjoyable. Some of the drawings I hope to be able to roll up into a piece of PVC, cap it off, so I can bring them home, along with the poster size photographs. Just because I say I've finished my "in studio" work doesn't mean that I am not still doing work. I go in to the Academy by 9 am everyday put together the previous day's baggie, work on a little plaster carving, generally enjoy the studio environment, go to drawing in the afternoon. I am still needing to complete a video projection piece, that I am planning to shoot Friday, and a sound-based piece. There are still some formalities that I have to go through to do the sound piece, I'm just waiting to ge the go ahead.
Better get back to complying and sorting 400 images into just 84.
All my best,
AM
This week everyone is preparing for our show that opens next Thursday. I'm just about ready just need to print images from the installation I did last week in the main square, not that that will be a quick task. I still need to determine the size of one sequence of a pot, so that they will hang on the given wall space evenly, I think they'll end up being around 18 x 22" or 20 x 30" depending on which wall I use and how low low the resolution will become when I enlarge them in Photoshop. Then I also have 84 8 x10" photos, one of each of the pots, every two hours of the installation (9a-9p). I've been told that I can print them in the lab at the Academy, but just need to let them know when so they can get fresh toner :)
Tomorrow I will sign the contract with the company concerning production of my piece. Professor seems to think that the pieces will go into production very soon, within the next two weeks, so we can be on hand when they are made. Now that most of my "in studio" work is complete, I have time to get to the afternoon figure drawing class, which actually proves to be quite enjoyable. Some of the drawings I hope to be able to roll up into a piece of PVC, cap it off, so I can bring them home, along with the poster size photographs. Just because I say I've finished my "in studio" work doesn't mean that I am not still doing work. I go in to the Academy by 9 am everyday put together the previous day's baggie, work on a little plaster carving, generally enjoy the studio environment, go to drawing in the afternoon. I am still needing to complete a video projection piece, that I am planning to shoot Friday, and a sound-based piece. There are still some formalities that I have to go through to do the sound piece, I'm just waiting to ge the go ahead.
Better get back to complying and sorting 400 images into just 84.
All my best,
AM
16 November 2007
New photo account
Flickr sent me a nice little message the other day informing me that I have uploaded over 200 images. At this point they will only post the most recent 200 images or I can pay for "Pro account." I'm a cheap skate and just opened a new account. New photos can be found at the following link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20926999@N05/
This is where I'll be posting during my remaining time in Europe.
All the best,
AM
ps: a pic of my winning piece is posted in the new flickr account : )
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20926999@N05/
This is where I'll be posting during my remaining time in Europe.
All the best,
AM
ps: a pic of my winning piece is posted in the new flickr account : )
14 November 2007
14 Nov 07
Today proved to be one of the most productive and incredible days in Zagreb. This morning I woke up early to pack up all 12 of my greenware (unfired) clay pots for installation in along Tkalciceva and Krvavi Most in the Main Square. Kyle and Ox were both kind enough to help me with transporting and placing the pots. I managed to find two wheelbarrows that worked perfectly to move everything up Ilica (the main street) about a kilometer and a half. This little event, mind you, occured right around 8.15a, at the height of Zagreb's morning rush. The perplexed and puzzled looks we got from this spectacle of two wheelbarrows filled with clay pots and someone taking pictures of all of this were priceless. I had to laugh as one person flat out stopped, leaned over, and looked right into the wheelbarrow then looked up at me with a face of utter confusion. I was tempted to put a sign on my back saying in Croatian, "Don't worry, I'm an art student." Everything was in place right one time at 9a., then every two hours I returned to take some images. The installation couldn't have gone any better!
When I returned to the Academy from the installation, professor Drinkovic informed my 23 cm model was one of the five chosen to be part of a new small scale bronze sculpture collection and given as a gift to some high profile people in Croatia! The foundry that is producing the pieces will take silicon mold from the clay model, to make seven wax positives that I will have to approve and sign, then will be cast in bronze. One will go into this new collection, and the others will go into the private collections of several other people. Oh, and as a nice little prize, I receive 5,000 kuna or 1,000 USD! Chances are I will be able to be in the foundry when they are poured. I hope I will be able to make an extra to come home with me!
Since today was such and wonderful and exhausting day, I'm tempted to sleep in (meaning wake up at 7.30 rather than 6.30), but chances aren't I won't, I still have a show to get ready for, and several other pieces that are in progress.
--AM
When I returned to the Academy from the installation, professor Drinkovic informed my 23 cm model was one of the five chosen to be part of a new small scale bronze sculpture collection and given as a gift to some high profile people in Croatia! The foundry that is producing the pieces will take silicon mold from the clay model, to make seven wax positives that I will have to approve and sign, then will be cast in bronze. One will go into this new collection, and the others will go into the private collections of several other people. Oh, and as a nice little prize, I receive 5,000 kuna or 1,000 USD! Chances are I will be able to be in the foundry when they are poured. I hope I will be able to make an extra to come home with me!
Since today was such and wonderful and exhausting day, I'm tempted to sleep in (meaning wake up at 7.30 rather than 6.30), but chances aren't I won't, I still have a show to get ready for, and several other pieces that are in progress.
--AM
13 November 2007
13 Nov 07
It's funny how for so many days nothing really happens then in just two days, everything gets turned upside down. Well, that sounds a little melodramatic, but life just got a lot more hectic in a few days.
I did go to hockey practice Saturday night with the Croatian Women's National Team. It was so great to go and automatically be part of a team, even though I can't exactly understand what is being said, everyone is incredibly welcoming and has loaned me all the equipment I need. I never realized how much I missed playing until this weekend, but this will be a short lived experience, since I know I won't have time in the spring to play. Maybe I'll go back to coaching the kid's learn-to-play hockey classes again when I get home. I practiced again last night, 11p-midnight, the rink people let us keep the ice for an extra 15 minutes since no one was on afterwards. Needless to say the past few days I've been waking up with a sore back, but being back on the ice is certainly worth the slight pain and lack of sleep! There is another 11p practice tonight but I decided not to go since I've got a lot of work to do tomorrow, and the rest of the next few weeks...art always comes first!
After being here for about two months we finally got all the paper work together to obtain the obligatory residency permit that one must have if staying in Zagreb longer than three months. This little piece of paper required: photocopies of passport, international birth certificate, criminal record check, proof of enrollment, proof of residence, proof of secured funds, and two passport photos. Oh, and all the documents must be in Croatian, so I had to take all of my documents to a translator, then notarized, and finally to the police station to submit everything. Five of us went to the station on Monday and only two of us left with the process ALMOST completed. After standing in line for an hour, my documents were cleared and I had to wait another four hours for an interview, during which the person asked all of the mundane, "you're not lying, are you?" questions, like: what is your mother's name? Father's? Place of birth? The interviewer went over my papers again, to find a little error in the one form from the Academy stating my enrollment dates as August - December 2006. That one last little digit caused a huge mess. So I have to return this week with a new letter with the correct year, then I will be given a receipt stating that I have gone through this process and I am waiting for the official permit to come. Which by the way, should be ready for pick up two days before I leave for home.
This morning we had a meeting with the Dean to go over details about the exhibition of work we are supposed to have. Initially, it was scheduled for the last week that we are all still in Zagreb. However, we were informed that there is a show scheduled for that week and if we wait unitl afterwards the work we show would have to stay since we would leave before the show closes. In light of this, our show was moved ahead three weeks, the opening is now Nov. 28. This puts significant pressure on the deadlines that I had previously set, and pushes at least two of my huge pieces forward quite a bit. Plus, we are to have a catalogue, which must go to the printers by the beginning of next week, so we are scrambling to get images, titles, dimensions, etc., of work that isn't quite completed. I must admit that I am probably the only one of the six of us in the show that will have at least two pieces done within the deadline that doens't have to compromise anything that I have planned.
Tomorrow I will complete one of those two huge pieces. I am carrying out my installation / documentation piece in the main square, with the earthen pots. The only work that is really involved is placing each of the pots in their places and hanging out all day to take photos every two hours of each of the pots. So, I've decided rather than taking the tram back and forth from the square to the academy, I'll just bounce between coffee shops and catch up on Proust, and a few other books I've been reading. Once I get this one done, the next day I will begin immediately on the video projection that I plan to fully complete just in time for the show. So, I will be insanely busy for the next few weeks...but really, I wouldn't have it anyother way.
--AM
I did go to hockey practice Saturday night with the Croatian Women's National Team. It was so great to go and automatically be part of a team, even though I can't exactly understand what is being said, everyone is incredibly welcoming and has loaned me all the equipment I need. I never realized how much I missed playing until this weekend, but this will be a short lived experience, since I know I won't have time in the spring to play. Maybe I'll go back to coaching the kid's learn-to-play hockey classes again when I get home. I practiced again last night, 11p-midnight, the rink people let us keep the ice for an extra 15 minutes since no one was on afterwards. Needless to say the past few days I've been waking up with a sore back, but being back on the ice is certainly worth the slight pain and lack of sleep! There is another 11p practice tonight but I decided not to go since I've got a lot of work to do tomorrow, and the rest of the next few weeks...art always comes first!
After being here for about two months we finally got all the paper work together to obtain the obligatory residency permit that one must have if staying in Zagreb longer than three months. This little piece of paper required: photocopies of passport, international birth certificate, criminal record check, proof of enrollment, proof of residence, proof of secured funds, and two passport photos. Oh, and all the documents must be in Croatian, so I had to take all of my documents to a translator, then notarized, and finally to the police station to submit everything. Five of us went to the station on Monday and only two of us left with the process ALMOST completed. After standing in line for an hour, my documents were cleared and I had to wait another four hours for an interview, during which the person asked all of the mundane, "you're not lying, are you?" questions, like: what is your mother's name? Father's? Place of birth? The interviewer went over my papers again, to find a little error in the one form from the Academy stating my enrollment dates as August - December 2006. That one last little digit caused a huge mess. So I have to return this week with a new letter with the correct year, then I will be given a receipt stating that I have gone through this process and I am waiting for the official permit to come. Which by the way, should be ready for pick up two days before I leave for home.
This morning we had a meeting with the Dean to go over details about the exhibition of work we are supposed to have. Initially, it was scheduled for the last week that we are all still in Zagreb. However, we were informed that there is a show scheduled for that week and if we wait unitl afterwards the work we show would have to stay since we would leave before the show closes. In light of this, our show was moved ahead three weeks, the opening is now Nov. 28. This puts significant pressure on the deadlines that I had previously set, and pushes at least two of my huge pieces forward quite a bit. Plus, we are to have a catalogue, which must go to the printers by the beginning of next week, so we are scrambling to get images, titles, dimensions, etc., of work that isn't quite completed. I must admit that I am probably the only one of the six of us in the show that will have at least two pieces done within the deadline that doens't have to compromise anything that I have planned.
Tomorrow I will complete one of those two huge pieces. I am carrying out my installation / documentation piece in the main square, with the earthen pots. The only work that is really involved is placing each of the pots in their places and hanging out all day to take photos every two hours of each of the pots. So, I've decided rather than taking the tram back and forth from the square to the academy, I'll just bounce between coffee shops and catch up on Proust, and a few other books I've been reading. Once I get this one done, the next day I will begin immediately on the video projection that I plan to fully complete just in time for the show. So, I will be insanely busy for the next few weeks...but really, I wouldn't have it anyother way.
--AM
05 November 2007
8 Nov 07
Hmm, no really good stories this time, just updates from the past several days. This hasn't exactly been the best week, but I do have to take the bad with the good.
Okay, I do have one amusing story. We were told that we can take our linens to be changed on the first and second, and the 15th and 16th of each month. Considering Nov. 1 and 2 were holdays I figured that since the dorm offices were closed that the exchange days would just roll to the next two business days. So I fold my sheets and towels neatly, hang out at the dorm until 9am (I normally leave by 8 am) go to the office, try in my best Croatian to ask for new linens. The guy shakes his head an me and mutters God only knows what in Croatian. Thoroughly irrated at this excahnge student he pulls me over to a calander and points out the days that I can exchange. I apologized profusely, and then he finally gave me new ones. Again, my logic has been proven faulty. I did go back to the dorm and warn my colleagues to wait until the 15th.
So after this little exchange (what a way to start the day, let alone a Monday) I get to the studio and apparently the work on the room wasn't finished and the desks were pushed back in to the center of the room. Not really a big deal, we just had to make little paths for people to get to their respective areas. I'm not sure if the work has been completed but my studio mates pushed their stuff back to their spaces and I followed suit.
I am pleased that I should have be installing one of my site-specific pieces next week, as long as the weather cooporates. Also, my the formalities of my sound-based piece are being worked out, so that piece should go into editing and post production within the next two weeks. It's good to have some of these pieces coming to a close, I\m starting to feel like I have been doing work! I did get a piece finished in time to submit for a small sculpture competition, no word on the results yet.
I talked with Iva this week, she told me that her teammates have found hockey equipment for me and skates. So, I shall go to my first practice on Saturday evening! I am really looking forward to this, I haven't played for some time so we'll see how it goes. I think the IUP contingent said they will come and be the rowdy section during the games, haha!
New photos are being uploaded to Flickr every few days. Gotta get back to my studio, I think a vase might be ready to be popped from the mold.
--AM
Okay, I do have one amusing story. We were told that we can take our linens to be changed on the first and second, and the 15th and 16th of each month. Considering Nov. 1 and 2 were holdays I figured that since the dorm offices were closed that the exchange days would just roll to the next two business days. So I fold my sheets and towels neatly, hang out at the dorm until 9am (I normally leave by 8 am) go to the office, try in my best Croatian to ask for new linens. The guy shakes his head an me and mutters God only knows what in Croatian. Thoroughly irrated at this excahnge student he pulls me over to a calander and points out the days that I can exchange. I apologized profusely, and then he finally gave me new ones. Again, my logic has been proven faulty. I did go back to the dorm and warn my colleagues to wait until the 15th.
So after this little exchange (what a way to start the day, let alone a Monday) I get to the studio and apparently the work on the room wasn't finished and the desks were pushed back in to the center of the room. Not really a big deal, we just had to make little paths for people to get to their respective areas. I'm not sure if the work has been completed but my studio mates pushed their stuff back to their spaces and I followed suit.
I am pleased that I should have be installing one of my site-specific pieces next week, as long as the weather cooporates. Also, my the formalities of my sound-based piece are being worked out, so that piece should go into editing and post production within the next two weeks. It's good to have some of these pieces coming to a close, I\m starting to feel like I have been doing work! I did get a piece finished in time to submit for a small sculpture competition, no word on the results yet.
I talked with Iva this week, she told me that her teammates have found hockey equipment for me and skates. So, I shall go to my first practice on Saturday evening! I am really looking forward to this, I haven't played for some time so we'll see how it goes. I think the IUP contingent said they will come and be the rowdy section during the games, haha!
New photos are being uploaded to Flickr every few days. Gotta get back to my studio, I think a vase might be ready to be popped from the mold.
--AM
02 November 2007
2 Nov 07
The ALU welcome party is indeed as crazy as everyone said it would be. Hopefully this will frame a bit of the experiece: At 2pm the band was just finishing setting up the stage and doing sound checks. People began to wander in and out of the Metal Working room turned party hall, to walk out with glasses of vino and pivo. I'm still working in the studio on a plaster carving and decide to take a peek for myself, I walk in and they've got two Tuborg beer taps...they do take their parties seriously!! So, what better way to enjoy an afternoon working than with a pivo! That didn't last long, soon after the Irish band began to play, and to much to my surprise they played some Flogging Molly! The party apparently went on until 10pm, but I left long before, since I had all intentions of going back to the studio the next day!
I am happy to report that I have begun significant work on one of my bigger pieces that I am planning. It finally feels as though I am getting somewhere! Related pics are posted on myspace and Flickr.
During that afternoon, I heard rumours of the Academy closing at noon the next day, I kinda forgot about it. Then, Wednesday morning at least five people reminded me that I had to vacate at noon, so it was true. So at noon, I packed up whatever I could manage to do in the dorm and found Croatia's version of wal-mart, but, hopefully without the despicable labor practices. I was happy to find Honey Nut Cherrios and the weather is cold enough that I can buy regular milk and put it in what I like to call the mini-fridge, which it really a shopping bag rigged outside my window. So every morning I can have nicely chilled milk over my Cherrios.
After seeeing a film at the Festival last week, "The Living and the Dead," as silly as it sounds, I really began to understand what is so easy to forget, that this area was in a war 15 years ago. Typically I would think 15 years is a span of time when things would settle down and the traces of a war would be, for the most part, eroded away. It wasn't until I was surrounded with some 1,000 people watching the film about six Croatian soliders in Bosina in 1993, with a paralleled subplot of 10 Yugoslav soliders during WWII, and I was able to witness how they reacted to the jokes (and the movie in general) made by the characters that I began to realize that the war wasn't that long ago and a bitter senitment is still in the air. I then realized that many people (or at least the Croatian filmmaker) views the war as the Balkan version of Vietnam or Iraq, a war that might be "over" but the catalyst for the war will resonate for many years to come. Then, Sunday, when I was walking through the seemingly endless flea market, beyond the typical cheap goods shipped in from Asia there were stands with random used electronics, household fare, jewelry, etc, I started to wonder the provenance of such items being sold. If there's a possibility that the stuff is from where I think it came did, I'm not so sure that's a market I want to be an active participant in.
All of this aside, I am by no means rethinking my decision to come here, rather, all the more pleased that I did, since I would have never had this experience or new perspective if i hadn't.
I am happy to report that I have begun significant work on one of my bigger pieces that I am planning. It finally feels as though I am getting somewhere! Related pics are posted on myspace and Flickr.
During that afternoon, I heard rumours of the Academy closing at noon the next day, I kinda forgot about it. Then, Wednesday morning at least five people reminded me that I had to vacate at noon, so it was true. So at noon, I packed up whatever I could manage to do in the dorm and found Croatia's version of wal-mart, but, hopefully without the despicable labor practices. I was happy to find Honey Nut Cherrios and the weather is cold enough that I can buy regular milk and put it in what I like to call the mini-fridge, which it really a shopping bag rigged outside my window. So every morning I can have nicely chilled milk over my Cherrios.
After seeeing a film at the Festival last week, "The Living and the Dead," as silly as it sounds, I really began to understand what is so easy to forget, that this area was in a war 15 years ago. Typically I would think 15 years is a span of time when things would settle down and the traces of a war would be, for the most part, eroded away. It wasn't until I was surrounded with some 1,000 people watching the film about six Croatian soliders in Bosina in 1993, with a paralleled subplot of 10 Yugoslav soliders during WWII, and I was able to witness how they reacted to the jokes (and the movie in general) made by the characters that I began to realize that the war wasn't that long ago and a bitter senitment is still in the air. I then realized that many people (or at least the Croatian filmmaker) views the war as the Balkan version of Vietnam or Iraq, a war that might be "over" but the catalyst for the war will resonate for many years to come. Then, Sunday, when I was walking through the seemingly endless flea market, beyond the typical cheap goods shipped in from Asia there were stands with random used electronics, household fare, jewelry, etc, I started to wonder the provenance of such items being sold. If there's a possibility that the stuff is from where I think it came did, I'm not so sure that's a market I want to be an active participant in.
All of this aside, I am by no means rethinking my decision to come here, rather, all the more pleased that I did, since I would have never had this experience or new perspective if i hadn't.
28 October 2007
28 Oct 07
This morning I and some friends decided to venture out to the flea market, but I was responsible for making sure everyone was up, aparently, they like the snooze button a little too much. So, I got up at 7a, made some coffee and cereal, 8a rolls around and I knocked on everyone's door, someone finally said to me, "no, it's not 8a, its 7a." I figured the person, whom shall remain nameless, had too much pivo last night, got in late, and was just making excuses to sleep longer. I opened up my laptop and Apple did automatically switch the time back an hour, so Europe does take part in the anamoly of daylight savings time. Any other year I would be grateful of the extra hour on a Sunday, yet there is nothing going on in Zagreb on Sundays. Nothing.
I did find what I was looking for at the flea market, a nice 40 cm vase that I am going to pull a plaster mold from. Better yet, I was able to haggle with the guy in Croatian, he was asking 80 kuna, I got him down to 50 kn. That's still about $10, but better than wasting time during the week to find the psuedo-ikea that is rumoured to be around somewhere. I figure if the piece I am planning with this vase costs me only 50kn, that might be on of the cheapest pieces I ever make. Inquiries for futher information about what I'm up to with this are more than welcome, just send me an email, or post a comment.
I discovered yesterday that Zagreb doesn't believe in coin-op laundry. One must take laundry to a laundrette and have someone else do the washing. So, I finally got that done yesterday, it is kinda nice to have someone so my laundry for me, but I still much perfer doing it myself. I know which piece should go into the dryer to be intentionally shrunk, and others that need to be hung. Oh well, it does save me some time on Saturday.
This week is the Academy's welcome party for first year and international students, which I've been told by my Croatian friends that it well worth the 30 kuna. No classes on Thursday, All Saints Day / Holy Day of Obligation. I think that will be a good day to get some research done and papers written.
Oh, and I heard 50 cent will be performing in Zagreb in the early part of December, I'm sure to be the cultural event of the year. No, actually Brecht's "Threepenny Opera" is going to be staged at the Croatian National Theatre, if I think I can understand it in Croatian (it's most likely not being produced in English), I might cough up the Kuna and go, I'll have to do some investigating. The Avant Garde Jazz Festival is this weekend, I'm hoping to catch a few shows.
Until something of interest happens,
--AM
I did find what I was looking for at the flea market, a nice 40 cm vase that I am going to pull a plaster mold from. Better yet, I was able to haggle with the guy in Croatian, he was asking 80 kuna, I got him down to 50 kn. That's still about $10, but better than wasting time during the week to find the psuedo-ikea that is rumoured to be around somewhere. I figure if the piece I am planning with this vase costs me only 50kn, that might be on of the cheapest pieces I ever make. Inquiries for futher information about what I'm up to with this are more than welcome, just send me an email, or post a comment.
I discovered yesterday that Zagreb doesn't believe in coin-op laundry. One must take laundry to a laundrette and have someone else do the washing. So, I finally got that done yesterday, it is kinda nice to have someone so my laundry for me, but I still much perfer doing it myself. I know which piece should go into the dryer to be intentionally shrunk, and others that need to be hung. Oh well, it does save me some time on Saturday.
This week is the Academy's welcome party for first year and international students, which I've been told by my Croatian friends that it well worth the 30 kuna. No classes on Thursday, All Saints Day / Holy Day of Obligation. I think that will be a good day to get some research done and papers written.
Oh, and I heard 50 cent will be performing in Zagreb in the early part of December, I'm sure to be the cultural event of the year. No, actually Brecht's "Threepenny Opera" is going to be staged at the Croatian National Theatre, if I think I can understand it in Croatian (it's most likely not being produced in English), I might cough up the Kuna and go, I'll have to do some investigating. The Avant Garde Jazz Festival is this weekend, I'm hoping to catch a few shows.
Until something of interest happens,
--AM
25 October 2007
25 Oct 07
Nothing much going, just some highlights from the past few days:
Today was the first day in the past five that it hasn't rained and been unseasonable chilly. The temperature was holding about 2-7 degrees, about 36-43 F, and it was still a touch too warm for it to be snowing. Nothing is worse than a cold, windy rain. The forecast is looking up for the weekend, rain for the most part, but back up to about 10 C, 55 F. I took advantage of this nice weather to do a site visit of the location I am planning an installation, I hope to have that one done by mid November at the very latest.
Last evening all of the international students from the Academy of Fine Arts, nine in total, went to see a blues / rock band at our haunt of choice, Pugerjai. We heard about the group from one of the sculpture students, a friend of her's is in the band. They were very good. At one point I had my back away from the stage, when I turned, I was shocked to find the band was off stage taking a break for the past 10 minutes. All the while, I was thinking they were still playing, but it was really a CD of theirs!
I finally got to the Zagreb Film Festival yesterday, I went with a few of my classmates at lunch time. We saw two short documentaries. One, "The Italian Doctor", followed a physiologist around as he worked in Afghanistan. He worked with people who needed prosthetics and has been there for over 10 years. The second, "Dead Man Walking" was from a Croatian filmmaker. He went to a small Bosnian town that was heavily damaged from the war. This man, Himzo, disappeared during the war and was never seen until 12 years later, he just showed up. Himzo doesn't speak of the time that he was away, and there is much speculation about whether he was captured by Serbs, or if he just fled and never tried to contact his family. So, initially when he arrived back home the whole town partied for days on end, as the months wore on and Himzo wouldn't give any answers, he was eventually shunned from his family and town. I'm going to see a feature length film tonight at 10.30, "The Living and the Dead," then another one tomorrow evening, "Jar City."
One night after working in the studio, Kyle (another IUP student) and I were walking back to the dorm, we passed some hedges and heard a rustling. We turned back to find a hedgehog peeking out from the hedges at us! Kyle was going to pick him up, but the little thing had its quils up. So instead, Kyle tries to give it a piece of granola, but of course it wasn't going to take it, so we left it. The past few evenings I've made a point to look for our prickly friend, but no such luck. we do have some cats hanging around the dorm. We always save a little food from the cafe to give to them, as soon as we can get close enough to one, we're going to have a dorm cat.
I was informed this week that I and the other IUP students will have a group show the last week that were are here. Professor Drinkovic continued to tell me we need to get the catalogue completed by mid November in order to get it printed in time for the opening. I'm thinking, "what!? catalogue?" This also means that if we choose to put in images (of course we are going to) that we should have a piece done soon so it can be photographed and in the catalogue. In light of this, I spent a good two hours going over all the pieces I am planning, made an overall "to do" list, a "to do" list for each of the pieces, and time tables in the same manner. Obsessive? Absolutely. Waste of time? Hopefully not.
Alright, I gotta make some coffee now, if I expect to make it through the film.
--AM
Today was the first day in the past five that it hasn't rained and been unseasonable chilly. The temperature was holding about 2-7 degrees, about 36-43 F, and it was still a touch too warm for it to be snowing. Nothing is worse than a cold, windy rain. The forecast is looking up for the weekend, rain for the most part, but back up to about 10 C, 55 F. I took advantage of this nice weather to do a site visit of the location I am planning an installation, I hope to have that one done by mid November at the very latest.
Last evening all of the international students from the Academy of Fine Arts, nine in total, went to see a blues / rock band at our haunt of choice, Pugerjai. We heard about the group from one of the sculpture students, a friend of her's is in the band. They were very good. At one point I had my back away from the stage, when I turned, I was shocked to find the band was off stage taking a break for the past 10 minutes. All the while, I was thinking they were still playing, but it was really a CD of theirs!
I finally got to the Zagreb Film Festival yesterday, I went with a few of my classmates at lunch time. We saw two short documentaries. One, "The Italian Doctor", followed a physiologist around as he worked in Afghanistan. He worked with people who needed prosthetics and has been there for over 10 years. The second, "Dead Man Walking" was from a Croatian filmmaker. He went to a small Bosnian town that was heavily damaged from the war. This man, Himzo, disappeared during the war and was never seen until 12 years later, he just showed up. Himzo doesn't speak of the time that he was away, and there is much speculation about whether he was captured by Serbs, or if he just fled and never tried to contact his family. So, initially when he arrived back home the whole town partied for days on end, as the months wore on and Himzo wouldn't give any answers, he was eventually shunned from his family and town. I'm going to see a feature length film tonight at 10.30, "The Living and the Dead," then another one tomorrow evening, "Jar City."
One night after working in the studio, Kyle (another IUP student) and I were walking back to the dorm, we passed some hedges and heard a rustling. We turned back to find a hedgehog peeking out from the hedges at us! Kyle was going to pick him up, but the little thing had its quils up. So instead, Kyle tries to give it a piece of granola, but of course it wasn't going to take it, so we left it. The past few evenings I've made a point to look for our prickly friend, but no such luck. we do have some cats hanging around the dorm. We always save a little food from the cafe to give to them, as soon as we can get close enough to one, we're going to have a dorm cat.
I was informed this week that I and the other IUP students will have a group show the last week that were are here. Professor Drinkovic continued to tell me we need to get the catalogue completed by mid November in order to get it printed in time for the opening. I'm thinking, "what!? catalogue?" This also means that if we choose to put in images (of course we are going to) that we should have a piece done soon so it can be photographed and in the catalogue. In light of this, I spent a good two hours going over all the pieces I am planning, made an overall "to do" list, a "to do" list for each of the pieces, and time tables in the same manner. Obsessive? Absolutely. Waste of time? Hopefully not.
Alright, I gotta make some coffee now, if I expect to make it through the film.
--AM
21 October 2007
21 Oct 07
Nothing too exciting went on over the weekend, which is fine by me considering it took me not even a full week of being in classes to come down with a cold. So, I've been nursing that all weekend, but the cold seems to be in stasis, the exception being the exchange of a sore throat for losing my voice. I did manage to get into the studio Saturday morning (big surprise, right!?) the Academy is only open from 8 or 9a to 1p. I finished a small plaster carving and laid out plans for all the work I plan to get done in two months. It's a pretty daunting and ambitious list:
2 documentation /cataloging pieces to last the duration of my stay
1 plaster / soap stone carving a week (12 in total)
1 (maybe 2) sound-based piece
1 video and projection piece
1 site-specific installation
1 performance
1 print edition, 3 layer etching / screen print
There's also been talk of a small cast bronze piece-although we don't get to pour them, bummer, it's one of my favorite processes to do and I'm not being sarcastic. The wax positives will go to the foundry where they will take care of the sprue system, investing, and pouring. Then we get them back for the fun part...finishing it off with grinding and sanding.
I think its entirely do-able, as long as I budget my time correctly. This week I'll concentrate on getting my source material for the installation, sound, and video pieces, as well as sketches for the print, then go from there.
Sundays are incredibly low-key in Zagreb, unless one wishes to hang out at a caffe bar, there are plenty to bounce between. I did go to the flea market today, but got there too late. I'll have to make sure I get there early next week. I did see enough of it to realize that it's the place to go for anything I would need for sculpture, I even saw a few grinders and other various power tools :) When I returned I was online and found a call for papers for the 2008 Cultural Studies Conference, in particular a discussion group on art in public places, the deadline is tomorrow, 22 Oct. I think after my visit to Skulptur Projeckte Muenster, it would be entirely relevant for me to explore the issues of art in the public sphere via that specific show. So, I spent the afternoon writing up a proposal and just sent it out. It was worth a shot.
Zagreb Film Festival is this week, the list looks promising, I'll try to get to a few of the screenings in the evenings.
Studio, as usual, tomorrow, hopefully with my voice back.
--AM
2 documentation /cataloging pieces to last the duration of my stay
1 plaster / soap stone carving a week (12 in total)
1 (maybe 2) sound-based piece
1 video and projection piece
1 site-specific installation
1 performance
1 print edition, 3 layer etching / screen print
There's also been talk of a small cast bronze piece-although we don't get to pour them, bummer, it's one of my favorite processes to do and I'm not being sarcastic. The wax positives will go to the foundry where they will take care of the sprue system, investing, and pouring. Then we get them back for the fun part...finishing it off with grinding and sanding.
I think its entirely do-able, as long as I budget my time correctly. This week I'll concentrate on getting my source material for the installation, sound, and video pieces, as well as sketches for the print, then go from there.
Sundays are incredibly low-key in Zagreb, unless one wishes to hang out at a caffe bar, there are plenty to bounce between. I did go to the flea market today, but got there too late. I'll have to make sure I get there early next week. I did see enough of it to realize that it's the place to go for anything I would need for sculpture, I even saw a few grinders and other various power tools :) When I returned I was online and found a call for papers for the 2008 Cultural Studies Conference, in particular a discussion group on art in public places, the deadline is tomorrow, 22 Oct. I think after my visit to Skulptur Projeckte Muenster, it would be entirely relevant for me to explore the issues of art in the public sphere via that specific show. So, I spent the afternoon writing up a proposal and just sent it out. It was worth a shot.
Zagreb Film Festival is this week, the list looks promising, I'll try to get to a few of the screenings in the evenings.
Studio, as usual, tomorrow, hopefully with my voice back.
--AM
19 October 2007
19 Oct 07
The first full week of being at the Academy has come to a close, it didn't feel like I got a lot of work done, but in retrospect I did get a lot of planning done for what I will be doing while I'm here. Next week I hope to start getting some materials and begin work on some of my larger pieces. I nixed the stone carving, unless I decide to do a smaller piece, I just don't think I'll have enough time.
Last evening there was a happening / performance in the main square that led up to Old Town, past the Cathedral to a gallery where an opening was taking place. I didn't know too much about it until one of my studio colleagues invited me to join in the happening. The opening was for a show of work of former students from the Academy, all of whom earned +5 ( the highest grade awarded in school) and who graduated within the past 10 years. It was an important event because it is part of the year long celebration of the Academy's 100th anniversary. It was good to see the work of former students to I can now have a greater perspective on the differences and similarities of how these artists work, and how I do. So it gave a me a context, or a sense of positionality within my colleagues at the Academy, if that makes any sense.
Staying in Zagreb for the weekend, no travel plans in the near future. I'm going to stop by a flea market before getting into the studio early tomorrow morning. I'm trying to get my hands on 64 canning jars or mason jars, we'll see what I can find.
--AM
Last evening there was a happening / performance in the main square that led up to Old Town, past the Cathedral to a gallery where an opening was taking place. I didn't know too much about it until one of my studio colleagues invited me to join in the happening. The opening was for a show of work of former students from the Academy, all of whom earned +5 ( the highest grade awarded in school) and who graduated within the past 10 years. It was an important event because it is part of the year long celebration of the Academy's 100th anniversary. It was good to see the work of former students to I can now have a greater perspective on the differences and similarities of how these artists work, and how I do. So it gave a me a context, or a sense of positionality within my colleagues at the Academy, if that makes any sense.
Staying in Zagreb for the weekend, no travel plans in the near future. I'm going to stop by a flea market before getting into the studio early tomorrow morning. I'm trying to get my hands on 64 canning jars or mason jars, we'll see what I can find.
--AM
16 October 2007
16 Oct. 07
I went into the studio yesterday, and to my delight, all of the work had been completed. So the few of us that were in put the studio back in order during the morning. After lunch I began working on clay maquettes for the 20 cm piece, after much difficulty with the clay, I think it is time to seek out some wax. Rumor has it there is a stand in the produce market that has some. Today, after waking up with an early onset cold, I spent much of the morning refining the maquettes and the afternoon and evening finalizing plans for an outdoor carved stone piece, if I get started within the next week, I should have just enough time to get it done, as long as I get a softer stone, soapstone would be ideal since it polishes nicely, but I'll take what I can get. The design can easily accommodate a different material if need be, probably wood. I shall have to discuss my options with the professor tomorrow. I also began one of the pieces I am planning to be doing for the duration of my stay in Zagreb, I best get the other ones underway this week.
I was talking with one of my studio colleagues, Iva, who just happens to play ice hockey. Iva plays for the Croatian National team and invited me to their practice tonight. I met most of the team members, and they'd like me to play while I'm here! I'll have to see what the fees might be, and more importantly, what the schedule is like.
Another long day in the studio awaits me tomorrow.
--AM
PS: I've posted some pictures from Venice on Flickr, more to come soon. Also, I'll get some pics of the Academy and of Zagreb up by the end of the week.
I was talking with one of my studio colleagues, Iva, who just happens to play ice hockey. Iva plays for the Croatian National team and invited me to their practice tonight. I met most of the team members, and they'd like me to play while I'm here! I'll have to see what the fees might be, and more importantly, what the schedule is like.
Another long day in the studio awaits me tomorrow.
--AM
PS: I've posted some pictures from Venice on Flickr, more to come soon. Also, I'll get some pics of the Academy and of Zagreb up by the end of the week.
15 October 2007
Venice, Italy
This spent this past weeked in Venice for La Biennale di Venezia finally completing my Grand Tour 2007 (I didn't go to Art Basel, it's pretty much a repeat of the Armory Show, which I saw in February). Considering the lack lustre reviews the show was given, I was happy to find that I didn't share the majority opinion of the critics. I found the Robert Storr (the director) to be very forthright in his vision for the Biennale to not be concerned so much with globalism and art, but rather, contemporary art "in the present tense" as he puts it. After seeing the show, I have to admit I appreciate the format of National Pavillions, with each sponsoring country curating a mini show, and then the all-inclusive show art the Arsenale.
We had really beautiful weather in Venice, about 65 degrees and sunny. It's still tourist season in Venice, the city was packed, but since the Biennale has been up since June it wasn't too busy. I didn't have enough time to make it through all of the show, let alone get to see the sights, but I did manage to wander aroud the town and not get lost, or fall into a canal. Although on the ferry ride out of Venice on Sunday I sat outside on the bow of the boat, to enjoy the sunset over the grand canal, a tug boat cut past us and sent off a pretty good wake, which allowed our boat to get about 8 feet out of th water and then land. I, of course, realized that we were in for a pretty big back splash, got up to turn away and didn't make it in time. Consequently, I was soaked, no one else who was sitting outside got wet, I took it for the team. I walk back into the cabin and everyone turns around, looks at me, and laughs, then I realize that it looks like I peed myself. Oh well, at least I had a clean change of clothes back at the bus and, most imporartly, I didn't fall into a canal.
We got in early Monday, about 4 am, so after two and a half hours of sleep I went into the Academy. I was happy to find that the work that was being down to our studio space, had indeed been completed and I was able to get my little area in order. I spent much of the day working on sketches and maquettes for a few pieces. There is an competition from a company in Zagreb that wants a scultpure student from the Academy to design a 20 sq. cm bronze piece to give as gifts to important clientele for Christmas. I'm also kicking around the idea of doing a carved stone piece while I'm here, we'll see what happens.
Pictures from Venice to be posted soon, until later,
--AM
We had really beautiful weather in Venice, about 65 degrees and sunny. It's still tourist season in Venice, the city was packed, but since the Biennale has been up since June it wasn't too busy. I didn't have enough time to make it through all of the show, let alone get to see the sights, but I did manage to wander aroud the town and not get lost, or fall into a canal. Although on the ferry ride out of Venice on Sunday I sat outside on the bow of the boat, to enjoy the sunset over the grand canal, a tug boat cut past us and sent off a pretty good wake, which allowed our boat to get about 8 feet out of th water and then land. I, of course, realized that we were in for a pretty big back splash, got up to turn away and didn't make it in time. Consequently, I was soaked, no one else who was sitting outside got wet, I took it for the team. I walk back into the cabin and everyone turns around, looks at me, and laughs, then I realize that it looks like I peed myself. Oh well, at least I had a clean change of clothes back at the bus and, most imporartly, I didn't fall into a canal.
We got in early Monday, about 4 am, so after two and a half hours of sleep I went into the Academy. I was happy to find that the work that was being down to our studio space, had indeed been completed and I was able to get my little area in order. I spent much of the day working on sketches and maquettes for a few pieces. There is an competition from a company in Zagreb that wants a scultpure student from the Academy to design a 20 sq. cm bronze piece to give as gifts to important clientele for Christmas. I'm also kicking around the idea of doing a carved stone piece while I'm here, we'll see what happens.
Pictures from Venice to be posted soon, until later,
--AM
11 October 2007
11 Oct 07
It was nice to wake up today knowing that from here on out I'll be getting to go into the studio everyday to work. It's been a long few weeks traveling, getting settled, having meetings. I have enjoyed my travels very much, but at the same time, I am very excited to have a space in which to work. I've been traveling around for a long time, collecting and formulating ideas for new work, it's a relief to be able to carry them out, if I think about a piece too much and not act, I will end up doubting the work, even before it's underway.
I met again with the faculty on Wednesday to finalize my mentor, I will be working with Professor Drinkovic of the Sculpture department, he is also the Dean of the Academy. Shortly after the meeting he took me to the studio I'll be working in and got me a desk and space right away. We went to the student supply center in the basement of the academy, it certainly beats walking or biking across campus to the co-op to get a roll of duct tape!
I left the academy yesterday with my space in order, to come back this morning to find all the desks moved to the middle of the room and renovations going on. The students in the studio next door invited me to join them in theirs, so I was able to get some work done, but mostly just got to know my fellow students. Hopefully the studio space will be ready tomorrow, Monday at the latest.
Tomorrow, I plan to meet with Professor Drinkovic to go over my plans for the semester, which include some an edition or two of prints I'd like to start on, the I will start on getting supplies and get to work. If reno. is still underway and nothing much can be done, I'll head over to the figure drawing class, one can never have too much drawing experience.
Next post probably after Venice this weekend, unless something extraodinarily interesting happens tomorrow.
--AM
I met again with the faculty on Wednesday to finalize my mentor, I will be working with Professor Drinkovic of the Sculpture department, he is also the Dean of the Academy. Shortly after the meeting he took me to the studio I'll be working in and got me a desk and space right away. We went to the student supply center in the basement of the academy, it certainly beats walking or biking across campus to the co-op to get a roll of duct tape!
I left the academy yesterday with my space in order, to come back this morning to find all the desks moved to the middle of the room and renovations going on. The students in the studio next door invited me to join them in theirs, so I was able to get some work done, but mostly just got to know my fellow students. Hopefully the studio space will be ready tomorrow, Monday at the latest.
Tomorrow, I plan to meet with Professor Drinkovic to go over my plans for the semester, which include some an edition or two of prints I'd like to start on, the I will start on getting supplies and get to work. If reno. is still underway and nothing much can be done, I'll head over to the figure drawing class, one can never have too much drawing experience.
Next post probably after Venice this weekend, unless something extraodinarily interesting happens tomorrow.
--AM
09 October 2007
Hvar
This weekend, I traveled to the coast of Croatia, to Split, then took a ferry to one of the many islands, this one, Hvar. When I first decided to travel to Croatia, I was surprised to discover that is the place of choice for Europeans to go on Holiday. After this weekend, I understand completely. The water was as clear as glass, the town had the charm of the Mediterranean, without the crowds and high prices. It is true, you can't take a bad picture there, which mine will be posted soon, I still need to sort through them.
I was also properly introduced to Croatia via Rakija, a Croatian pseudo moonshine, every bar having a different brew. I found it to taste much like vodka (therefore pretty tolerable); however, I don't plan to be having much anytime soon, perhaps when it's time to bid farewell. I still prefer a nice glass of vino, which I hear, wine season is approaching.
I had an interview with the Assistant Dean today to go over my portfolio and will then be paired with a mentor-professor, hopefully tomorrow. I am looking forward to getting matched and given a studio space, it's a little unnerving when I realize that its the beginning of October and I haven't started working yet. I plan to find the university library tomorrow to dig around and find some reading relating to some work that I wish to do while here. Yes, jest if you must, I am completely comfortable being a nerd, thanks very much.
Off to a dual opening at the Croatian Fine Arts Center, more tomorrow.
--AM
I was also properly introduced to Croatia via Rakija, a Croatian pseudo moonshine, every bar having a different brew. I found it to taste much like vodka (therefore pretty tolerable); however, I don't plan to be having much anytime soon, perhaps when it's time to bid farewell. I still prefer a nice glass of vino, which I hear, wine season is approaching.
I had an interview with the Assistant Dean today to go over my portfolio and will then be paired with a mentor-professor, hopefully tomorrow. I am looking forward to getting matched and given a studio space, it's a little unnerving when I realize that its the beginning of October and I haven't started working yet. I plan to find the university library tomorrow to dig around and find some reading relating to some work that I wish to do while here. Yes, jest if you must, I am completely comfortable being a nerd, thanks very much.
Off to a dual opening at the Croatian Fine Arts Center, more tomorrow.
--AM
06 October 2007
6 Oct 07
Yesterday we had the meeting with some fellow international students in town. We went over the basics, pretty much what we needed to do to get a student tram pass and how to register with the police as a temporary student. If one is in Croatia longer than 3 months he or she must register with the police as a temporary resident rather then a tourist. I am staying just shy of 3 months but I was advised to register anyways, just to be safe. We were able to get our tram passes after the meeting, normally you are supposed to pay 6 kuna (about $1) each time you ride the tram, but like in any other European city no one checks if you have a tram ticket. Again, we were advised to buy one just in case. I was told the fine for riding the tram without a ticket is 200 kuna, about $40, I'd rather just pay the tram pass up front and not have to worry.
I met Elvis this morning, he and Iva have an old cell phone they are loaning me while I'm here. So I picked up an SIM chip and loaded it with 100 kuna. That will be nice to have to be able to call people here, rather than leaving notes on doors, passing messages through other people, etc.
I'm leaving on an over night bus tonight to go to Split, a big city along the coast. I'll arrive about 7.30a, then take the 9 am ferry to Hvar island to meet up with friends. Then we will return Monday evening. Then next weekend we found a trip to Venice for only $90!! plus what ever we might spend in the city, but that is still a great deal! I'm afraid that I will won't be able to see all of the Venice Biennale, but I'll be sure to plan my attack carefully to see as much as I can. Depending on studio work, I'll plan a long weekend to Poland, and a shorter weekend trips to Ljubljana, Slovenia; Sarajavo, Bosnia; and maybe Budapest, Hungary. All of those places are highly recommended by the locals, particularly, Visnja.
Next post will be when I return from Hvar and after the meeting at the Academy on Tuesday.
--AM
I met Elvis this morning, he and Iva have an old cell phone they are loaning me while I'm here. So I picked up an SIM chip and loaded it with 100 kuna. That will be nice to have to be able to call people here, rather than leaving notes on doors, passing messages through other people, etc.
I'm leaving on an over night bus tonight to go to Split, a big city along the coast. I'll arrive about 7.30a, then take the 9 am ferry to Hvar island to meet up with friends. Then we will return Monday evening. Then next weekend we found a trip to Venice for only $90!! plus what ever we might spend in the city, but that is still a great deal! I'm afraid that I will won't be able to see all of the Venice Biennale, but I'll be sure to plan my attack carefully to see as much as I can. Depending on studio work, I'll plan a long weekend to Poland, and a shorter weekend trips to Ljubljana, Slovenia; Sarajavo, Bosnia; and maybe Budapest, Hungary. All of those places are highly recommended by the locals, particularly, Visnja.
Next post will be when I return from Hvar and after the meeting at the Academy on Tuesday.
--AM
04 October 2007
3 Oct. 07
Last night I was happy to visit some Croatian friends that I met when they studied at IUP. A few of the fellow IUP students and I met up with Iva and Elvis. We went to a gallery for a show that had just recently opened. Then had a drink at one of the caffe bars in the park below the Cathedral. We spent a lot of time catching up on each others lives and talking about our plans for new art work, etc. Iva mentioned that she may have a cell phone that I can barrow to use while I am here, I will just need to buy some phone cards, much like the trac phones at home.
I decided this morning that I needed a hair cut, but not just a trim, a new style. See what happens when I cannot be occupied with the studio! I am finding it to be a welcomed change, it was fairly pointless to have long hair but wear it pinned up everyday. Check Flickr for some pics.
Tomorrow is the meeting for all the international students. I think as soon as it ends I am high tailing it to Split and then Hvar for the long weekend (Monday in Independence Day), the flea market will have to wait another week, sorry, Aasta.
All the best,
--AM
I decided this morning that I needed a hair cut, but not just a trim, a new style. See what happens when I cannot be occupied with the studio! I am finding it to be a welcomed change, it was fairly pointless to have long hair but wear it pinned up everyday. Check Flickr for some pics.
Tomorrow is the meeting for all the international students. I think as soon as it ends I am high tailing it to Split and then Hvar for the long weekend (Monday in Independence Day), the flea market will have to wait another week, sorry, Aasta.
All the best,
--AM
01 October 2007
1 Oct. '07
So, I've come to find out that nothing really happens on the weekends, even in the big city! The shops and the town in general shut down by 14.00. People are still out and about, but not really walking with any destination in mind. So, when in Zagreb...
Sunday was much of the same, the town square was filled with people, just chilling out at the expensive cafes.
I woke up early today to get my portfolio in order, finelly got a few video pieces rendered from imovie to quicktime. A few of the exchange students and I ventured to the art academy to see what was going on. Not too much, students are back, but just settling into their studios. We did find out that we have a meeting on Friday, when we will get our student cards, allowing us use of the student restaurants, and internet access. After that, I decided it would be a good idea to check in with the main international student office, picked up the student handbook and a few very helpful maps. It has been my practice over the past few days to take a random tram to where ever it leads to figure out where everything is located in Zagreb, today I stumbled upon a shopping mall, not surprising that it was pretty much every overpriced store that is downtown just stakced into 3 levels. However, it was a nice diversion for the afternoon. I was pleasently surprised to find the equivant to a super target in the lower level of the mall. I found a nice milk foamer, and little sauce pan to froth milk for my french press-made coffee : )
Speaking of milk, bizzarely, milk here need not be fridged, which makes me a little leary of it. Although I figure if I heat it, it's not too bad. I couldn't go any longer without cold cereal, so I bought vanilla soy milk and a Croatian facimile of Cheerios, can't wait for breakfast tomorrow!
Probably going to the lake tomorrow to catch up on some reading. The weather has been beautiful, I might as well take advantage of it while I can.
Best,
AM
Sunday was much of the same, the town square was filled with people, just chilling out at the expensive cafes.
I woke up early today to get my portfolio in order, finelly got a few video pieces rendered from imovie to quicktime. A few of the exchange students and I ventured to the art academy to see what was going on. Not too much, students are back, but just settling into their studios. We did find out that we have a meeting on Friday, when we will get our student cards, allowing us use of the student restaurants, and internet access. After that, I decided it would be a good idea to check in with the main international student office, picked up the student handbook and a few very helpful maps. It has been my practice over the past few days to take a random tram to where ever it leads to figure out where everything is located in Zagreb, today I stumbled upon a shopping mall, not surprising that it was pretty much every overpriced store that is downtown just stakced into 3 levels. However, it was a nice diversion for the afternoon. I was pleasently surprised to find the equivant to a super target in the lower level of the mall. I found a nice milk foamer, and little sauce pan to froth milk for my french press-made coffee : )
Speaking of milk, bizzarely, milk here need not be fridged, which makes me a little leary of it. Although I figure if I heat it, it's not too bad. I couldn't go any longer without cold cereal, so I bought vanilla soy milk and a Croatian facimile of Cheerios, can't wait for breakfast tomorrow!
Probably going to the lake tomorrow to catch up on some reading. The weather has been beautiful, I might as well take advantage of it while I can.
Best,
AM
28 September 2007
Final destination
I finally got to Zagreb, and I am really happy to be here! I took an overnight train from Muenster, to Oberhausen to Munich to Zagreb, that was about an 18 hour journey arriving in Zagreb around 9 am yesterday morning. The train ride was an experience to say the least, the ticket was cheap and I was able to get a sleeping car. When I arrived to my car, I was sharing the car with a Croatian family of 5, which would have been great, had I not had luggage for three months! Luckily the train attendant was able to find a compartment to stow my bag until I got to Zagreb. I was not able to sleep too much, by the time I did fall asleep we arrived in Slovenia and I was awakened by the police asking for passports and customs. When I arrived in Zagreb the weather was terrible, it was about 45 degrees and pouring down rain. I was without an umbrella and wearing my suede sneakers, nothing is worse than soggy feet and knowing I left my red rain boots at home.
Once I checked into my hostel and changed into my (waterproof) doc martens, the rain let up. I ventured out to find the Art Academy and met with a few people, Visnja, the international coordinator, and a few of the professors, while chatting with them for a bit, I had a very nice lunch from one of the student restaurants. I was very grateful for the meal because it has been the closest thing to a meal from home that I have had before I left, and it was just what I needed after a very tiring journey. It was then that I was told that I could move into the dorm, again very grateful for this since that meant I could unpack! After the meal and a short tour of the sculpture facilities I went back to the hostel checked out and head to what is going to be home for the next 2 and a half months.
Nothing officially begins as far as classes for international students until next week, but we are allowed to visit the classes. I think next week is when we will be meeting with the faculty to show them my portfolio and then match me with a mentor-professor that I will work with during my term.
Today I came into the central part of Zagreb, to just wander around. I ran into the huge open air market that rivals the strip district in Pittsburgh and puts to shame the farmers market in Indiana! The produce is super fresh and wonderfully inexpensive, I am happy to know that I have a place to get fresh fruits and veggies.
No internet in the dorms yet, more questions to ask to whom, I do not know. Presently, I am in an internet cafe with a Cyrillic keyboard, hence no contractions since I cannot figure out where the apostrophe button is!
All the best
--AM
Once I checked into my hostel and changed into my (waterproof) doc martens, the rain let up. I ventured out to find the Art Academy and met with a few people, Visnja, the international coordinator, and a few of the professors, while chatting with them for a bit, I had a very nice lunch from one of the student restaurants. I was very grateful for the meal because it has been the closest thing to a meal from home that I have had before I left, and it was just what I needed after a very tiring journey. It was then that I was told that I could move into the dorm, again very grateful for this since that meant I could unpack! After the meal and a short tour of the sculpture facilities I went back to the hostel checked out and head to what is going to be home for the next 2 and a half months.
Nothing officially begins as far as classes for international students until next week, but we are allowed to visit the classes. I think next week is when we will be meeting with the faculty to show them my portfolio and then match me with a mentor-professor that I will work with during my term.
Today I came into the central part of Zagreb, to just wander around. I ran into the huge open air market that rivals the strip district in Pittsburgh and puts to shame the farmers market in Indiana! The produce is super fresh and wonderfully inexpensive, I am happy to know that I have a place to get fresh fruits and veggies.
No internet in the dorms yet, more questions to ask to whom, I do not know. Presently, I am in an internet cafe with a Cyrillic keyboard, hence no contractions since I cannot figure out where the apostrophe button is!
All the best
--AM
25 September 2007
Flickr
As promised, below is a link for my Flickr account. I've taken roughly 900 images so far, certainly not all of them have been loaded! Not all are captioned yet, probably tomorrow morning they'll be done.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13871108@N05/sets/
Enjoy!
--AM
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13871108@N05/sets/
Enjoy!
--AM
24 September 2007
Münster Day 2
Today was another lovely day in Münster, rented a bike again to try to get to the remaining sculptures around the city. Today's journey took me to the private gardens. Artist Jermey Deller created a piece based soley upon the social aspect of the private garden. In a German city, since the residential areas usually don't provide enough space for a garden, people are allowed to purchase a lot of land through a garden center. Each plot has about 2 sq. acres of land, with a little cottage / bungalow type structure to act as a little shed, or place to hang out when tending the plants. Deller was fascinated by the mirco-communities that the gardens have created and enlisted their help in the piece. He approached all of the garden communities and asked them to plant seeds of the Dove Tree, native to western China. He chose this plant because of it's slow growth, resulting in the plant's first bloom coming in ten years, just in time for skulptur projekte 2017. Over the next ten years, the centers are being asked to maintain a progress book for the plants, thereby also serving as a document of the community involvement that was needed to look after the Dove Trees. Visitors were allowed to purchase the seeds as a means of extending the project outside of Münster. So, coming in the spring Indiana will have a Dove Tree of it's own!
After visiting the private gardens, I took the promenade that encircles the city-proper to the Botanical Gardens. A few pieces were sparsed throughout the gardens, but I still took a lot of time going through the greenhouses. Around 4p it became cloudy and a race to get through the last few pieces that were close before the rain came. So, my day was cut a little short but luckily I still have tomorrow and early Wednesday to catch the last few pieces.
I've had another change in plans, I'm going straight to Zagreb Wendesday into Thrusday, via the train. It's going to be easier and cheaper to travel to Venice and Poland once I'm in a quasi-permanent place. To fly in Europe is really quick and inexpensive, as long as you don't have 50 lbs of luggage! So, once I get settled in Zagreb, I'll either go to the coast, as Aasta recommends, or I'll continue the art show pilgrammage and take the ferry to Venice. I'm thinking I'll go to Venice later in Oct. after which the tourist season has relaxed a bit.
More biking tomorrow, all the best.
--AM
After visiting the private gardens, I took the promenade that encircles the city-proper to the Botanical Gardens. A few pieces were sparsed throughout the gardens, but I still took a lot of time going through the greenhouses. Around 4p it became cloudy and a race to get through the last few pieces that were close before the rain came. So, my day was cut a little short but luckily I still have tomorrow and early Wednesday to catch the last few pieces.
I've had another change in plans, I'm going straight to Zagreb Wendesday into Thrusday, via the train. It's going to be easier and cheaper to travel to Venice and Poland once I'm in a quasi-permanent place. To fly in Europe is really quick and inexpensive, as long as you don't have 50 lbs of luggage! So, once I get settled in Zagreb, I'll either go to the coast, as Aasta recommends, or I'll continue the art show pilgrammage and take the ferry to Venice. I'm thinking I'll go to Venice later in Oct. after which the tourist season has relaxed a bit.
More biking tomorrow, all the best.
--AM
23 September 2007
Munster, Germany
Saturday I traveled from Kassel to Munster by train, hence the late post. The reason I decided to come to Munster is because there is an outdoor sculpture exhibition that takes place here, once every ten years. My friend treated me to a nice German breakfast with croissant, soft boiled eggs, and bagels, with nutella, and other tasty spreads. After breakfast I rented a bike and toured around the city checking out as many works as possible. The town is really nice, our friend here tells us that its a pretty affluent college town and it's also the bike capital of the world, so what better thing to do than use a bike to get around! There are many churches in the town squares with architecture dating back to Medieval and Renaissance. Tomorrow I'll be doing the same, as long as the weather holds out, rain is in the forecast for the afternoon.
Still working on a Flickr account, probably once I get to Zagreb I'll have time to sit down and load everything.
--AM
Still working on a Flickr account, probably once I get to Zagreb I'll have time to sit down and load everything.
--AM
21 September 2007
Skype
P.S. I've downloaded Skype, since my cell doesn't work in Europe and its not worth activating it to do so. Email me phone numbers, I can't even access my contacts from my phone!
--AM
--AM
Kassel Day 2
Yesterday (20 Sept) was a gorgeous day in Kassel, perfect weather, partly cloudly, high about 65 degrees. I stopped at pastry place yesterday for breakfast, it's impossible to walk a blok and not find a bakery! I enjoyed a reall delicious Marzipan Croissant and a coffee, I think I'll have to go back this morning for a similar treat.
Again, much of the day was spent at Documenta, I have no idea how people can breeze through the exhibition in 2 days, let alone 1! Plus my camera battery died, half way through the 1st of the 2 exhibition halls, so I need to go back and get images as well. I was utterly amazed by what I saw yesterday, it's going to take me awhile to unpack the show, but I need to take the time to do so (don't worry, Ali, Aasta, and Ellen, I plan to have a formal report to email to you!). Above is an image from my favorite piece (thus far), I could have sat all day watching the films, more on that one later, too, much to complex for a few sentences in a blog.
Back to Documenta this morning and some wanderings through the town.
--AM
19 September 2007
Kassel: Day 1
Hello, all! Thanks for all the well wishes that everyone has sent, directly, via blog / email and otherwise. Tuesday was pretty much a blur, I landed in Munich at 10.40a local (4.40a eastern), the flight was fine, aside the impossibility to sleep thanks to an aisle seat. I'm very pleased I had nice neighbors and the company of my ipod, word seek (thanks, Aunt Julie!) and my lengthy Proust novels.
After getting through the airport I took a 4 hour train to Kassel, got settled in to the hotel, and collapsed. By now I think I'm adjusted to the time change, thankfully, I've got much to see in a short time. While in Kassel I am spending the majority of my time viewing Documenta XII, one of the foremost contemporary art exhibitions. I visited two of the four venues today, even that was way too much to be looking at. It becomes so draining, physically and mentally. My first and very breif impressions of the show so far are very difficult to make, nothing in the show is surprising, or shocking, for that matter. This edition of Documenta's stregth is that the work included in the show is arranged in such a way that there is no reason to put one work next to another, aside from strict spatial requirements. The works are allowed to create their own correalations and contexts with one another, as visitors are asked by the artistic director and curator to do the same. There are no neatly packaged answers to what art is, according to this show, rather a reinforcement of the inability to define art.
More Documenta tomorrow, and pictures, I promise!
All my best,
AM
18 September 2007
Arrived in Germany!
I arrived in Munich on time this morning and hopped the train to Kassel, about 4 hours, but beautiful scenery. Just relaxing in the hotel then a full day of checking out documenta 12 tomorrow! Will post images as soon as i can.
--AM
--AM
08 September 2007
Change in plans
I've learned that I will have a little more time than I initially anticipated before going to Zagreb. After hanging out in Muenster, Germany for Skulptur Projek, I will be going to Venice to see the Biennale (thus, completing the Grand Tour) from Sept 26 - Oct 1. I am then planning to go to the coast of Croatia for a few days, finally to Zagreb on Oct 3 or 4 for the term. I do intend to take a weekend to go to Opole, Poland to visit friends, and also to Bosnia, Aasta and many others tell me it's imperative that I do so.
-AM
-AM
04 September 2007
Pre Departure
Dobar Dan! (I'm practicing my Croatian, that's "hello" to you)
I will be leaving for Gemany on Sept. 17, to take part in the "Grand Tour" of contemporary art, Documenta XII in Kassel, Skulptur Projek: Munster, and will go the Venice Biennale in October. After trekking through Germany, I will probably go to Dobrovnik or Split in Croatia, I'm told the beaches are beautiful. I will plan to be in Zagreb for the beginning of term the first week of October.
-AM
I will be leaving for Gemany on Sept. 17, to take part in the "Grand Tour" of contemporary art, Documenta XII in Kassel, Skulptur Projek: Munster, and will go the Venice Biennale in October. After trekking through Germany, I will probably go to Dobrovnik or Split in Croatia, I'm told the beaches are beautiful. I will plan to be in Zagreb for the beginning of term the first week of October.
-AM
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