Recent works

Monument (2012)

I´m sorry that so much time has elapsed since my latest post! Well, this is a slow blog, but... I do want to post more often.

I here show a few of my recent works. I actually departed from my usual fields of images or textile crafts (in my case wearable items/fashion) to create something else. Fiber art?

This, I call "Monument" and I of course use my own images (printed on transparent paper from Antalis). I used organic yarns from Ateljé Huskroken, my favourite store, to tie the images to a large branch that I found by accident when I was out with my son.

I got this idea that a monument doesn´t necessarily be of a hard, eternal material, but could be evanescent and brittle, like life itself, and eventually return back to the earth.

Detail of slow creations Monument (2012)

slow creations (2012)

This image I took with my mobile camera. I like the bad technical quality of it... I printed on transparent paper and adorned it with yarns and cosmetics such as lipstick, eye-shadow and nail lacquer. The colours are a bit vulgar, I think. I will get back to the topic of pink (and my relation to it) in a later post...

Dan Svensson of Format made the rear side.

slow creations Now  (2012)

This piece (Now) is crocheted and sewn togehter with different fibers such as silk, linen and cotton. The outer rim is of paper yarn. I put it up using white pins.

slow creations (2012)

In this case I took a picture in my neighboorhood and printed on thick paper with additions af fibers (mostly linen). Dan Svensson of Format made the rear side.

Of these four works, the tree somehow connects to tree as a phenomena. I have a deep connection to the symbol of trees but nevertheless was a bit surprised it showed so distinctly.

Recently, concerning the topic to proceed artistically, I started to learn the basics of digital textile printing at a  fantastic course run by ultra-creative artist and designer Joanna Bodzek. I find digital textile printing very creative and a bit demanding, and I am curious how things will evolve in this field were I have so much to learn!

Facebook page for slow creations!

I just put up a  Facebook page for slow creations. I am very happy to have already more than 25 "likes".

Please have a look, and "like",  if you like!

My ambition is not to make it just another ego project, but to highlight things I like and that interests me and hopefully others, alongside with my own images and design.

You can also have a look at my tumblr, where I reblog others and post my own things.

Hemslöjden 100 years/Hemslöjden 100 år: The National Association of Swedish Handicraft Societies 100 years Part II

Fredrik Lindqvist at the exhibition Hemslöjden på Liljevalchs, Stockholm

This year the Swedish organization Svenska hemslöjdsföreningarnas riksförbund ("Swedish handicrafts organisation" or The National Association of Swedish Handicraft Societies) celebrates 100 years (see also my post from March). The general celebration information is here.The major jubilee exhibition takes place at Liljevalchs on Djurgården, Stockholm (Sweden), but there are also two other big exhibitions nearby (At Nordiska museet and Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde). But actually, on 366 days, celebrations take place with workshops, exhibitions and many activities all over Sweden. 

One rainy day recently I went to Liljevalchs to see "Hemslöjden på Liljevalchs (Swedish handicraft at Liljevalchs"; see the movie here). I must admit that although my expectations were fairly high, I was in a good sense overwhelmed by the exhibition.

I had read about the collective work "Can you see the leaves on the trees?" (and thought about joining, but was too late) that visitors encounter close to the entrance. 

2000 "leaves" are made by amateurs and professionals in three rooms. Liljevalch´s beautiful big rooms with high ceiling are filled with this amazing creative force vibrating from all the different leaves (one per person/family/school class etc).  At least three of my friends have contributed.  Every designer is listed in a booklet and here.

"Can you see the leaves on the trees?" at Liljevalchs

I was touched. I slowed down -  this part and the whole exhibition is a "slow exhibition" (and many objects are slow creations). Some leaves are of metal (like beer tops) or wood or other hard materials, but I think most were of textile or yarn to be precise. I was very inspired by some. 

Leave by Ane Löser

It is risky to try to see any "trends" in this diversity, but I could see focus on sustainability, questions of our human existence and feminist issues. Essnetial, very important issues for humankind, beauitifully and often playfully given material form. I love the heterogenous nature of this part and that no one was rejected (within a given format and the limit of 2000 leaves/participants)! At the end of the exhbition, all leaves will be auctioned off in collaboration with Tradera and Stockholm Consumer Cooperative Society for the benefit of Vi Agroforestry Project in East Africa. Bidding is between June 25 until September 2 at Tradera. 

Leave by Petra Jansson

After having gone through these three rooms with leaves you enter nine roms filled, well, the objects are rather sparsely put together, with themes like Between hope and despair, Bohccot (Northern Sami for reindeer) and roses and The exception that proves the rule. My general impression is poetic and restful which is amazing with the more than 900 objects (almost all for sale)

Travelling textiles: patterns and techniques beyond nations

In the big workshop area, I tried to spin for the first time, on a new Dutch spin wheel, under the expert supervison of Karin, ever so patient with a newbie. It was very interesting and magical to see how the wool thread was formed. I would ikie to try more! How cool would that be, to tell that I not only weaved or crocheted a picee, but also spinned some of the yarn... 
In this area, there are always Hemslöjden supervisors to guide and support visitors. This part is immensely important in my opinion, especially for youth, but also adults. Nämnden för hemslöjdsfrågor in Sweden have for quite a long time worked with focus on youths at for example pop and rock festivals with slöjd (handicrafts).

I learned a lot (like above about different types of sheep and their wool (and how spinning of the wool affects the look). 

To conclude, it is a very ambitious and amazing exhibition with an accompanying catalogue edited by Malin Vessby. It differs from the exhibition in a good way, encouraging even more pensiveness, reflections, creativity and last, but not least, DIY (do it yourself) attitude. I especially would like to point at two really good texts by Cilla Ramnek and Otto von Busch. 

I got new knowledge and many insights for both the soul and the creative mind through "Hemslöjden på Liljevalchs". The exhibiton runs until Sept. 2.

Thank you for empowering me in the short and long run and putting the light on soem of the challenges for mankind: sustainability, slow life and re-cycling vs. consumerism and harsh economism. Happy Birthday, hemslöjden! 
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Re-use, buy and "folkfest": Återvinningsfesten - flea market

Now, today: time for återvinningsfesten! Flea market in Hornstull, Stockholm, Sweden (my hood) . Enjoy, buy and sell (I will sell photos :) Arranged by: 100hus

Hemslöjden 100 years/Hemslöjden 100 år: The National Association of Swedish Handicraft Societies 100 years Part I

Hemslöjden 100 years: The National Association of Swedish Handicraft Societies 100 years

The power of folk art and crafts and handicrafts is immense also, or especially, in our time of digital and constant on-line life. The domain of crafts/handicrafts/folk art also is closely interweaved with fields like environment, sustainability and organic materials.
Also, (the from the outset punk and post-punk) DIY culture can be seen as a part of the movement of folk art and crafts.

This year the Swedish organization Svenska hemslöjdsföreningarnas riksförbund ("Swedish handicrafts organisation" or The National Association of Swedish Handicraft Societies) will celebrate 100 years. This will manifest itself as some very promising exhibitions!

One of the most exiting seems to be Väv ("Weave") at Nordiska museet (Djurgården, Stockholm). The museum was from the start created to hold many objects of folk dress as is reflected in the collections.

Photo: Mats Landin ©Nordiska museet.

Väv will feature old textiles from the collection and invited students from Konstfack, HV Skola (Handarbetets vänner) och Sätergläntan. There will also be looms for the public to use. Sounds very nice to me! Opening May 9th (closing September 30 th).

Logo for Power of  Fashion, Nordiska museet

Don´t forget the permanent exhibition Modemakt (Power of Fashion) which shows clothing and fashion from 1780s, 1860s and 1960s (different social groups, for example "folk clothing", very nicely put in a context of fashion). I highly recommend the very well-informed and well-written catalogue written by curator Berit Eldvik (beautiful photos by Mats Landin).
Last but not least, have a look at Nordiska museets Textilgalleri, on-line and IRL.

On June 6th (until September 2), the art hall Liljevalchs in Stockholm will show the jubilee exhibition Hemslöjden på Liljevalchs (Swedish Handicraft 100 Years). I remember the wonderful, joyful and colourful, exhibition Slöjden är här. Slöjden är härlig 1998 at Liljevalchs. I really look forward to this new big exhibition!

Anna-Karin Jobs Arnberg: embroidered mittens. Jubilee exhibition at Liljevalchs

On display will be for example the collective work, "Can you see the leaves on the trees", which will consist of 2000 leaves created by people around the country.

This is part I of my posts about Swedish handicrafts and the jubilee of Hemslöjden. I wish to conclude this post with this picture from Zickermans värld (from Lilli Zickerman, 1858-1949, one of the most important founders of the organized Swedish handicraft movement).

Check out the homepage of the jubilee year for more info about the handicraft movement´s first 100 years in Sweden (at the moment, it seems to be only in Swedish, unfortunately). And look out for my next post on the topic.

Many new images at Tumblr!

Winter is here in Stockholm, Sweden and I hope for new snow...

Please, come have a look at my many new images at Tumblr (some of them from other Tumlbr bloggers, using the nice custom of "re-blogging", re-using others pictures). My visuals are tagged slow creations - just search them or click in the heart symbol under the image.

Very welcome! I am looking forward to seeing you there, too.

Follow me at tumblr!

Please, come and follow me at slow creations on tumblr! I reblog from others and blog my own visuals and others.

I will continue to post on this, my ordinary blog, too.

Happy New Year!