Sitting on a float on the stoop
drinkin some saku
and now the sky is back and I swear
a fly just spit on me
That yellow smell of plastic and
I know I'm not at the beach and
the 500 people might think I'm a freak
but that's okay cause the two oak
trees that love each other will cover
me with drips and
I will always shiver in the cardigan from
a lost and found
The inflatable
whistles and luckily I know how to
say the last
e of mooste.
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During the remaining 2 weeks and 3 days of my precious time at MoKs
I will be wandering around on the blog now and then.
yours truly,
Sandra Sitron
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After visiting some of the nearby forests around Mooste it is clear that this will be a big year for blueberries. A small group of 4 people from the residency was able to collect more than 2 liters of berries in just over an hour. What does one do with all these berries? They're just fine eaten fresh, but you can easily make pies, jams, smoothies and have extras to share with friends and family.
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A small experiment is being done to see if we can sustain a garden at MoKS. We hope the garden can be functional for producing food for visiting artists especially during the time of AVAMAA the summer art symposium in late August. But besides being practical, a garden can be a place to continue to develop the discussion of local food production by setting the idea into practice. So far we have, potatoes, beans, rucola, strawberries, rhubarb and a number of herbs taking root. A garden is also a way to share the work around MoKS. With visitors coming and going each month, some forms of continuous collaboration can happen even between people who will never meet. This was part of the idea of Ana Carvalho when she started the garden in May. So this is partly a report for her to show how her project has developed. In this case visiting artists Tero Nauha and Karolina Kucia made some contributions including the start of a rock garden.
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One of the main themes that was explored during the residency of Emma Lipp and Matt Marble was local food production. While searching for ingredients for their meals a number of sources for local food came out with a little research (besides what we try to share from our garden in the summer). The son of an entrepreneur in Mooste manages a factory and farm for pickling which includes cucumbers, potatoes and cabbages all grown on site. We went to visit the facility to see how the production was done. Much to our surprise, we found out it is possible to cure pickles in 24 hours! These are not the usual kind of sour pickles made with vinegar, but only from salt and spices. The result, fresh and delicious!
I stayed in Mooste during march and april of 2009.
The delay of my report documents quite well how life again has a stranglehold over me with its daily routines and social life. I can't reflect this without taking in account my time in Mooste where the only compelling structure of the day was to solve the heating problem. In my case it meant how to survive with only a gas oven and two small electronic heaters as the fire place did not work during my stay. It felt as if the bedroom door was the entrance to the arctic. As the electric system in the house was a little fragile sometimes, we had to find things out through try and error like "how many lights do I have to switch off while baking a cake" etc. This simplicity though was nice. It also included the Mooste-shopping-facilities (amazing how exited you can be about an espresso or fancy chocolate that somebody brings from Tartu). It is somehow very relieving not to have such a big variety of things and to realize that this actually is not a disadvantage at all. I found though that the Estonian transport system is something that is in desperate need of improvement. My plan to sit in a pub with some old Estonian guys and just watch a bit of the foreign daily life fell through because of the fact that Mooste is not frequented by any bus after 8 p.m. It would really be a good idea to have a moped or a little car for the residents. Otherwise you feel very dependant on the good will of others. I was really sad and still am to not have had a real chance to get to know Estonian people (also those not involved with art) and some evenings I just felt locked away and imprisoned. This makes time for an extra portion of self- analysis which can be a not so healthy thing if you are stuck in the middle of nowhere.
The second month of my stay I was totally alone as Andrea went back to Portugal and Evelyn and John were away in the U.S. During that time, Mari, who was hired as a temp for the house became a very helpful and thoughtful fellow. I was a little surprised by the fact that not very many things happened outside the walls of MoKS. We were not introduced to other artists (apart from when it was unavoidable) so that in the middle of my stay I had the thought that I could as well be in any other small village in the world. I felt that the residency itself was offered indeed but then not a lot of "extra" was provided or even of interest. Evelyn and Mari helped to find actors to put my videos into practise though. Also I should take account of Moostes insularity again. Without a car, you can never spend an evening anywhere anyway.
What was the point of the residency? I made some experiments on art that I would probably not have made in Hamburg. The experience of being katapulted in such a loneliness was interesting in some aspects. I guess that isolation might convert into something beautiful during summer. My urgent advice is to take a bus to Mustvee by the way. A very beautifull old village right at the Pelpsi-lakeside.
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Tallinn, last day in Estonia: I bought herring as souvenir. Perhaps, now that I think of what I did, I should have bought postcards instead. What if it doesn’t get home eatable? In that case I will also take two CDs of Arvo Part´s music: To Alina and Tabula Rasa and a few chocolates. Regarding spa, as far as my experience goes, don´t bother to come to this one is Tallinn, John and Evelyn took me to a better one with an extraordinary view to the woods.
Estonia has the greatest shades of dark in the endless green of the forests. Is necessary to want to see beyond the uniformity of first impressions: nature, in a micro and in a micro scale, is what I found to be the most grandiose thing to see Here. Beyond the surface of appearances are hidden little treasures of shapes, colors – small miracles to the attentive eye and ear.
My idea to be developed as artist in residency at Moks required introspection. Its process of making required sometimes others with whom I could exercise reflection. On the bus, the day of my arrival, from Tallinn to Tartu, influenced by natural landscape around me and the work of Empedocles I was reading, I decided to create a persona which name is Kypris. A persona is not a character but the exploration of a combination of several "what if I was like so", the exploration of the self in many of its possibilities. It was good to be Kypris during the time of the residency. One who is capable of an absolute inner tranquility. I learned a lot in this process of being another, which is myself. I learned by being in solitude, by talking with John, Evelyn and Jez and I also leaned form growing the garden.
Drawing a line, without needing it to be the start of something else, but to be itself.
watching.
I listen. I needed to know more about being.
When I was young my Mother bought me a portable cassette player. I played tapes in the garden. Once I pressed 'record' instead of 'play' and found that I had the sound of the garden on the tape. It was more interesting than the music I had taped over. Since then I have listened like this.
How many people truely appreciate and respect the opportunities that travel affords them ? How many go to locations other than thier usual place and yet try to carry on living in the same way ? How many keep thier ears tuned to the same sounds they hear every day ?
I am in Mooste, Estonia. The sounds are all different from anywhere else. I take photographs and they remind me of the visual differences. I make recordings and they remind me of this place.
I explore sounds through the location and the location through the sounds. I take photographs more in the way I make music - my emotions are at play not just my eye.
I explore my life too. Things that have been stressful. Things where I have not done well or have made mistakes. I work things through.
I eat.
always alive and glad to be so.
I create stories to send to my daughter and this is a wonderful experience. I talk to her as often as I can. I miss her and I miss my home, but they will be there to welcome me when I return.
I will go back with all of the experiences and explorations of this time in Estonia - so something has been added to life. To mine and therefore to those who I share it with.
I won't write a thesis for my work. I am interested in people knowing something about me - thoughts are only a very small and somewhat clumsy part of who we are. We invent them. If I use the word 'art' to describe my creativity then I hope that my work speaks. The theory might well be there but I don't feel it needs to be stated. I might miss reaching some people that way, but I am happy to reach the people who can respond on an intuitive and emotive level. If this comes first there is the freedom to think more about the work. If we arrive via the theory it is not possible to connect in the same way. - see ? I said thoughts are clumsy.
- Jez riley French, May 2009
One of the most important things I realize, deeply within me, is that Time passes by in a non-linear way. Time accuracy depends not in facts but to the relation with thought (act of reason and act of emotion).
March residency, 2009
Today a book came by post - “Lisboaleipzig 1, o encontro inesperado do diverso”, Maria Gabriela Llansol.
(Free translation from Portuguese to English)
I organized my working table – the place where I am entirely happy; opened some manuscripts, and I realized that reading them took me, not has the books but has rivers floating in real life. (…) p.35
I remember of having imagined that, when it snows – what is different will became evenly covered with white snow. White for the trees, for the boxes that lie in the yard, for the walls to cover with stucco; then, it is needed to verify, that the volumes and colors where covered, and not to named them by the generic name of white. However, I will not have control over this phenomenon of the snow, and I will call them fulgor scenes (…). p.36
March 19 - Mooste
___________________________________________(sketchbook excerpts)
Today I went with Julia to a small walk in the morning. We went near the frozen lake. (I would like to try to do my circle there. My one hour walking circle as I tried before)
On our walk, we saw something really curious. It looks like cocoons coming out of the snow. The exterior was cover with straw and inside was just earth. I go back again, to take a better picture and perhaps to bring inside the house one of these cocoons.
(…) Continuing my research around the Light and Ground materials…until now I am very fascinated by the Sun (I keep going to Soho/ Nasa website to see the latest real time images. Still don't know what to do with it).
I’m living and working in Moks house since some weeks…as not excepted I am working mostly inside (in the studio). It’s curious…to travel to here………………and realize that the place I am completely happy is my working table. March 21st - Mooste
Making fire
Instructions by Jonh Grzinich
1. open vent
2. fill oven with wood - try to use same size logs; - put wood face down
3. use paper to start fire – don’t worry it can take 2 or 3 times
4. after some time check to see if all logs are burning
5. when red coals form check with metal stick. Put burning logs on top.
6. At the end “rake” the coals. Make sure there is no flame. Never close the oven if there is flames.
7. When coals are ready close the door and vent.
(Fetch the wood logs at least one day before from the outside storage)
March 3th – house of Mooste
Making life
For trying a Spa “Värska Sanatorium”, at Varska. For local food taste “Kama” (Kama flour mixed with kefir and sugar), “Tatar”(cook like rice, eat with sour cream-Hapukoor in Estonian). Visit the zoological Museum (amazing dust covered stuffed animal) part of the Natural History Museum in Tartu. In need of tools, paint or other construction materials go to “ ” (good grief, i forgot it!); “Vanakau Bamaga” (Chinese shop) for small something, in Tartu. Be aware of the buses timetable (during week they end pretty early).
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I am still upon the emotion of the definitive return travel to Portugal, and came to this so small room, to accumulate intensities. I never had I subtle passion, and had several by “physical phenomenon”, including the candlelight and the first snow leaf. (…)p.38
On my stay in the house of Moks in Mooste I found the right context for some of my project intention, which until now only existed as idea. The white charcoal dust over the wood stick is one of theme. Here I continued to research on the materials from the project from my previous residency in Nodar, Portugal. _____ I had time and I didn’t have time. I struggled with the contemplating landscape and soundscape. Not to expect and let things to arise. I am still continuing my research, i would say. The house routines slowly started to establish. I made a friend in my stay in Mooste and this is the most precious thing in the world that could have happen to me. Julia Wandel from Hamburg. It is expected to have a great time as artist in residency. My time was reasonable, with some exceptional days, good ones and bad ones. I would have preferred not to be so depending on Estonian speaking language to communicate. English can be not enough. I would have preferred to eat more meals with Evelyn and John. I would say that if one is searching for remoteness, Mooste in March is perfect. But we might not be up to our expectations to what a retreat means.
______________of Portuguese nature “is difficult do distinguish if the past is our future or if the future is our past”.
May, 2009 - Lisbon studio
"Self-portrait in motion"
Siim; Meeri; Liis; Andeus; Irja; Üno; Ene; Merike; Ülle; Küllike; Mari; John; Evelyn; Julia; Andrea.
March, 2009 – Mooste
The most recent meeting of X-OP took place in Maçao Portugal and was hosted by Instituto Politecnico de Tomar. On the first day, April 27th there was a seminar featuring X-OP partners or guests invited by them. On the following 3 days, the Mutopia workshop was held. This workshop is a collaboration between Tero Nauha of MAA art school in Finland and John Grzinich of MOKS which started in 2008 at AVAMAA. Also joining the workshop from Estonia was Taavi Tatsi of Worldfilm and 3 students of ethnography/anthropology, Piibe Kolka, Jaanika Jaanits and Birgit Rosenberg. 5 students from Art Shool MAA and 7 students from the Escola Superior de Artes e Design in Porto. Special thanks to the participants for their time and energy and to Goncalo and Judith for their organizational efforts.
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photos by John Grzinich