JOURNALS

TWO WEEKS 

Dear Yuka,

Some time has already passed since our meeting in early August here in Norway. Two weeks is a very short time to get to know someone and at the same time start a creative process together. And here I am writing about it – it seems just as “easy” as if I were to write about both the instant and eternity at the same time. I already tried a couple of times, but to put into words an experience that touches both my personal and artistic life might be beyond my reach.

I can of course write about what we actually did and saw around the Oslo area where I live. The first morning after you arrived we went to the Vigeland park, for three reasons: Firstly; to see the park and the sculptures of Gustav Vigeland – it is of course a must-see in Oslo. I lived close by as a child and played there a lot. I even used to climb on some of the sculptures – children still do that, as you noticed.

The second reason to go that day was because my eldest daughter Inês was working there. She was going to the airport to fly to Portugal for summer holiday immediately afterwards, so it was the only way you could meet her, again. Or did you actually meet her that time in Sembikiya Gallery in Tokyo more than eighteen years ago? I am happy you mentioned in your first journal that we had already met! I was having my first solo exhibition in Tokyo just after my first child was born. In Japan it is not unusual for the artist to be present in the gallery every day during the exhibition, a period of about five days – at least it was like that back then. I remember I was a bit tired from travelling one hour to the gallery carrying the baby and then staying there all day until 6:30 p.m. But it was fun talking to the visitors, and I remember you!

Now Inês had a summer job selling ice cream at an event in the park; the solar eclipse of August 1. This was the first total eclipse in Norway since 1954 and our third reason for visiting the park that day. The park did not end up in a complete darkness as I had imagined, though. The total eclipse when the moon completely covered the sun could only be seen for one minute and thirty seconds over the Arctic island of Kvitøya in Norway. But we could see it all on a big screen that was set up in the park for the occasion. And then you and Inês met. So our first day together in Oslo can be summed up by the words time and space!

The second day we went straight to the most important item on our list, the visit to Gallery F 15. We were shown around and even treated with delicious cake, it was all very promising. We had a lot to think and talk about afterwards – the place itself will be an inspiration for the project in many ways. The gallery, the rooms, the house, the garden, the fields, the sea, and the fact that the area is protected are important elements to be considered in the project.

The following days we focused further. After visiting exhibitions in Vestfossen and at museums in Oslo we moved towards more prosaic activities like gathering and preparing food. The perspective then came closer, but at the same time it became larger as thoughts, inspiration and possibilities emerged. Before you came you had asked me what to bring from Japan, and that was easy to answer: Japanese food.

My contribution to our cross-cultural meals was the result of several hours of hiking in the nearby woods searching for mushrooms and blueberries. We even met sheep! In Oslo you can drive for ten minutes from the city centre and end up in a forest where you can gather a basketful of eight kinds of mushrooms. That is precious to me, and I am happy that we could go together. I lived for six years in Tokyo, so I know that this kind of activity might not be part of your daily life. 

In addition, red currants, rocket and flowers from my garden all ended up on the dinner table transformed into dishes and arrangements I could only dream of. And all the time we were talking, discussing, telling stories and reading aloud from favourite books, sometimes late into the night. And then finally our thoughts seemed to move towards ideas and matters of a more visible character – becoming images and forms.

Yuka, to meet you was an encounter beyond culture and beyond art – it was life as fantastic as it can be sometimes.

Thank you, and see you soon in Tokyo!

Eva