Less is More

Last week I returned to Moderna Museet in Malmö to see the Irving Penn photo exhibit. It was a good show - always exciting to see photographs in person that I've only seen in books/magazines/reproductions, as well as new ones. I'm reminded how great Penn's sense of composition was.

Two thoughts stood out for me during this exhibit. One, it felt almost nostalgic to see silver-gelatin & platinum/palladium prints again. And these were beautifully printed. I swear while I was walking through the show, I could smell the darkroom. (Roger said he just smelled the fresh paint on the walls.) For the non-photo folks or just young people, the photos in this exhibit were all printed in the darkroom with toxic, stinky chemicals which create lovely, luminous photographs in beautiful black, white, and gray tones. Granted digital prints are really good these day, but sometimes the difference is there.

My second thought about the show: less is more, at least it can be in the museum. Malmö's Moderna Museet is small for a museum, but it does a good job of using the space without overcrowding the walls and space. Less works on display, but then only the really strong pieces make the cut. And it frees up a visitor to spend more time enjoying favorite pieces, as opposed to the big blockbuster show where one is compelled to keep moving so as to see everything in gallery after gallery. I'm talking to you, SFMOMA.

The photos displayed on this diagonal wall are some of
Penn's  portraits taken against his angled backdrops.
I like the creative installation!

Louisiana Museum

In between rainy days, I had a great Sunday outing to Denmark's Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. After a smoothly-scheduled, relaxing trip including two trains and a ferry, I was treated to my first visit to this beautiful museum. 

The Louisiana has a lot to offer aside from its international art collection. For starters, it has a fantastic seaside location just outside Copenhagen. Then there's the amazing sculpture garden with different "outdoor galleries" to enjoy the art and views, not to mention the perfect picnic spots. Decent restaurant and giftshop/bookstore always a plus, and a dedicated children's wing! There are several indoor exhibition spaces, but with our train schedule we only visited the latest show: New Nordic - Architecture and Identity. (For a quick peek, check  out this video.)

Jeff and Leticia, wish you were here! The New Nordic show revolves around the question "What is Nordic?" Artists, designers, writers, architects, and other cultural notables from Denmark (including Greenland), Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden visually answered with small, dioramas in a variety of media. Another aspect of the show highlighted Nordic architecture - how the use of landscape, light, materials, and communal spaces create a unifying cultural sensibility. Photographs and architectural models were displayed in a gratifyingly accessible and interesting way. Another component of the show was videos and photos which pushed the question on how urban public spaces are being used, for better or for worse. 

For me, it was a really satisfying and exciting introduction to the museum. I thought the curator(s) did a great job in selecting and connecting the pieces and themes. The exhibition design and installation looked wonderful, and felt comfortable to wander through. The text was succinct and informative, without being didactic or abstract (my pet peeve). And while there was a lot to see it was manageable, and with a good ratio of interactive components. Thoughtful, educational, and inspiring - the way I like art. 

Great art.

Great views.

Navigationally-challenged visitor.

So cool! I think it was actually the first time I've seen one of
Calder's outdoor pieces responding to the wind. 

If I was a Henry Moore piece, I'd want to recline here too.

One of the two indoor dining areas. Like a greenhouse for humans.

I had a fried celery root sandwich. The Danes and Swedes include a
lot of roots & tubers in their cuisine ... and mayonnaise.

This was the start of the exhibition, in a wide corridor with natural
light. I really liked how the text panels were cards suspended
alongside the dioramas. On one side the text is in Danish, the
other side translated in English. Somehow it felt more intimate
to handle the cards and peer into the boxes.

Knitting references popped up a few times during
the exhibit. Made me think about my friend, Michelle,
explaining to me not long ago about yarnbombing.
I love how knitting is making it's comeback!

On display are 5 Nordic Houses, each one designed by a
different architect to represent the regional identity of
their country. In the foreground is the Finnish House, and
behind is the Icelandic House.

I didn't quite "get" the Icelandic House, other
than noting the volcanic rocks at the base.
Maybe this requires a visit to Iceland...

The Norwegian House. Visitors could walk
into/through each of the five structures.

This gallery displayed photos, plans and models of public buildings with
the "Nordic" aesthetic and sensibilities. I thought the exhibition design
was really cool. I liked the use of vertical space and "lightbox" pedestals.
Lots to see, but nothing felt cramped. 

"Lightbox" pedestals with backlit transparency images 
and rear-projection videos - nice.

Just had to include this - a model-maker with a sense of
humor! Note the little figure passed out in the model
of Denmark's Centre for Cancer & Health.

In this gallery there were video clips projected on one wall and
each of the standing poles contained a touch screen display
which visitors could scroll through photos, drawings, text about
the development/redevelopment of specific public spaces.

Sommarstangt

Oh, oh, oh - falling behind with the posts. I guess I'm in the sommarstangt mode. Sommarstangt means "closed for summer," but here it's a word. And important to know, because from what I can tell half the Swedish population seems to go on summer holiday during July & August. Government services and many businesses wind down, plodding along until the other half of the staffers return tanned and rested so that the other half can take their turns at vacation.

As an American it seem altogether too humane to me. 

At the same time, as a former San Franciscan (quite the expensive place to live) and art educator (quite the underpaid profession), it's a good change of pace. I'm watching with fascination and appreciation as the population around me slows down and enjoys life. 


But I'll get cracking at some new postings soon.

Flädersaft

"Saft, saft, hallonsaft. Bättre saft har ingen haft!"

Juice, juice, raspberry juice. We've never had a better juice.

That's a Smurf song that Roger told me about years ago when explaining the wonderfulness that is Swedish saft. Saft is basically a cold drink consisting of a simple sugar syrup and some lovely, summery flavor. It reminds me of the agua frescas I fanatically sucked down in Honduras, but sweeter. In Sweden, berry saft seems most common - lingonberry, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, red currant. But there is also elderflower and rhubarb saft, and probably many more that I haven't come across yet. Saft is easily purchased in a concentrate form to be diluted with water. Ikea is an easy source for some samples. 

Last month, Ruby and I invited ourselves to my sister-in-law's elderflower/fläderblommor harvesting. She makes flädersaft (here is a similar recipe) every year, and I was eager to sample her homemade brew. We set out after dinner and walked around Lund clipping the fragrant elderflower clusters from the bushy trees growing along pathways and parks. Now that I can recognize the creamy white blooms, I realize the elderberry trees are ubiquitous in Skåne (apparently throughout Europe), with the flowers and berries used in a jams, drinks, wines, even fritters. Several years ago, Fanta even came up with a elderflower drink and crazy marketing campaign for Eastern Europe & India - Fanta Shokata!

Well, Carola's saft was delicious. It reminds me a little of passionfruit. I mix up a glass of flädersaft whenever I have a hankering for a taste of spring and sunshine, especially since this summer is proving to be a rainy one. 

Enjoying the fruits ...

 and flowery saft, of our labor. :)

Raspberry and rhubarb saft at a local shop.