more Oscar Muños

video; portrait (self portrait) drawing changing and disappearing as the water disappears from the sink. (I believe the drawing was made out of carbon powder)

Oscar Muños

It's not that often when visiting an exhibition that I feel happy, excited and "this is so good" - and all at the same time. But that's how I felt when I saw Oscar Muños' retrospective exhibition at Museo del Arte del Banco de la republica here in Bogotà! Oscar Muños is one of Colomia's most important contemporary artists and I felt an immediate connection with his art. Muños works with photography, video/video installations and objects with a strong tie to art history's long tradition of depicting as well as with the process of transformation, destruction and reconfiguration. His imagery is mostly based on portraiture (photography and drawing). There is both something elusive and something everlasting in his art. The concept of time seems to be essential. And the act of depicting and the concept of representing.

carbon in water

here you can see the border of the image above; the carbon is floating on water in a box. It's very elusive.

video; Muños is painting a portrait (self portrait I belive) over and over again. But as it is painted only with water on concrete it disappears as the water dries ... and he paints it again and again.

videoinstallation. can't really explain it. it has to been seen in real life. Great though!

Bogotà from the car

the outskirts of Bogotà; a typical roadside restaurant

another place for eating;  they are barbecuing big pieces of meat and corn

I grew up without a car and I don't have a car in Sweden nowadays either. I've never in my life spent as much time in a car as now in Bogotà. According to my Colombian family it's not safe to take photos on the street ... so I've been documenting the street life through the car window. (But you have to hide the camera when stopping for a red light or they might smash the window and steal your camera. They stole my mother in law's handbag that way...)

gold and ceramics

Museo del Oro, Bogotà; fantastic pre-colonial Indian art.

It's like I'm on "pause" - when the rest of the worlds is still turning. But I think my brain is secretly working on something.

death, torture and art

In Cartagena we paid a visit to el MUSEO HISTÓRICO DE CARTAGENA CASA DE LA INQUISICIÓN. It was the first time my six year old son became aware of human cruelty --... as we had to explain him the instruments of torture and what an execution was. And why (can it be explained?). The museum also exhibited some emerging artists who used the possibilities of the building in a great way.

Violeta Ospina, videoinstallation

Didn't get the name here unfortunately

Juan Raúl  Hoyos

Liliana Sanchèz

Happy new year - and tamale

A little late, but: Happy New Year!
2011 was great and I know 2012 will be even better! But I'm postponing the start of my new year two weeks until my return to Sweden... Mañana, you know.

Above a very Colombian dish; tamale (tamal in Colombia). (didn't like it very much though - too heavy for me)

further up in the mountains

(here everyone thinks he's a girl because of his long hair)

Still in Colombia. The other day we went further up the mountains outside Bogotà. The landscape looked very much like Switzerland and the weather was like a mild Swedish summer day in June. We are here a full month (two more weeks to go) and I had thought I would be able to work at least two hours a day - I brought the computer. 

But, No. 

I'm enjoying the time here and I'm telling myself there will be time for work in 2012. This also means that for now I will be posting mostly about Colombia and not that much about my art. I hope you find it as interesting as I do!

the village architecture didn't look much like Switzerland though.

grey side of life: more

"Ok, someone probably got sad, but it made his day!"  [another page from my sketchbook on the theme "grey side of life"]

Christmas eve: Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá

waterfall of crystalized salt representing the lake of Gennesaret (if I understood the guide right - I don't really speak Spanish)

On Christmas eve we visited the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá. It is built in a salt mine 200 m under ground and supposed to be the world's biggest church under ground. Long tunnels and huge excavated church rooms were lit with strong changing colored lights - and a very different experience for me.

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Cartagena, Colombia

Sunday night we returned to Bogotà from Cartagena after enjoying five days of leisure in tropical temperatures with both rain and sun. I didn't do much sketching ...  but I sat on the beach summing up 2011  and planning next year. Among other things I'll teach an e-course in Art as Business -  about defining your Master Plan to reach your goals as an artist or illustrator and getting the tools to do do. A Christmas gift for someone you know - or yourself, maybe? (Soon I'll post all the information about it.)

Bogotà, Colombia

After two days in Bogotà adjusting to the hight (Bogotà is situated at 2 600 m above sea level) and not being online I'm starting to feel like myself again. Tomorrow we are going to Cartagena and I'm not bringing the computer .... so no blogging until next week, but then I hope to be back with some interesting sketches and photos.

sketchbook project in the post

Early tomorrow morning we're taking the flight to Bogotà via Frankfurt. I've actually managed to do almost everything on my to do list! YES. We've even cleaned the apartment so my mother won't have to house-sit a dirty place. One of the other things I finished was my contribution for the sketchbook project on the Theme Grey side of life, and posted it. This little creature is one of my sketches. I'll share my whole sketchbook later on.

And now back to packing those last things. I'll be back here in a couple of days, but then blogging from Colombia.

lagging behind

I already knew I would have a lot to do this week, but then I got slowed down by that cold and fever ... We are leaving for Colombia on Sunday (to see the that side of the family for Christmas - I'm very excited about it!) so it's not just my art business stuff that need to be taken care before that...

On the business side I'm fixing some stuff for the Christmas Market Julform that Cissi is arranging (not just her); one of my Snowwhites will be there. Then I have to put together some materials and chose art for a work place exhibition, make two applications for public commissions, send some invoices etc ... I'm having a hard time managing to finish the tasks on my list.  - so blogging will have low priority this week...

my Morran interpretation

my Morran Interpretation.

I met Camilla for a coffee today and got the chance to see the book with images of Morran and flip through the pages. Illustrators/artists from all around the world have contributed with their interpretation and it's looking darn good! Here you can get a preview and order the book. Something else: Many Hands - a collective | online store, offering an eclectic range of prints and gifts created by a select group of leading illustrators and artists, among others my talented friend Thereza Rowe.

guest teaching in Lidköping

Christmas feeling in Lidköping

work in progress

presentation

I'm home from Lidköping, but unfortunately I brought a cold back with me. So snotty and feverish right now. Sleeping might cure it, don't you think?