I Carry/Mit Mir

The opening of my exhibit/Die Eröffnung meiner Ausstellung

Thank you to everyone who made this evening such a success! Special thanks to Jana, Uli and Lars for helping me install the show. Truly, it was an unforgettable evening and one that reflects how greatly this year has affected my identity. It is no wonder why this show is composed from portraits of friends and family; our relationships in life are fundamental to our recognition of an experience, and influence how we view our own conception of self. I could give you a long drawn out explanation of all my painting made this year, but I will let pictures speak for themselves.

For those who are inclined to read the german language, you can find an article (at the link below) I wrote, that was published in the Gießen newspaper: http://www.giessener-zeitung.de. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me. And lastly, I encourage you to think about the relationships in your own life that have affected how you present yourself to the world. 

           

 A task for visitors was to manipulate the space itself by adding commentary along the paper scroll. The white paper connecting all of the works added an element of fluidity and creativity. I want guests not only to be viewers but partakers in this Gesamtkunstwerk (integrating different art forms- music, theater and visual arts).

And naturally we partied until the sun rose and the birds could greet us with their morning song

An example that the real subject is much more beautiful than a picture could ever be

Simply enjoying life... and the speed at which I'm traveling

Perfect end to a breathtaking week:
getting a ride along the cliffsides overlooking Epidavros on the back of a Professor's motorbike. Nicht schlecht.

Neredeyse...σχεδόν... left Istanbul, next stop- Athens! Naturally a whopping 20 hour bus ride leads not only to a few new vocabulary words in both Turkish and Greek, but some very interesting conversations. It is an easily-discoverable fact that traveling opens your eyes to the world, and to current pressing issues (such as the animosity between my two destination lands, and the visible economic crisis in Greece). The following travel experience altered my view of the world and the possibilities I see within it that realm.

 a beloved pastime:
 people watching (especially cute kids)

With great appreciation, I was given time off from work to attend the Kufstein 2nd Annual Summer School in Epidavros, Greece. From Sunday evening to Saturday morning bright sun shone upon the fragrant orange groves, glistening un-touristified waters (avoiding high tide tourist season times), and the heads of the excited participants. Such an intensive week, with such marvelous students and presenters, was just as wonderful a treat as the scrumptious traditional greek food, home cooked and served to us nightly. It was absolutely uplifting to arrive with a clear intention of being actively involved, and receive such positive energy in return. The week was educational, refreshing and fun; most importantly I came away in an empowered state, ready to foster these new ideas into reality.

Set in the stage of the small ancient Epidavros theater,
a scene with some of the school's actors

How I imagine my future reality: coasting along to new adventures and projects, we are an international group of friends that has begun a non-for profit organization that supports local artists and activists in their efforts to revitalize local community networks. We use our sail boat not only as a mode of transportation to sail from port to port, one community project to the next, but we also command this vessel as a tool for open space forums- creating an international atmosphere that allows critic and creativity in the form of arts programming, workshops and discussions. Our FriendSHIP, would be a long-term project that consists of a basis manifesto, yet manipulating a model of presentation to adjust to the needs and desires of individual communities.

This is just the start. This framework and many more connected ideas were formulated and supported during this blissful week in Epidavros. And what is truly amazing is that the first steps are being made. In the summer I am returning to Minnesota to get down to business with the gang, to assess how we can turn this plan into action. I would love to hear your commentary, and I promise to stay connected with how this dream unfolds.

Keep dreaming! While at that, take time to smell the orange blossoms and stay still to hear the busy bees.

Istanbul or Constantinople?

Discovering the Taksim area by night

Merhaba. Smile, gesture, nod. In the city that truly never sleeps, my desire for communication is reduced to pleasant body language, indicating my cultural respect and utter amazement in this tourist state. Sure speaking English and German is perfectly practicable here, however in these moments I wanted to remain contemplative in my observations. The fathest east I have ever traveled, the city of Istanbul permeates with sense-stimulating air, a quality that can only be achieved from a mixture of historical richness and modernizing change. Not surprisingly, we were surrounded by a westernized capitalistic environment, which had its perks to find quaint book shops and cafes, but after a while you get tired of being seen as the foreigner with money to spend. Yet Gabe and I survived the rapid pace of touristic shopping- as it was the 'official' shopping spree month in Istanbul- to find pleasantries in the small and unique characteristics of this lively city.

Wishing folklore in Hagia Sopia

Joining a German group tour of the Blue Mosque

No matter where we would have been, the most important aspect of this trip was being together. Here I would like to acknowledge just how loving and generous Gabe has been, and how lucky we are. It is not easy nor normal to lead a Fernbeziehung (long-distance relationship) for such extended periods. Every time we come together it is a beautiful remembrance and reality of our companionship. Wandering through the streets, visiting holy sites, and breathing in the atmosphere, we once again were close with one another. An activity that we thoroughly enjoyed, which was irrelevant of space and time, was reading to one another- Gabe in his best brooklyn accent read 'The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay' by Michael Chabon, and I 'Winning Through Enlightenment' by Ron Smothermon.

Pete, Andrea, Gabe and I 

Lindsey will always be the Beste
(sorry, still can't help the pun)

Our time together was enlivened too by the wonderful people we met. We were couchsurfing most of the time during our stay, and once again would truly recommend this network to travelers. Not only were our hosts generous characters- making conversations enthralling and learning about turkish culture realistic; through this network we also met wonderful new friends- Pete the Professor of Philosophy/English, and Andrea Werner, a German Student from Alsfeld (near Gießen). We met them for a fantastic afternoon in the Istanbul Modern Museum of Art. I may be a nerd, but I was so elated to be with intellectuals, viewing art, and speaking German. Constantly, I am reminded it is a small world. Another example- we hung out with a Beste! Yes, Lindsey, the sister of one of my 'sisters' (Molly is a girlfriend that goes back longer than can be remembered), and to our fortune she is studying in Istanbul. Our two met-ups, for dinner and the Dolmabache Palace, were definite highlights of the trip. Although we were not allowed to take pictures of the inside, the Palace was an epitome of grand embellishment, and a fascinating tour with a view of Istanbul's westernized architectural/decor idealization and eastern influence. To say the least, our days were filled with culture, discussion, and love.

Jumping to where I am momentarily, I would just like to mention my brief stay in Athens. On Friday I took an unbelievable 18 hour bus ride from Istanbul to stay in Athens for one day, because later today I will be making my way to Epidavros for the week-long Kufstein Summer School. In less than 24 hours,  I recouped and enjoyed the luxury of traveling.  I explored the remarkable Akropolis ruins, not far from my delightful hostel stay; then at night I enjoyed the company of a grandfatherly Turkish antique carpet collector, Mustafa, for an evening of good food, drink and conversation. In Athens, the sun is bright and my energy is bursting for all the discoveries of the day. I hope your days are as filled with sunshine and joy!

Roaming the site of the Akropolis-breathtaking!