Category: Sustainable Everyday
on pendulums, metamodernism, art and “opening” abandonded places
one…two…three…go!…back…
A two-hour sleep before my early departure to Massa in Italy gave me a nightmare: being pushed&pulled by a man, bodily, not getting really hurt, but tossed around to state of subtle, but constant unrest, alertness (of danger) that is never to stop – all that is called ‘violence’ – I never knew before – until I felt it vividly in this subconscious world.
After landing in Pisa, I heard from a he-host that what I booked and paid for is actually a tent – and not a double-room bed. I felt lonely. I cancelled with despair. I lost some money. I dropped Massa …and bought a “blind destination” ticket to Lucca. It felt good…as if being finally freed from that nightmare that already started in my sleep before leaving pre-sunrise Copenhagen.
After some hours of couch-surfing search and going through charming Italian streets, I felt lonely and tired (or too old for such a lifestyle?) – as if I’ve exhausted my magic bubble – that I used to create by daring to trust the unknown (places, random encounters).
Can it be – I thought – that higher self-esteem combined with more craving for stability is actually a sabotage to experiencing life? Am I less able to open a portable door* than before when youth and confusion made me blindly play with fire?
*have you read “Kafka on the shore”? ‘Portable door’ has lived in me as a unique concept, but Murakami (via Nakata’s stone) inspired me to put words on the inexpressible…and find the Word
Now my heightened awareness of steps and motivations… and what I want
Now having all more figured out
Now… less randomness. more direction. and “filtering”. less waste
Now afraid of dark sides of good development
Suddenly I stopped, walked left passing a gate of art – something art {art as the only saviour of ‘limbo’ situation, art the lessest evil}.
An exhibition-talk about architecture …and pendulums. Pendulums! – the recent greatest totem in my inspiration pool. Pendulum-Sisters Academy. Pendulum-Metamodernism*. Pendulum-meaning-to-be.
*have you heard and thought deeper about Metamodernism?
there they explain the metamodernism concept through the ‘pendulum’ metaphor. Metamodernism was “thaught” to me by my student in Sisters Academy. It was a relieving kind of revelation – after feeling quite misplaced wherever I thought deeper about postmodernism, it suddenly felt home, relevant. Metamodernism is me. Postmodernism is not (the more you get the pendulum image, he more you’ll also forgive this simplification 🙂 ).
“
The use of the prefix meta here derives from Plato’s metaxis, describing an oscillation and simultaneity between and beyond diametrically opposed poles. (…)
As Vermeulen and van den Akker put it, metamodernism’s oscillation should not be thought of as a balance; “rather, it is a pendulum swinging between 2, 3, 5, 10, innumerable poles. Each time the metamodern enthusiasm swings toward fanaticism, gravity pulls it back toward irony; the moment its irony sways toward apathy, gravity pulls it back toward enthusiasm.”
“
Riccardo is a collector of ancient to modern pendulums. They used to be used for construction/architecture, medicine and art. And much more, but it requires a more nerdy insight or more innocent imagination. I am really looking forward to visiting his cellar in Pisa…
These engineers/artists took me for an authentic dinner in Lucca and then on the road towards Pisa…the crooked tower is adorable I would say only in the night- enchanting street music for almost non-audience, illuminated architecture, hoses spraying sun-tired grass. That was my second – after 8 years – and most unexpected couch-surfing experience.
Spaghetti Carbonara lunch at home…over which I hear from Guido about an old special building in Pisa once upon a time squatted by artists that broke in and decided to do art there. I decide to go for a mediation event.
Theatro Rossi Aperto …
I enter and there’s a theatre performance by elementary school – ‘they really wanted to do it!’ – I hear. So they are welcome to do it at Theatro Rossi Aperto. I am welcome. I don’t have to pay cause it already started a half an hour ago. I am so “taken” by those sincere funny, unproffessional brilliant kids
…and the context, cause the theatre space is amazing! Old, ghostly, aesthetics of abandonment and revival through rebellious souls with visions and hundreds of voluntary work.
They don’t have much, but they have abundance!
That is what – along with serendipity in Lucca, pendulums and passionate kids occupying this occupied theatre – bring me straight back on track – which I have feared I had lost.
I receive a kind reminder that:
magic is not lost with age and direction
portable door can open anytime
doing things purposelessly + with no guarantees is the art of being
That busy generous man gave me and one italian a private guided tour throug the upper levels and ceilings of Theatro Rossi. I learned the theatre was soooo old. It has been closed and abandonded for more than 40 years. It was activated 6 years ago by squatters that do this amazing job and are richly ignored by local authorities of Pisa and richly recognized by regional Toscanian authorities. And by those kids… And my me and many more.
This Lucca -> Pisa experience revived me big time and reminded of:
~ years of performance&activism work with Club de la Faye and how extremely transformative our efforts have been for the few… or more
~ abandonded places with spirit, craving to be given love and attention… then the magic happens (or portable door can open)
~ how many invisible individual and collective burning initiatives and unmeasurable treasures there exist!
~ there’s something extremely important with my alternative ways of being…and NOW is the time to continue and bear fruits instead of doubting…
The man from the “squatted” theatre said something I won’t forget: that the mission is not to have squatted Theatro Rossi. But to open Theatro Rossi (Aperto means ‘open’ in Italian).
Thank you. Tomorrow I’m leaving Pisa to go to Elba island with my mother. I can hear her calm breath falling asleep – live two meters away – that experience only happens 3 times a year. I embrace…
Trash, my treasure
Min kære ven,
jeg har samlet lidt vejledning til hvordan du sorterer i Københavns Kommunen. Det vil gøre mig og miljøet så saftigt glad hvis du starter på at sortere derhjemme/i din institution. Det hele sorterings infastruktur har længe været klar i din gård – just start co-playing with me!
Og nej, sorterede skrald bliver IKKE blandet sammen alligevel til sidst. Det er en dårlig myte der for nogle mennesker er en undskyldning for overspringshandling.
{**vær sød og tålmodig med mit dansk, jeg har ikke overskud til sprogelig perfektionisme i den sag her.
Billederne og tekst kommer fra offentlige sider}
BIOAFFALD/KOMPOST
– et nyhed der bruger og ikke brænder madrester. Hånd i hånd med ‘Stop Mad Spild’ kampagnen og så smager folke køkken endnu bedre –
PLAST (nu hård plast og ren blød plast kan blendes)
METAL (Så ren skal METAL være: ligesom PLAST)
PAP
Papir og pap må ikke blive blandet.
PAPIR
ARC {amager resource center} er en integreret del af byens kredsløb. De omdanner affald til energi, næringstoffer og nye materialer.
Jeg er lige ved at “indrette” to køkkener med affaldsorterings system. Også dit? Det er en tjeneste.
Og her* underviser jeg folk i ‘hvad går hvor?’ i den svenske context (brug de guidelines ikke i Danmark men du kan spørge mig, jeg ved meget).
Og min kjole er også “recyckled”…
*Sisters Academy, Malmo 2015
Og der er mange kreative projekter inspirerede og fødrede af TRASH:
Guldminen
Vasbygade Genbrugsstation huser Guldminen, som er et laboratorium, for udvikling af nye måder at genbruge, upcycle, reparere, redesigne og distribuere udvalgte genbrugsmaterialer.
Afleverer du dit sortere affald på Vasbygade Genbrugsstation, kan det indgå i Guldminens arbejde for direkte anvendelse og nytænkning af ressourcerne via direkte genbrug som et alternativ til en tung genanvendelses proces.
‘Imod diskrimination og fordomme’ som en del af CSR strategi?
Kampagner, foreninger eller socio-økonomiske virksomheder ligesom Gadens Stemmer, Menneskebiblioteket, Other Story arbejder på at gå imod fordomme i samfundet ved at facilitere face-to-face møder mellem virkelige mennesker. Ikke kun for at lave om på eksisterende forstillinger, stereotyper, definitioner, men også for at give en oplevelses ramme hvor mennesker kan øve empati for anderledes livstil og perspektiver, udvide sig selv ved brug af ‘the Other’.* Verden kan blive lidt større for dem som er nysgerrige og stiller spørgsmål til hvad de allerede ved.
Sådan tilgang heldigvis anerkendes og spredes i form af kampagner på sociale medier, ved initiativer rettede mod at øge global bevistheden og mangfoldighed, mod at forstå kompleksistet i stedet for simplificeringer og gennemsnitlige data.
Sådanne initiativer er mere og mere populære i kultur liv og som en del af uddannelse i folkeskoler og gymnasier.
Købehavns kommunens beskeftigelses- og integrations- forvaltningen som det offentlige, mange i det private sektor, NGOer samt ‘free riders’ ambassadører arbejde på at mindske discrimination. (At liste dem er dog ikke et fokus i den post)
Hvad med at inkludere initiativer/oplevelser ‘imod fordomme’ i CSR manifesten? For at forstyrke en virksomheds CSR profil ved ikke kun at passe miljøet og fremme grøn design, men ved at arrangere sådanne autentiske møder mellem forskellige mennesker. For at lade ansatte bedre forstå:
- bredere perspektiv i hvordan deres produkter/ydelser kan positivt påvirke andre end kun mål gruppen
- forskellige kunder og stakeholders
- andres perspektiver og interesser, endnu i et team som består af forskellige roler og kompetencer
- hvad er virkelig team-building og fælles- som personligt ejerskab af brand og ansvarlighed for selv, andre og global market
…Og for at inspirere kunder, samarbejdspartnere og andre som identificerer sig selv med det brand, til sådan ansvarlighed og værdier.
*ved ‘the Other’ mener jeg alle de folk/grupper som er udenfor vores forstålige kredser/normer/tilhørsforhold.
Performativ Interaktiv Underviser, Event Koordinator og Konsulent med sans for bæredygtighed
I de sidste mange år sat jeg pris på den grønne bevidsthed – både i mit private liv og ved at sprede of forstyrke “bæredygtigheden” princippet i forskellige sammenhænge:
- da jeg arbejdede hos IBIS med “jeg er Yasuni” kampagnen
- ved at omgive mig selv med mennesker som tror på og fremmer de samme værdier
- ved at promovere inspirerende folk/events/ideer på sociale medier og min ydmyge blog (i en ‘start’ fasen)
- ved at forsat undersøge, reflektere og uddybbe min viden, så min passion og intuition kan støttes af gode argumenter
- ved at vælge bestemte retninger og fokus, når min rolle i et projekt kan samtidig gøre en forskel/inspirere, f.eks i interaktiv performance kunst projekter og performativ undervisning fokuserer jeg oftest på bæredygtigheden, autentiske relationer med selv og andre, holistisk selv udvikling
- jeg opfordrer andre til at spise sund, spilde mindre/genbruge, sortere skrald, osv.
Det sidste punkt med affaldssortering var et direkt skub til at gå i gang med at lede efter samarbejdspartnere til et projekt rettet mod at øge mængden og kvalitetten af kildesortering i private husholdninger. Fordi det var vigtigt og fordi jeg gjordte det alligevel blandt venner, den “hippie” vej.
Jeg ville så “institutionalisere” mine indsats og skabe et job for mig selv.
For at bedst udnytte mine tværfaglige evner, var mit forslag at bidrage til adfærdsændrings-kampagner eller forsøg-programmer ved at gå rundt med min nudging- og undersøgelses-kit, som initiativrig kontakt person for forskellige stakeholders + passioneret ‘Trash is Treasure’ underviser + data indsamler + projekt konsulent i en person.
I løbet af 4 uger nåede jeg at uddybe emnet og videnskabeligt bekræfte min uformel viden om borgeres sorterings vaner og den nødvendige strategi. Jeg snakkede med nogle relevante ansatte fra 3 kommuner: København, Frederiksberg og Roskilde og fik nogle værdigfulde indsigter i forskelle i implementering af den nationale ressourceplan af 50% genbrugt affald inden 2022. Det gav ikke mening om at ansøge om Miljøministeriets kommunepuljen i November, men den næste omgang er i Marts 2016.
I min forsknings fase opdagede jeg at affaldssortering er et kæmpe stort emne og der er mange gode initiativer – allerede i gang eller under design – og en masse erfaringer og materialer der kan deles mellem kommunerne.
Jeg var mest tiltrukket af et potentielt samarbejde med Roskilde Kommunen, fordi kildesortering i et større omfang er endnu at implementeres og sådan proces er meget interessant. Der er løbende undersøgelser, miljømæssige vurderinger og prioritering af indsatser for at realisere målet mest optimalt. Kommunen kan genbruge erfaringer fra andre kommuner og mere advancerede lande og samtidig eksperimentere med egne progressive løsninger. Jeg er spændt på den retning det tager og vil gerne bidrage. Friske øjne og åbne muligheder. Og det betyder også at kommunikationsstrategi er stadig under design, som begrænser hvor detaljeret et event for borgere kan planlægges. Og det var bestemt der, hvor jeg oprindeligt skulle engagere mig selv i.
Min måde at designe og implementere på – uanset om det er et undervisningsforløb, et performativ foredrag eller tekst til sociale medier/hjemmeside – er dog altid skræddersyet, derfor “mit produkt” udvikles agilt. Min styrke er en samarbejdende proces (“samskabelse”), baseret på min egen forskning, viden- og ide-udveksling med interesseret partier og tilpassning af min “værktøjskasse” til bestemte mål og sammenhæng.
Jeg kan lide at arbejde med eksisterende ressourcer som udgangspunkt og løbende forstyrke dem, udvide dem med nye interessante perspektiver eller finde kombinationer, der tilføjer ekstra værdi. Jeg sætter samtidig pris på at mit bidrag som forsker og konsulent efterlader en institution jeg arbejder for med brugbar viden og inspiration.
En del af min rolle: performativ info- og inspirations-kampagne:
Jeg kan bedst lide at arbejde med alternativ undervisning med elementer af lege og rituel ved at lave en slags levende installation, hvor mennesker kan komme, interagere og samtidig få en masse viden gennem min passioneret, performativ måde at præsentere på.
Installationen kan foregå i mange timer inden og efter et hoved præsentation/performance hvor alle er samlede, ligesom jeg gjordte sidst i Sisters Academy i Malmo. For at motivere mennesker til at sortere skrald, var det vigtigt at give dem en visuel, ritualiseret oplevelse og vise præcis hvilket affald går i hvilken container.
Jeg er god til research, analyse og har et rigt netværk af mennesker jeg sparrer med. Jeg har kun i de sidste 4 uger kontaktet mange mennesker fra det offenlige sektor samt kunstnere og kreative iværksættere som direkt eller indirekt arbejder med ‘genbrug’ konceptet. Det kom ud af processen indtil videre. (*bemærk at det er kun et udkast af min indledende undersøgelse, ikke et færdigt produkt. Jeg ville bare vise at jeg kan også forske, analysere og kommunikere med forskellige stakeholders)
For mig er det vigtigt at mennesker identificerer sig selv med hvad som helst jeg er ambassadør for. Derfor prøver jeg at give dem først og fremmest:
- min egen historie (som et menneske som havde sin egen udvikling)
- en forståelse af hvordan alt er forbundet (selv et lille bidrag er faktisk en symbol af noget større)
- hands-on hints hvordan de kan selv gøre det
- lave dem til ambassadører ved at inspirere til at tage selv ansvar og sprede ordet
Hvis jeg er en del af genbrug/affaldssortering/bæredygtigheds kamapagne, f.eks. ‘Trash is Treasure: fo fall in love with recycling…‘, vil jeg, udover eventets fælles mål, dække bredere perspektiv. Med eksempler, associationer, elementer af bæredygtig kunst, mode, objekter, referencer til eksterne aktører/initiativer. Med startspunkt i:
LIVSTIL, VÆRDIER
sundhed, velfærd: det kropslige, det mentale, de emotionelle
DESIGN, PRODUKTION
Ecodesign (Grøn design):
berædygtig produktion (herunder smart emballage)
berædygtig produkter: sund mad, kosmetikker
FORBRUG
mindsket, mere bevidst forbrug
GENBRUG
affaldssortering
recycling
upcycling
bæredygtig mode
FRA AT BANE NYE VEJ TIL UBESTRIDELIG VIRKELIGHED
(MARKEDSFØRING, AMBASSADØRER, POLITIK, VIRAL LIVSTIL)
CSR manifest, forskellige CSR former og profiler
…at smitte andre (Lead by Example)
Andre slags undervisning/vejledning
Jeg kan bruge de metoder i variationer med hensyn til et emne, deltagere, lokale og formål. Det kan være i forskellige former og sammenhænge. Jeg underviste/inspirerede også for eksempel i:
…performance metoder, kreativitet og hvordan man kan bruge fiktion til selv udvikling, i skoler og festivaler
…autentiske relationer og mere holistisk kommunikation i min workshop og interaktiv ritual “100 Faces of ‘each other’ ”
…tantra og kærligheds liv ved en-to-en inspirerende snak med gymnasium elever og voksne under Menneskebiblioteket events. Here med Tobias fra Ørestads Gymnasium.
Nature (inside of me) and Tantra
Nature around me and suddenly thinking Tantra… Tantric way – isn’t it, in a wider sense, nurturing sustainable relationship to life? Everyday discipline of love, towards oneself, towards others, towards reality, the way it is, without trying to change it.
I just came back from 29 hours in the forest, landing at 10 a.m. in Hareskov by my regular wild shelter, discovering again that all is as it was, so I can stay, occupy it, manifesting my annual ritual of sleeping under the sky in a late spring in Denmark. Staying present, creative and powerful without shortcuts works best in the morning, relaxed, before eating or other pleasurous distractions.
So I set my breakfast-alarm in 20 min, which extended into 3 hours, as it felt as the rightest thing to do to feed my powers of ‘just be’, or just connect to sth truer. Thoughts are always there (they judge all the time, all seek pleasure, want to always choose the best or they get restless when not doing something “effective”) and I guess I need to accept this personality/ego creature will be my companion all my life. After getting a feedback that I attach myself too much to perceptions, stories, I decided at this point it is the most important focus: to accept the ego, but keep reminding myself that it’s not me + that all is dynamic, and all that matters is in here&now. Feels a bit resistant to say this, cause it sounds like a spiritual broken record, but for now, I have not been able to deny its sense or find equally truthful, yet easier way to make this life-journey precious in a long term.
So I walked for hours without plan, “wasting time” (ego) or rather creating “empty time”, practicing this love approach called “as long as it takes”, being also impatient or annoyed, being also present and grateful…and scared: “will it always be so hard?”.
When time becomes less accumulated, there’s space for noticing that in the blossoming spring young leaves are very soft and have all this psychedelic juicy light green color, as if most of the trees were the same species. I had a lot of time to discover that the lake where I camp has a lot of water snakes, which reminds me that in this dance with life we often have to accept that we don’t know (whether sth is dangerous or harmless for example). I also noticed that their graceful wavy movements are to the sides, and not up&down like mermaids do.
The more I dwelled in this no-purpose wandering, the more I felt comfortable confronting people I met on my way. More curious in interviewing, more courageous in prolonged eye-gazing with strangers, more radiant and self-confident doing what I want, without fearing to be perceived as weird. Sitting like an elf entangled in tree roots’ hugs by the common bike-lane, or just standing and staring long at LARPers like a stalker – all this felt more authentic when in this state of mind that remembers that we can be and do what we want and no personality or role is sticky, cause all of them are equally (un)true or equally important.
The night was cold and magical. This forest have been witnessing a lot of suffering, joy and transformations in me throughout years. I pay tribute, also to various others that shared those moments with me there.
On modern myths (of value)
I felt inspired to look at some modern myths that many live by and measure value against. I want to walk another path. Or at least become aware, so I see traps and alternatives and therefore can choose more freely…
*A myth of speed.
The value of speed is an unquestioned king, but I feel we really need to do things in our own tempo… and with our own filters…We feel a constant pressure to keep up pace, not only in business and innovation, also in bed and self development.
With “staying updated” as a measure of surviving in an extending world with ocean of choices , FOMO (fear of missing out) strengthens its roots. Wanting to get fast from A to B, we miss a lot of beauty and nuances in transition periods and transition places.
*posture up, girl, boy!
It was Frank Chimero that wrote about ‘methodology of speed’, but I really liked more he had to say: “Holding yourself together is a weird sort of performance, the kind of thing that makes you feel lonely in the first place, even if you’re all together in the same room, feeling the same thing. You want to believe it, but you just can’t be sure. (…)”*
In a group I worked with for years, I would often hide the fact that I am not good enough yet, not prepared enough, not dedicated enough, so I would create a distance of “proffessionalism” to keep an image and avoid being challenged. It took some honesty to come to discover that we were all feeling a bit lonely for years, putting exactly the same show for each other.
How much richer my life is now after changing my mindset and starting to appreciate be vulnerable, more honest and challenge each other to grow together.
*obligation to clarity
Inspired by Eugenio Barba, who writes:
“One of the most refined totalitarianisms of our time is the obligation to clarity, the disdain for the state of I-do-not-understand, the shared devaluation of the feeling of incomprehension whose secret effects prompt decisive choices in our life. The cult of clarity, which served to enlighten minds, serves today also to darken them.
Every time we turn on the television, open a newspaper or listen to a politician or an expert, the world is presented to us as something that has been understood and can be explained. Every piece of information depicts facts coherently interpreted and commented, ready to be classified; or else exposes the impatient waiting for the solution of the enigmas of politics and news stories. There must be an explanation.
If it is late in coming, the event will in time end among the refuse of unexplained news, and thereby destined to extinction. Anyone who speaks or writes fears above all not to be clear. The need to be understood impels us to censor our reactions and feelings which we are unable to understand in depth. Even in linguistic behavior, the expressions that cannot be clearly translated from one language into another are discarded.
The gift of clarity loses vigor and sense when it buries the gift of ambiguity and the sensation of not seizing everything.” **
*only experts have a voice
…and it’s them both finding problems and deciding which of the problems get bold. By the way, talking about experts, Laurie is a great society critic… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvhfSH9CbCw
*unmeasurable value is not a value.
Wasn’t it that also sociology had once hard time to prove its academic worth and that’s why it started to apply scientific methods copied from natural sciences? The quantitative is easier, more statistical, therefore more creditable, so it rules out the qualitative. I’ve been always more interested in grey zones, the mysterious, the fuzzy. But I couldn’t explain it, so I wouldn’t speak. And as much as it’s a treasure for poetry, art or storytelling, in a business world somehow one always has to hide the I-DO-NOT-KNOW to avoid being discredited as doubtful negotiator or unserious salesman.
*trust brands, ignore the rest
we are sheep creating inequalities and killing variety. Non-branded products often come with the same quality as big brands, and are often more socially-oriented. But we don’t take time (and risk?) to research, find new treasures on our own and spread the bug. We are busy observing how others do it… and follow. At the same time, we have this buzzing dream of being original. Well, good that it’s also there, it a drive for change.
*charisma belongs to the extraordinary.
No! It’s actually needed in everyday life whenever we interact or create something together.
What is for example value in a good project manager? Whenever I was multitasking coordinating a performance, a creative event, a fundraising campaign, I would spend a lot of energy on things that no one described for me as important. But I am telling you, it’s not enough to be prepared for the meeting with thorough research results or creative ideas I brainstormed on my own. It’s actually during face-to-face meeting where the real skills are put to a play.
Presence, good, contageous energy of belief and self-confidence, social skills, authenticity, attractiveness and responsibility. Responsibility for one’s own capabilities, aspirations and boundaries, for seeing things clearly as they are without illusions, yet still feeding enchantment…a driving force for cooperation. More: honesty, passion and leading by example. And from there a smart balance between feeling into the group and keeping deadlines. Those skills are not part of the contract, but they are worth a lot…and can be more draining than subject matter. My intention is to start drawing people’s awareness to this angle to make them maybe reconsider the definition of value.
*worship of productivity
…and guilt that follows
I don’t always want to be clear, professional and detail-oriented, there’s no time for that. I prefer to be dynamic and appealing!
It’s also performance art I co-created with Club de la Faye and SIGNA that reconvinced me deeply in that showing backstage on the stage can embrace magic. Playing with reality vs fiction, bringing absurdity, imperfection and chaos can create the most inspiring interactions.
And if I was waiting to become perfect before I show myself, you wouldn’t be reading this blog before I polish my style. Otherwise how can you witness how I develop?