Photo by dad.

Just to keep things flowing a bit, a small announcement: I graduated from art school a couple days ago with the opening of the exhibition Afgang 10 at the Aarhus Art Building, shown above. The work on show consists of the last two months’ material from Spain and around. It’s not much, at most a preliminary storyboard intending to connect themes and stories, but if you’re in town (or country), feel free to drop by for some cultural enrichment before June 13. There are five other graduating artists on the show, and it’s very odd altogether, but I think in a good way.

Thanks to family and friends who came for the opening from near and far away – it meant a lot to me. That’s my dear brother right there in the front. Can you tell?

When I started this blog it was with the intention to remove myself somewhat out of the picture and not write about my personal life. I wanted to work with the blog and writing as a medium for processing what I’ve learned about politics and social conditions of the place I am, to understand better through writing to some idea of a public, however exclusive and elusive that may be. I especially wanted to get better at analysing the stuff; not just begin to realize some of the causes and effects of globalization and international relations, but to be able to pass on that knowledge and apply it elsewhere. So my excuse for not writing has been an itching feeling of being slightly too dumb for my mission. Anyway I’ll try do do better, and in time, there’ll me more pictures, too, to brighten up the view (I didn’t bring my digital camera on this little field trip, unfortunately). I’ve spent a good part of my previous months reevaluating my position in relation to the art world, and taking a critical look on the way my education (in art school) has shaped my way of thinking and acting. And I’ve thought a good deal about the future further away than just in front of my nose.

Since I left my home in Denmark I’ve been confronted with a social reality which I sought and hoped to be able to incorporate into my artistic practice. In order to do this, I tried to emerge myself completely into understanding the culture, history, politics and contemporary life of where I was. To begin with that was Guatemala, later Buenos Aires, Argentina, and although I’ve met a bunch of local artists and activists I’ve had very little contact with the contemporary art world (not to say, you know: as little as possible).

Well, it’s safe to say I’ve been having new perspectives on a bunch of stuff, not least about talking about politics from within a contemporary art context. I’m very critical (if not articulate) about how contemporary art continues to circulate; not least how politically engaging artwork is almost always self-deceiving in its ability to counter- and interact effectively with politics. I felt like I was trying to talk about politics, while I was really producing entertainment for the culturally educated. Some years ago I decided that my motivation to work with art was a motivation to work with politics, but the actual work I was doing was getting further and further away from this. My choice to go to Latin America and spend a year here was conscious about that, but I sure wasn’t prepared for the ride! So right now I’m trying to figure out my direction and what consequences to take.

… to be continued.