It is a shame that we have not reached perfection of virtual reality simulators as it would be an opportune moment now to develop some form of British fantasy environment along the lines of the Midsummer Murder into which Brexiteers could insert themselves into their favorite position upon the scale between the Lord of the manor and rogue peasant and everything in between. This would be a Brexit they would be happy with and certainly reflects the fantasy of Britain which they seem to be imagining. The same with that imbeciles Mexican wall. Let him build one, then a few more to close the circle and all the white supremecists could live happily ever after. Let them have the 'Great America' they fantasize about and leave the rest of us in peace!
You know for all my talk of a focused mind I have been sucked in and greatly troubled by the debacle in the UK. What can one think about it? Well one thing we can say for sure is that British politics has been changed. For those emerging when I did British politics was the choice of the Labour Party and the Tory party and this situation helped grow a generation who became disenchanted with national politics. In many ways I think this disenchantment and very low turnout at elections suited the big two parties quite well. I myself missed many are a voting chance in general elections sometimes not even realizing they were taking place and in the case of council elections never was I aware that they were taking place. This is partly because of my own lack of interest, lack of maturity, but also because it was plain to see that ones vote could do very little to change anything not to mention if you didn’t want to vote for the either the reds or the blues.
Here in Sweden I see a totally different situation with many many different parties at various positions on the left/right scale, far more parties than in the UK and as is the case elsewhere in Europe a commonplace acceptance of coalition politics and with this experience comes a calmness with regard to the chaotic process of coalition politics that will take us in the UK a long time to emulate. We are new to coalition politics, the first was in 2010 but it would seem that the future of British politics will be in coalitions of smaller particles a bit like I’ve seen here in Sweden. Now if that is the case it does change very many things for those on the theoretical or far left which for many years has been hiding away in universities in conferences in small protest coalitions. It sounds strange to say but it may be better for the radical left academic say to start a political party and proceed roughly in the same way as they might in academia except in the political arena, articulating a position and reinforcing it and elaborating on it. This would help battle the worst of the alt tight forces merely by making the discussion visible in the recognized public arena of national politics. This could possibly grow into a situation where there are so many left wing parties that there will be a natural self evident difference between the 'old left politics' which Conservatives successfully cartoon and also an articulation of the many and various nuanced positions relating to capitalism and process. This variety will do wonders for battling the alt right characterization of the left as elitist and out of touch, something which the left struggles to defend in its professional political incarnation. It sounds a little crazy but simple boring national politics may be the best way forward for theoretical academic critical left minded people, and then perhaps us artists could get on with some real work!
To the work. At last I have managed a study of the fallen trees on Borgmästarholmen! A two session affair which I began yesterday with the bare bones then finished today. Quite an experience it was too, to lug my easel through the forest carnage, stepping first over then under then round, all the while eyeing up compositions through the frame. The paths were quite devastated and impossible to follow so a I took to walking on a general upwards tradjectory wanting to reach the high point and just shy of the pinnacle I found a spot that ticked the boxes; fallen trees, rocks, water and sky so I downed tools.
The composition I chose was just one of many possibilities and again it struck me that it would be wise to make a base here for a few months and get some genuinely characteristic studies done and I would be willing if it were not for the fact that sooner or later the loggers will be in to square up. In fact I am grateful to have even this harsh study and if I could get another then its to the good but we'll see. I also desperately want to get to Fogborn1 as there is some unusually high terrain overlooking a lake that seemed exceptional, from the drivers seat at least.
My father is going for walks with the good people of Attendo2 which he seems to enjoy.
I am begining to like working in Norrtälje more and more.
My sister has commissioned me to design her an online presence.
The painting is dominated by three large rocks cascading down from upper right to lower left and dotted here and there are the lopped off limbs of the fallen trees presumably cut by the Kommune workers before tackling the damage in the habited zones. The remaining trees standing in a row at the back of the composition have been hastily rendered owing in part to their continuous movement and the sky weaves between. It is done boldly and in parts I felt the buzz of pure painting which feels so freeing so I am thankful for that.
Faircloth cannot take it anymore and has moved back to Wales.3 I shall miss him. He reminds me of Courbet.4 He introduced me to among other things the Grand Theft Auto5 which we played with the help of his Colombian marching powder,6 something he indulges in with the enthusiasm of a Marseillais eating a bouillabaisse!7 I merely wetted my beak but I resolved to take some out painting with me one day. Van Gogh himself painted in a highly stimulated state so why not....?
The analogy of the train journey8 that I used again struck me today as apt as the progress of the work increased in pace and intensity then eased then built up steam again....the train picking up speed then making a stop then gradually gaining again. That was the way of it today and adding to the exhilaration of this process was the wind which towards the end became a real concern due to the possibility that the trees that remained standing all around may well, for all I know of it, have become weakened by the storm and prone to imminent collapse. As I held my canvas in place with one hand and lashed on the colour with the other I was all too aware of the swirling trees high above and I felt myself twitching like an animal fearing that a tree was about to land on my head at any moment. You know, this train journey analogy is proving quite valuable, it may yet evolve into a method.
With a handshake,
John
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1. We do not know where 'Fogborn' is but it is likely that John misunderstood the sign saying 'fogborn' which means remains or ruins for a place.
2. Refers to a company which provides care for the elderly.
3. Refers to the artist Ben Faircloth who lived in Norrtälje with his Swedish wife and son for two years.
4. Gustave Courbet French Realist painter who influenced the impressionist movement.
5. Almost certainly refers to the video game.
6. Refers to cocaine.
7. Phrase borrowed from Van Gogh who wrote: "I am hard at it, painting with the enthusiasm of a Marseillais eating bouillabaisse..." A Marseillais refers to a person from the city of Marseille and a bouillabaisse is a kind of fish stew originating from Marseille
8. See Work 12, paragraph 3, line 12