Lisbon Streets: Colours, Fonts and Patterns

Perfection is difficult to put in words. Lisbon has it's own kind of character that roots back in country's multicultural history and fearless attitude in mixing influences from different eras of time. The city is not a museum that would preserve it's old buildings from modern day life. It was enlightening to see a mural or finely finished graffiti on an old wall or spot these colourful pieces of art in a scenery that's profile has been the same for centuries. 

When I visited in modern and contemporary art museums the same way of thinking was present in the philosophy of curating exhibitions. Discussion was the key of interpreting these exhibitions that offered a way of seeing and thinking that connects different time layers. Old objects offered a background to understand what we have today and how they connect to art of the last decades. Old and new works were mixed together so that it was possible to dive into a stream of thoughts where people with same kind of visual world interact without the boundaries that result from short human lives that don't meet. I think to preserve what is dear through taking it as a part of everyday life and new phenomenons is the most fruitful way. 

Colours that are present everywhere in Lisbon were one of the main reasons to travel to the city. The whole city was full of combinations one bolder the other. Might not be a surprise that I am totally in love with strong colours that do not apologize or try to be neutral. Might be a good idea to take watercolours, fabrics and embroidery yarns from the storage once a again and begin to go through what combinations would work in quilts. There was such an overload of colour I felt like I was bathing both in sunlight and colours. One night I couldn't sleep and I came up with a new pattern idea I draw instantly to my sketch book. The trip was inspiring in many ways and it will take time to unravel all that has been stored inside my head during those two weeks in Lisbon.

My souvenirs from the trip were mainly untangible; ideas and inspiration. When I dragged my luggage from railway station to home I passed my neighbour. After telling him where I had been he asked me what I had learned on my trip. I said that mainly it was all about colours that I brought with me. When I pondered more about the question at home I came up with plenty of things that I had not known before I traveled to Lisbon. 

Learning is one of the leading thoughts about travel if we look back history and for example grand tours. Nowadays we do walk through places and museums that are meant to teach us something. Now that I had the privilege to stay a bit longer than just few days I had the possibility to stop and think through what I heard and saw. Because I live here in Finland and Northern Europe the issues that are up in the news and daily discussions are mainly concentrated on topics that relate this area or that are brought up as internationally meaningful. The perspective is very narrow and leaves out many topics. In Lisbon I got to look Europe from other perspective and it was good to hear what are current issues in Portugal. Also IndieLisboa film festival took place in the same weeks I was in the city and I got a chance to see movies that I might not otherwise see. 

Even if we are living in globalized world still what is around us is local in a way, algorithms see where we live and who with and use that knowledge to optimize content to us so that it is not possible to see outside the box. When I made searches what to see and experience in Lisbon I got the same lists of sights, museums and places. I could have visited those key places virtually; Find out more about Belem Tower for example. But without the ground knowledge that can be gained in a place by following the discussions, seeing what is on in culture and political environment, it is not even possible to ask the questions and use Google to find out more. Maybe the era of grand tours is not behind us after all. 

Museu Colecao Berardo.

LxFactory

Greetings from Helsinki!

At the moment I am back in Rovaniemi but week ago this time I was still in Helsinki. I tend to make at least one visit to southern Finland every year. I visit my friends and explore bigger towns of Finland. If I am honest sometimes I miss living in a city. I love having more stimulus for creativity: beautiful buildings, parks, museums, cultural events and people. Of course we have all that here in Lapland and Rovaniemi too but in a minor scale. And yes, we have a wonderful and inspiring nature here and that is one of the factors why I live up here. But there are many good sides living in southern Finland too. The distances between towns are shorter than here in Lapland. It is easy to go for a day trip to another town, go to an event and visit the local museums. The bus tickets are also a way cheaper. In Helsinki only there are more art exhibitions than one can go through in a day or two or three. This time I saw for example interesting graffiti exhibition at Helsinki Art Museum - HAM and Grayson Perry, Maija Luutonen and There and Back Again exhibitions at Kiasma. In both museums there were so much to see I could have spent a day in one museum only. 

I enjoyed walking the streets and seeing places I don't see on a daily basis. It is exciting not to know what scenery waits behind the corner. I don't like that much shopping these days because I am looking for some other meaning to my life than just merely buying new stuff all the time. Yet sometimes I feel it would be inspiring to go and see what is on trend, to see beautiful displays on shop windows and to have shops and collections to choose from. In the city there are more alternatives, something for everyone what comes to consumerism, culture and social circles. 

There are seasons when I honestly think about moving to Helsinki or outside Finland to a bigger city. So many things I miss and would like to have in my life. So many opportunities I think that might wait me in there and not here. But so far I have decided to stay. Because I mostly like the everyday life in here and because moving once again feels like tearing off the roots. It takes years to plant oneself to a new place. And leaving alone to place where you practically know no one demands energy to be extra social, to participate and learn the rhythm. In some days that is exactly what I feel I need, to meet more people, talk to strangers and make new friends. I have noticed that in the city I actually talk more to the strangers. Is it that there is the possibility to get a new friend but also the fact that you most likely won't see that person ever again so there is only to win? I know loneliness is a problem in cities too, people not finding friends and getting lost. But still I feel fascinated by the chance that there are events and activities for every day that gather people and give a social space. 

Having lived most of my life in southern Finland I am realistic and know that quite soon the fascination will fade and everyday life will take place. I know what are the major things I don't like and I know what I would miss if I left Rovaniemi. Still there is a chance that some day I might live somewhere else. Where that would be is yet unknown.

I took the pictures with my phone because I didn't take my camera with me this time.

Maija Luutonen at Kiasma.

Graffiti at HAM.

Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden.

Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden.

Trip to Turku and Helsinki

Trip to southern Finland was as inspiring as I had hoped. It included good food, beautiful historical buildings, museums, modern art, lots of wandering around the cities and shopping. I took lots of pictures and it took a little time to organize them. I made these collages to put all the pictures I wanted to show in a compact form so that you don´t need to scroll tens of big pictures and wait them to download. Most of the pictures are from Turku.

Clockwise from left: Turku Art Museum, interesting building, beautiful gate, Turku Cathedral.

Beautiful shops near the Town Hall.

Clockwise from left: Hotel Torni in Helsinki, St. John´s Church in Helsinki, Beautiful corner in Helsinki,  Cafe at Turku Marketplace, Hotel Börs, Turku Cathedral, Museum Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova, Detail, Cathedral park, cute alley, Turku Cathedral, River view, Turku Art Museum, Pharmacy Museum and Qwensel House, View from Art Museum, Sunflower statue at Forum Marinum Maritime Centre.

Picture from Wäinö Aaltonen modern art museum.

Turku Castle that dates back to medieval times. A place to visit for Game of Thrones nerds :)

Details from Turku.

Turku Marketplace.

Details from Turku: Clock, Decorated building, Fish Statue in the River, Samppalinna summer outdoor theater. 

Pictures from Helsinki: Pedestrian street near Railway Station, Kiasma museum of modern art, street view. 

I went to Turku via Helsinki so that I get to spend two days in Helsinki and three days in Turku. I visited lots of museums: Kiasma in Helsinki, Wäinö Aaltonen, Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova, Turku Art Museum, Turku Castle and Forum Marinum in Turku. I really love old buildings because they are so rare here in Lapland where most of the buildings are quite new (Lapland was burnt in 1945 war). 

I also went shopping home decoration stuff, craft supplies, international magazines and clothes. I got lots of color inspiration from shops and museums to my projects for the autumn and winter. Turku Castle made me feel like I would have visited Game of Thrones scene: dungeons, narrow corridors and decorative windows.

Food was excellent. I ate very good vegetarian food in Turku market hall and tasty ice cream in various places.

After the week it was nice to be back home, unpack the luggage and start planning new projects. Oriental blues, plants, mosaic, lanterns, coziness and vintage elements are the themes for this Autumn/ Winter. 

Sannu