Winter fog / spring contrasts

Winter fog / spring contrasts in Oslo, Norway - images of the same trees/landscapes taken in winter and spring. Lucky to be here and experience such dramatic changes in a matter of couple of months!

Dysthe Design. Swinging 60 Exhibition at Museum of Decorative Arts in Oslo

Skies design

This exhibition pays tribute to Sven Ivar Dysthe's (b.1931) 60-year long career as one of the most prominent designers of the postwar era. Already as a student at The Royal College of Art in London, Dysthe was entrusted with the honour of creating a gift box for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953. Upon returning to Norway, he brought a breath of fresh air to the design scene with a style that was Norwegian, but with clear international references.

Popcorn design

This confluence of Norwegian and international influences can best be seen in his furniture models, which have been the main area of focus throughout his career. It is here, that he has influenced, like few others, both the public and public spheres of design in Norway, as well as in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the USA. Laminette, 1001, Planet and Popcorn are some of hist most famous chairs. The latter two introduced the concept of pop-design in Norway, and have recently been submitted for reproduction.

As an industrial designer, Dysthe has produced a wide range of products - including shelving, kitchen fittings and lamps. Among his most innovative designs are his two-point ski-bindings made of hard plastic: Symmetric, Racer and Micro made for Bergans, a Norwegian outdoor equipment outfitter. Dysthe's design helped revolutionise ski-bindings worldwide.

Sven Invar Dysthe's strength as a designer is the ability to think through and develop a product down to the smallest detail, while finding simple solutions to complex problems. His expression of form

The exhibition is divided into three parts:
The first room showcases a 60-year retrospective of Sven Ivar Dysthe's design inventions.
The second room presents the international Dysthe and his design for public spaces during the 50s and 60s.
The last room shows a 'home life'-oriented Dysthe and features designs for home furnishings including collaborations with his wife, interior designer Trinelise Dysthe.

Featuring at 'Aalborg University First Days Guide'

Oslo in the fog

Why moving to Norway?

Norway is a unique country, very different to other Scandinavian countries, and definitely different to the rest of the world. That was the primary reason why I chose to spend a year here, wanted to get to know its culture, its people better, and through this discover about myself more. When I left London I wanted to go on the journey of exploration, and not just of the outside world, but particularly the world within myself. I needed the time to think, to reflect, and I needed to remove myself from the social circle I created for myself in London. There, I always felt that something was wrong; I could not ‘connect’ to anyone, and found it difficult to find a person I could feel comfortable with, to spend long time with them. English culture at that time seemed 'jumpy' to me, with many unstable relationships, many misunderstandings based on very different worldviews shared by people around me. I have been very much aware of the fact that it wasn’t the outside world that was complex, difficult and weird; it was me, my mind was messed up, and so I made the whole life of mine into a tough and difficult journey, which in reality it did not appear to be. But I couldnt change my unsatisfaction at that time, as much as I have tried to make myslef like my life back then. I had a good stable job, nice place to live, and still it felt wrong.

‘Do not complicate’ things, live simple-live happy – these principles I wanted to learn, I wanted to learn to concentrate on the present, do not overthink about the future, do not overanalyze situations and relationships, I wanted to find me, the deep core of me, so outside world would not affect me as much anymore, and I can live happily in the present, with no influence from tones of useless information from newspapers, televisions and people I meet on the way. I wanted to develop more self-confidence and self-awareness, and I wanted to distance myself from the public opinion, I wanted to learn how to make my own decisions and not care what other might think. I wanted to sort out all the problems of the past. I did not think that I will sort out all my problems by just going abroad, but at least I thought it can make me into a better human. I wanted to break free from my London routine, to say the least. And so I thought that going abroad, if not will help solve personal problems of mine, and answer to some of the personal questions, can  at least set me in the right direction, can enable me to look at things from another perspective.

Why Norway then? Why not any other, much cheaper country? I just thought that Norway was a country with most beautiful nature, and I also knew couple of people here through my friends in Denmark, so I thought I won’t be too isolated. I also wanted to experience the country with colder temperatures, and more snow. I had great memories of snow and white winters when I was growing up in Russia and it was these memories that probably made the choice subconsciously for me. I also wanted a socially stable country, with little crime and more peace, and I was ready to pay for it. I wanted peace and quiet, to live in the society with a lot of trust and little corruption. I also did not want to go very away from England just yet, as I wanted to have the opportunity to fly back to England in case of homesickness hitting me big time. And so Norway appeared to be the perfect choice..

My best photo ever yet!

Thanks to Visit Oslo that shared this photo on their facebook page, the photo travelled the world and got more the 1,800 likes and 220 shares. Incredible to share my experiences with so many people all around the world!

Incredible Oslo's whiteness

Tumblr blog

My other blog on Tumblr where I collect images from fellow bloggers/travellers/photographers

http://purrfect-designs.tumblr.com/

Simply amazing. Karelian Folk Music. Not Finnish, not Russian. Karelian

Karelian Folk Music Ensemble - Tui Tui Tuomenkukka 

Amazing folk song, played with Kantele, from the ancient land of forests and lakes. Not Russia or Finland. Even if they´re singing in Finnish and living in Russia, they are Karelian.

 

Karelia - Russian Scandinavia

Karelia, the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden. It is currently divided between the Russian Republic of Karelia, the Russian Leningrad Oblast, and Finland.

Interesting to trace the origins of current Finnish design in Eastern Karelia, which now is part of Russia. This is the place we are visiting this summer (2013) in search of handcrafts, so please let me know if you would like join into this mini expedition!

After Finland got its independence from Russia, the country was looking for motifs to become their national identify and they looked no further then the Eastern part of Karelia, now Russia. This explains a lot of intervention between the Northern Russia and Finnish arts and crafts.

Here is an extract from the book 'Finnish Design' and on the origins of Finnish design and how Finnish national idenity was developed through crafts and arts, primarily found in Karelia.

Finnish Design by Pekka Korvenmaa, 2009

p.31 [...] Fanny Churberg (1845-1892) was one of the charter members of the society (Friends of Finnish Handicraft Society, founded in 1879) and its leading figure until her death. She rejected her former career as a renowned painter and concentrated for the rest of her life on creating a national style, with woven textiles in particular as her medium. Appreciation of national motifs and their adaptation to contemporary needs were associated with the so-called national awakening that had emerged earlier. The cultural and literary symbol and flagship of the nationalist ideology that it engendered was the Kalevala folk poetry epic, originally published in 1835. Now, the impulses of the heritage of vernacular material culture became involved. Its most prominent re-interpretations were to be created in the 1890s and around the turn of the century.

The Friends of Finnish Handicraft first began to copy 'ancient Finnish' and mainly Finnish, Karelian, motifs. In this respect, it opened the way for the Karelianism that made a deep imprint on cultural life in Finland towards the end of the century. Copies gradually made way for new interpretations, combining folk heritage with the latest trends in applied art. [...]

p.33 [...] The quest for the 'Finnish' national, style that was regarded as important remained the task of visual artists and architects in the 1890s. [...] 

Wild wild Oslo

Oslo is the smallest European capital with a population of only 600,000. It means that it takes one just 20 minutes on the train to be on the outskirts of the city and be in the wild. Be on the top of the hills surrounding Oslo and observe its beauty from the top.

Winters are amazing in Oslo, simply because it is so different to summers. Out in the woods, there is hardly anyone without their skies on. I tried to walk my usual path up the hill the other day, and it just didn't work/wasn't as pleasant, as all the Norwegians were giving me a strange looks of 'why is she walking, not skiing.. foreigner..'. And I was the one to give way every other second. I am getting skies next time. I still love my Oslo, so peaceful, so quite, idyllic. Will crave more of civilization soonish me thinks. Too good can't last for too long :)

Following Varangian routes. More on the quest to find links between Russia and Scandinavia.

Thought I post this entry from wikipedia on Staraya Ladoga. If you have not visited this town in North West Russia, do so if you get a chance and interested in Scandinavian culture. It is considered to be originally a Scandinavian town, since it was inhabited by Scandinavians first, and only then Russians. They used to call the place Rus’ that some believe influenced the name ‘Russia’ later. It is on the top of this Varangian routes' map, next to Ladoga. The plan is to go and visit all these places this summer (2013) so if anyone would like to join in, you are most welcome. And ideas for the future to organise Varangian/Viking routes' trips in the future :)

So, according to wikipedia (I just copied the information, thought of this post more as of a compilation of found material and inspiration for future adventure possibly) Staraya Ladoga (Russian: Ста́рая Ла́дога), Finnish: Vanha Laatokka or the Aldeigjuborg of Norse sagas, is a village (selo) in the Volkhovsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the Volkhov River near Lake Ladoga, 8 km north of the town of Volkhov. The village used to be a prosperous trading outpost in the 8th and 9th centuries. A multi-ethnic settlement, it was dominated by Scandinavians who were called by the name of Rus and for that reason is sometimes called the first capital of Russia.

Dendrochronology suggests that Ladoga was founded in 753. Until 950, it was one of the most important trading ports of Eastern Europe. Merchant vessels sailed from the Baltic Sea through Ladoga to Novgorod and then to Constantinople or the Caspian Sea. This route is known as the Trade Route from the Varangians to the Greeks. An alternative way led down the Volga River along the Volga trade route to the Khazar capital of Atil, and then to the southern shores of the Caspian Sea, all the way to Baghdad. Tellingly, the oldest Arabian Middle Age coin in Europe was unearthed in Ladoga. Old (staraya means "old") Ladoga's inhabitants were Norsemen, Finns, and Slavs, hence different names for the city. The original Finnish name, Alode-joki (i.e., "lowland river"), was rendered as "Aldeigja" in Norse language and as "Ladoga" (Ладога) in Old East Slavic.

Staraya Ladoga, currently a selo located in the district, was mentioned in 862, as one of five original Russian towns (the other being Belozersk, Novgorod, Polotsk, and Rostov). According to the Primary Chronicle, Rurik established his residence in Ladoga before moving to Novgorod, and thus Staraya Ladoga is sometimes considered as the first historical capital of Russia. The Volkhov River served as a part of the trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks.

Ladoga under Rurik and Rurikids

According to the Hypatian Codex, the legendary Varangian leader Rurik arrived at Ladoga in 862 and made it his capital. Rurik's successors later moved to Novgorod and then to Kiev, thus laying foundations for the powerful state of Kievan Rus. There are several huge kurgans, or royal funerary barrows, at the outskirts of Ladoga. One of them is said to be Rurik's grave, and another one—that of his successor Oleg. The Heimskringla and other Norse sources mention that in the late 990s Eiríkr Hákonarson of Norway raided the coast and set the town ablaze. Ladoga was the most important trading center in Eastern Europe from about 800 to 900 CE, and it is estimated that between 90 to 95% of all Arab dirhams found in Sweden passed through Ladoga.

Ladoga's next mention in chronicles is dated to 1019, when Ingigerd of Sweden married Yaroslav of Novgorod. Under the terms of their marriage settlement, Yaroslav ceded Ladoga to his wife, who appointed her father's cousin, the Swedish earl Ragnvald Ulfsson, to rule the town. This information is confirmed by sagas and archaeological evidence, which suggests that Ladoga gradually evolved into a primarily Varangian settlement. At least two Swedish kings spent their youths in Ladoga, king Stenkil and Inge I, and possibly also king Anund Gårdske.

In the 12th and 13th centuries, Ladoga functioned as a trade outpost of the powerful Novgorod Republic. Later its trade significance declined and most of the population engaged in fishing in 15th century. After new fortresses such as Oreshek and Korela were constructed in the 14th century further to the west of Ladoga the town's military significance also decreased. Ladoga belonged to theVodskaya pyatina of the republic and contained 84 homesteads in the 15th century; most of the land belonged to the church. The Novgorodians built there a citadel with five towers and several churches. The fortress was rebuilt at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, while the mid-12th-century churches of St. George and of Mary's Assumption stand in all their original glory. Inside St. George's. some magnificent 12th-century frescoes are still visible.

Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.

'Portrait' exhibition at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen

New Nordic Exhibition at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen