Year of the Tiger 2010 - Notes (scroll down for more text)

14.2.2010

For the first time in a sunny snow landscape. There is so much snow that the place of the camera is hard to choose and wading in snow is difficult. – The first tests I did already yesterday, on Saturday – and already one week ago I walked around looking at the site and checked whether I would find the ”base” of the old building within the snow. I do not know, perhaps this take will be merely a test, too – if I feel like it I will come tomorrow in the afternoon to video film. But I need to find felt boots ( or whatever they are called in English), otherwise walking (rämpiminen?) in the snow becomes too painful…

[a drawing – four squares with marks for the starting place of the mat and the scarf]

the cloak on, one round clockwise, lying down on the mat, one round clockwise, folding the mat – next place, remove the scarf – next place, rest of the round and out

Mo 15.2. 2010

The first real video filming (in snow shoes) and the final fixing of the “route” – of course it will probably change when new details are revealed from below the snow and when the greenery of the vegetation changes the visibility…

Sat 20.2.2010

Cold, cold, cold! Wind from North East forms “dunes” of the snow and whips snow in my face. I managed to video film all four directions, but I had to take a break in between – the camera refused to work an required warming up!

Sat-Sun 28.2.-1.3.

On a trip (I video filmed “something in Furnas on the Azores)

Sun 7.3.2010

A sunny and relatively warm (leuto) winter day, the snow carries rather well. There are a lot of people on the ice and the whole city enjoys the winter. A break of two weeks had almost completely covered my traces. I tried to deduce the location of the stone base of the house with the help of my memory and the previous images. Let’s see what happens when the snow melts – whether I am far o the side from the original starting point?

Sat 13.3.

More snow is falling, though it is March, the snow carries me sometimes, and sometimes not. There is so much snow that it is hard to estimate where exactly the surface of the earth is. The ice is still strong, but on the sea side you can see water and occasionally the sun is warming really hot…

Sun 21.3.2010

Yesterday was the spring equinox – the day and the night were equally long. You can sense a hunch of the spring in the air, zero degree weather, and some birds, too. The soil is covered with snow. It is wet an heavy (nuoskaista), but there is lots of it. Last week it was snowing several times, but some traces were nevertheless visible. I wonder when it will melt…

Sat 27.3.

Fog, zero degree weather and wet snow (nollakeli ja nuoskalunta) – they have promised rain for tonight. The ice carries you still well and on the island the snow dunes (kinokset) are still deep) although the streets in the city centre are mostly bare. It is not cold anymore, the weather is pleasant and soft (leuto ja lempeä) but the snow is unreliable and wet …

(break – Easter on Iceland)

Sat 10.4.

Spring! By boat to the island; not to the peer yet, but to the ice brim by the rocks on the shore. A break of two weeks is visible in the landscape; most of the snow has turned into water. The birds are shrieking every once in a while, but are not at their worst yet. Now spring is at its brightest (kuulaimmillaan)…

Sat 17.4.

The shores are open, only accidental ice flakes float here and there. There is not at all snow around the base of the house. Somewhere there are small heaps still. But it is wet and muddy between the cliffs and the seagulls are having their courtship time, at least they shriek a lot. Let’s see how many nests there will be near the house; I am anticipating with horror!

Sun 25.4. 2010

Small shreds (pälviä) of snow here and there, but basically no more traces of the winter; water in the wholes on the cliffs, that is all that remains of the massive amount of snow. The birds are supposed to be building there nests, but seem to be “waiting” still. They say the reason is a fox that has erred to the island. The birds do not dare to lay eggs but wait for the fox to disappear. I wonder?

Sun 2.5. 2010

Sunny (half cloudy) and peaceful Sunday after a chilly May day. There is not a soul on the island, only the insect researchers in their green overalls are setting (virittävät) their traps – I guess. The geese and the seagulls are building their nests. Two nests in the making I destroyed and put some twigs in their place. If I have to walk “over” a nest it will mean unnecessary suffering to the birds as well as to me…

Sun 9.5.

Rainy day, fog, the air is dripping of humidity, small droplets but no real rain. There is a goose nest in the middle of the stone base of the house, next to one side and two seagulls’ nests nearby. Perhaps they were abandoned, since the seagulls did not defend them. The goose father, on the contrary eagerly protected his family, although they seemed almost to get used to my passing by repeatedly without causing damage. Negotiations!

Sat 15.5. 2010

In the afternoon sun the grass is growing, the leaves are bursting open and the “truth” is revealed – which shrubs are dead and which are alive. The soil is still wet in the crevices but the cliffs are dry. Luckily, I was not hit by any of the bombs of the seagulls. The goose couple was still inhabiting (and defending) the house …

Sat 22.5. (?)

I am in a hurry to get away before the rain – he bird cherries are blooming! And the alders have grown thick; in the last image you can see nothing else…

Sun 30.5. 2010

A lovely, sunny but windy day – and cold! A few goose young (poikuetta) have already emerged (kuoiriutunut), but the geese next to the stone base of the house are still sitting in their nests. My closest neighbour was unusually irritated at first and one on the cliffs jumped at me an really managed to heart my neck. Hm.

Sun 6.6.2010

I could not video film – the seagulls are attacking so hard, diving at you. In the nests the young are about to be out (kuoriutumassa) or have already started to move about and the mothers are furious. Both of the goose nests nearby were already empty – mere heaps of downs, so they were no obstacles, but I gave up due to the seagulls and turned back. (There are two nests next to the first place of the camera!) Perhaps next week?

Sun 13.6. pause (Toronto – PSi)

Sun 20.6. 2010

I found a seagull protection, a sun hat! It gave me sufficient fearlessness to enter the realm of the seagulls and I knew that it would receive possible “bombs”. The nests are already empty, the young birds are moving around and the alders have grown so wildly that othig can be seen in the C and D –images. I video filmed only the landscape. The C-round I “walked” as normal, but for some reason the camera did not work and I did not do the whole thing a new but was content with the landscape. Let’s see what I will do in the future…

Sun 27.6. (Kökar, at Satu’s place)

Fri 2.7. 2010

I video filmed “in advance” because I will leave for Kadermo on Sunday. – I thought the birds had calmed down already, but on the path one goose jumped at me so hard that I had to go around via the nature house. The bush is spreading (rehottaa); the roses are in bloom. – I video filmed the C and D images without “action”, only the bush…

(11.7. In Kadermo)

Sat 17.7. 2010

The hot weather is visible in the landscape! Though Harakka is more green (rehevämpi) this year than ever (at least that is how I imagine it) there are dry bushes and plants everywhere. If there is a thin layer of soil on the cliffs the roots are dried. A few dead seagull youngs were lying on the cliffs. I wonder who is tearing them into pieces? I video filmed only the A and B –parts, sweating, and only the landscape for C and D, white bog plants (Mesiangervoja)!

Fri 23.7. 2010

The bunjy (?) jumpers have arrived – this year the tower and the machine (teline) are blue and not white. The weather is hot but cloudy, they have promised rain for the night, and that is needed for sure. Nautre is dry, it feels like summer would be gone when everything is withering. The alders surely do flourish, but many flowers are already spreading their seeds…

Sat 31.7. pause (Munich)

Sun 8.8.

Hot weather, soft (utuinen) light, smooth cloudy fog – 29 degrees Celsius they promised, which is not too much, but when it is calm and humid it feels warmer. The soil and the vegetation are dry since it has not rained much, although the air is humid, a strange combination! And no birds can be seen, but lots of children on a nature tour… Today I video filmed all four rounds in full, though nothing can be seen of the two latter, but I did it our of “principle”, for the sake of the exercise, now when I do not have to pity (or fear) the birds. But I admit if was hot in my “jumper”. It is now hanging out drying, wet of sweat….

Fri 13.8.

A cooling breeze from the East. I video filmed towards the evening when the island was empty of visitors. Nature is dry and feels like fall. There are less insects and birds hardly at all. Of course there are enough of bugs even when they are not flying around you. I am now walking the full rounds, regardless of what is visible or not…

Sat 21.8. 2010

Around four o’clock the island was almost deserted, though there is some group at the nature house. I video filmed my four rounds at a leisurely pace. The battery of the camera was finished at the third round, but I video filmed only the “empty view” to complement it. When the air gets cooler and the insects are fewer the sessions are really pleasant and function as a exercise in concentration, as intended…

Sat 28.8.

Cold and like fall, but due to the rains flowers are blooming anew. Blue veronicas, yellow “lionheads” and yellowish green euphorbia (maksaruohoja) fill all the lawns and turfs. For a few days there have been no visitors in the exhibition in ammunition cellar 4, at least no autographs [in the guestbook]…

Sat 4.9.2010

After a day of open doors [for visitors] the island was empty towards the evening. Grey and cold, damp too, but actually rather pleasant. It is not too damp and depressing yet, and there are flowers, though less bugs… I am already thinking of next year, the year of the rabbit or cat…

Sun 12.9.2010

To Harakka at nightfall; humid, slightly foggy, in other words autumnal. I managed to video film before the rain but now I have to row quickly if I want to get away before the rain …

Sat 18.9.2010

Rainy – the clouds are flying acorss the sky, shoers of rain are alternating with clearer moments. I video filmed in dripping rain at some moments, while the weather cleared up at times. The island is still mainly green but fall is still fall – damp and grey …

Monday 27.9.2010

A weekend in Copenhagen, and for that reason on Harakka on Monday. Wind from North east, cloudy – basic fall but relatively pleasant when it is not raining. The earth is damp, only a part of the leaves are yellow, the alders are still green and full of energy – obviously there have been no nights with frost…

Sun 3.10.2010

To the island in the afternoon, it is calm and autumnal, silent. After a day of sun some clouds, nightfall comes quickly. I forgot to change to rubber boots and walked in black shoes – probably it does not matter! I am thinking of next year, should I bring in sound?

Sun 10.10.

Threatening dark bluish grey clouds in the West, the rain did not start while I was video filming, and the clouds did not have a prominent place in the images. When I choose the framing of the images at the start of the year there are many great images that do not make their way to the video film [during the year], they remain outside the frame. Now the leaves are turning yellow, the sycamore [or maple] of the island glows golden but the alders are still strong (terhakkaasti) and green…

Sat 16.10.2010

The air is getting cooler, it was raining (rakeita) at times, but only as short downpours. The dark clouds moved fairly quickly, though there is hardly any wind at surface level. A small mouse passed rapidly by between the twigs, there are still inhabitants in the od stone base of the house. The dy and night is still to be video filmed – hm!

(Sun 24.10 Lipari)

Sun 31.10.2010

Hardly any changes in the landscape – some of the trees and bushes are already bare, some are still green, the moss is damp, soft and giving away under your feet (upottavaa). Some parts of the alder bushes are turning less thick, soon something an be seen through it. The day and night remains to be done, I wait for the first snow…

Sat 6.11.2010

Silent, peaceful, autumnal, the leaves are fewer so the white mat and the blanket can be seen through the twigs – I can slowly adjust the image to be more “correct”. The moss is wet, the water in the hollows look like wells, although there is cliff beneath. Soon only the fir trees are green, and there are not many of them. There was a spider climbing the stem of a nettle…

Sun 14.11.2010

The sun is low, but bright – light! The trees stand bare against the sky – now you can see through the bushes. The soil is wet after the rain yesterday, the moss shines green and soft, it has sucked in all the water like a sponge, and shines now like the only greenery. The fall bites the hands now, soon it might be cold…

Sun 21.11. 2010

The first snow – it fell already on Thursday, and changed the landscape. There is enough snow to create lumps although it is wet so it does not immediately melt. In the afternoon darkness comes fast, in the last image it is almost twilight. But now the bare branches reveal the view and I corrected the framing of the image to follow the “line” of the base of the house. The snow covers the signs of the tripod on the ground, but I guess they are fairly right…

Sat 27.11.2010

Brisk wind from North East, frost (- 10 degrees Celsius, I assume), more snow. There is nobody on the island. Olle’s boat is jumping around frozen in the remaining half of the pontoon, the other half was destroyed in the storm. It is real winter though it is only November yet, I put my “snowshoes” on and a (pipo) on my head, and felt cold all the same…

Sun 5.12.

Kelirikko ?? [impossible to get to the island due to ice to weak to walk on and too strong to row through]

Sun 12.12.

Kelirikko ?? [impossible to get to the island due to ice to weak to walk on and too strong to row through]

Fri 17.12.

Over the ice “awkwardly”, carefully – three weeks of snow covered the “performance site”. I started by digging out the stone base with a small children’s snow spade, which was perfectly suited for the task. The mat “sank” in between the snow dunes. After the break due to “kelirikko” there will now be a Christmas break. The next “performance” will be in January…

Sat 25.12.2010 pause (la Palma)

Mon 3.1.2011

Before sunset in deep snow. Two weeks of snow fall had almost covered the stone base of the house from view. This time I did not dig it out but tried to kick the snow aside and stamp out a passage. And this time I placed the mat inside the corners of the stone base, as I did a year ago when I began. Time passes, soon one year has again gone by…

Sat 8.1.2011

Calm thaw weather after storms and snowfall. There is wet snow on top of the ice, but on the island the snow is not wet (nuoskaa) and occasionally the surface of the snow (beneath the new snow) will carry you a little bit.  I video filmed only the basic images and decided not to start working on the day and night task. The snow dunes are too high, to walk out to the site and back [every two hours] would be unnecessarily exhausting…

Sun 16.1.2011

A cloudy, windy winter day, especially cold due to the wind. Anna Birch came with me to Harakka and saw the beginning of my video filming session, and then returned inside to the warmth. It felt strange at first to have somebody watching –  did I “fall” on the mat more dramatically than usually… (I am writing this note later, on Sunday 23.1. because we were in a hurry…)

Sun 23.1.

One more filming session (?) of this sequence – I am already planning the next one in my mind. It would nevertheless be nice to video film this route with a camera on my head (or on my chest) which would video film my point of view, which is so completely different than the one of the camera [on tripod]. Next Sunday I am in Bergen, but perhaps on Monday…

Mon 31.1. 2011

The last rounds in snow while the sun was setting. Soft thaw weather, but the snow was not too wet. The glorious sunset did not really fit into the image and the twilight almost turned to darkness in the last image. The day and night of the Tiger is still not video filmed – I wait for the snow to melt at least to some extent. Then it will become day and night of the rabbit…

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