First contact

In case you would like to participate in contacting an alien species possibly living on the planet Gliese 581 d, you can leave your message on this site. It will be sent to them. The estimated time of arrival is however 20 years.

Mine goes as follows:
I am Sebastian Deka, a human from the planet Earth. My people are not only peaceful. We learn and evolve though. We are curious and willing to meet new species.

Jaana

As written in previous entry I gave one of Rothko's reproduction poster to Jaana. The artist turned out to be one of her favorites. And she gave me once postcard presenting Klee's reproduction. She did it not knowing that he was my favorite one. Isn't it special?


Jaana. She wasn't in my team. She was in Kathrin's one – foreign affairs. She has sent me an invitation on Facebook once. I accepted, sent some short message. She replied with an e-mail, asked for having coffee together and it went by, it didn't go by smoothly though. I had my reservations. You know, she was an official... Besides it was already time when I generally was troubled with establishing relationships there, didn't want any. I was rather avoiding people, wanted to be left alone, became very unsocial those days. I had to deal with my problems (really serious ones) and couldn't manage someone who seemed to be disturbed themselves.

She was persistent though. She wasn't stopping to invite me to meet and assuring of her good will. We've met few times and I finally gave up and agreed to pay a visit at her place. It was impressing and overwhelming. I experienced many situations for the first time being in Brussels. It was one of it. I believe I have been never before in flat as huge as Jaana's. I remember I felt kind of awkward, uncomfortable, like being in place which I don't belong to. But on the other hand I felt welcomed and was interested in the place, willing to discover it, to accustom to it. Jaana was lovely, she was calling one of her rooms as mine, she wanted me to stay at her place after finishing my traineeship. The visit brought the poster of "Besieged" by Bertolucci on my mind. Those stairs... like in Jaana's place. Her flat was like having four floors...



The thing that made making friends particularly difficult in that environment was time, short time. I got used to have plenty of time so it was new experience for me to make friends in few meetings. But that's how the life looks like there.

I will definitely think of Jaana as my friend for the rest of my life. Even though it's very likely we won't meet ever again (which may seem to be contradictory). She wanted me to live at her place, she wanted me to visit her in Finland. But it was clear to me it won't happen. I'm poor polish guy. I don't have money to for trips like that. I went abroad twice and in both cases EU paid for it. It was the only possibility for me to make such journeys, to experience this kind of adventures. I couldn't even invite her to Poland since it cost too much to have guests, much too much for people like me. And you know, I didn't send letters since I came back depressed. Neither did her since she was busy. Then she's got some troubles herself... It made me worried...

It's difficult to make friends on distance and it's even more difficult with those people. Many of them don't even bother to try since they know that people they meet will probably be gone soon. Jan explained me once his attitude on this matter and I would call it consumerist one. Let's get together, let's have some fun but not get deeper. Getting involved would be waste of time and emotions. Commitments seem to be waste of sources, some kind of luxury to them. I can understand their point of view. It may be seen as pointless to make friends with people one doesn't intend to stay in touch with. And it's not possible to stay in touch since one is short timed. However, this line of thought leads to become lonely and unhappy eventually which is wrong too. Life can not be based only on temporarily things, human beings requires permanent basis to achieve psychological balance. They want people and at the same time they don't allow them to grow closer. The second contradiction in this entry. Let mi finish with it.

I bought book about Toruń for Jaana (as an invitation) but I've never send it.

What I've written here seems to be so meaningless. Even meaningful things become like that on paper (unless one is a writer of course). Besides it's difficult to write about something which you are not allowed to reveal really. I don't have problem with making everything public but that's me.

EU officials' art reception

Exhibition catalogue was not my only purchase from Strasbourg. I've bought also Mark Rothko's Taschen portfolio (collection of posters), Jimmy Paulette Taboo! In the bathroom by Nan Goldin on a postcard and an extra postcard for Jan.

I gave one of Rothko's reproductions to Jaana and placed other one in our office. I wonder if it's still there.

I have to admit I had hard time to give away the postcard that I bought for Jan. It was exceptional, really beautiful. I don't remember anymore what it showed exactly (some male nude) but I remember it was stunning. I regret now I gave it to him. Not that I'm so selfish and I would prefer to keep it for myself. It's just that giving it seems now to be profanation of art. He didn't mention it which indicates he probably didn't appreciate the artistic value of it. He was apparently not prepared to get it. Offering objects of art to the people who are not capable of or willing to appreciate it is always a great sin to me. And people who admire art are responsible for recognizing if someone has the sensibility to art. Isn't it like that? My fault then.

I bought also a postcard for myself as I already mentioned. I was bewitched by it. It was not only impressing but it was showing me. You see?

Nan Goldin Jimmy Paulette Taboo! In the bathroom (N.Y.C. 1991)

So feminine, so open, courageous, almost obstreperous, and having some desire (not necessarily sexual) for attractive guys. I placed it over my desk and ask my colleagues if they recognized me on that photo. No one did. Maybe I'm wrong but I believe most of my Polish friends would do, without any hesitation. It was funny when I asked Jan because he approached that photo to give it closer look. He apparently thought I meant it was really me, literally. ;-) Raphaelle was the only one who understood the idea of the guy on the photo being my counterpart. I liked it very much. French people, they have sensibility to art in their blood. :-) Generally that whole experience made me realized the distance between those people there and me, all the differences – of aspirations, needs, values... You know what Rothko once said when he was asked to decorate one of New York fancy restaurants with his paintings?

I don't think it's so simple, it's only about money but it's like that. However, I don't want you to keep impression that all people there are insensible to art, that they are some kind of savages when it comes to higher needs. It's not like that. But the general tendency exists and it would be hard to deny. Still, I've met there few people that were very open on art. Jaana for example was extremely sensible of art, she was simply made of various ideas, art ideas included. Agnes had some education in that area since her father was professional art critic. And Marta was an amateur artist herself, she painted beautiful scenes. Somehow I was still alone with all my artistic raptures. Fortunately I was not alone with my admiration to humane beauty, male beauty being more specific. ;-)

By the way, I had the pleasure to meet Michał vel. Czapel, polish guy (very important official) whose one of responsibilities was art in EP, art objects there. He told me some funny stories about receiving and and refusing art objects. Contrary to what he claimed that he didn't have much idea about the art I believe he was the right man for the job considering the selection and arrangement of art objects in EP is hardly disputable in my opinion. Go there, check yourself and let me know about your opinion. :-)

Buying bright side of life

I bought Burkhard's exhibition catalogue. Buying it I was really enjoying my Belgian life. I have been earning there more than 1000 euros per month and the catalogue cost 36 euros, I didn't even notice that expense. In Poland, on the other hand, even though I have also earned 1000 per month (polish currency of course so it was about 250 euros) I couldn't afford even to go to any exhibition since the journey itself was too expensive, not mentioning buying a catalogue once I would go there. Buying it would cost me more than 100zł which was 10% of my monthly income which I have spent entirely on the most basic needs in two weeks and tried to survive somehow for the rest of the month… Oh yes, my life in Belgium was fine.

It was one of the most severe daily difficulties when I came back - everything seemed to be unbearable expensive, some things cost even five times more than it used to in Belgium, like my favorites as chips or kinder snacks! I realized I need to learn again how to make groceries. I was spending too much money on it. In Belgium small groceries cost me about 15, big ones 50, in Poland - 50 regular ones and 250 the big ones. It was quite shocking.

I could afford buying actimel being in Belgium, I could afford everything I needed and wanted and was still able to save some money for paying my polish debts back. For God sake, I could go to Paris without saving money, just taking some from one salary. I have never, in my entire life, managed to go to Paris from Poland!

When I want to go to Warsaw and back from where I am now I have to spent 200zł for such a journey, 20% of my monthly income. My budget gets ruined in that case. Being in Belgium I could go to Paris and back with Thalys (!) paying only 25 euros (!) for the trip, which was 2,5% of my monthly income. I could make calls to Poland for 0,50 per minute. In Poland only national calls cost me 0,09 more.

I could normally live for the first time in my life in Belgium and now this life's gone. Don't wonder I'm depressed. When you spent all your money on room and food, when you can not afford anything, when you can not go to dentist, when you use one pair of shoes for seven years – the bright side of life disappears.

Notes from the museum

My visit in the museum was marked by photography which was kind of bizarre considering I've never been very much into photography, I definitely prefer other forms of art. However, it's always nice to discover new fascinations, new interests, curiosity for things that we already know. It proofs we are still alive, isn't it?

Apart from permanent collection there were naturally some forms of art other than photos that drew my attention. I've written some titles down but I'm realizing now these titles don't tell me much, don't help to recall the paintings. I should probably start making photos instead of carrying on written archives. On the other hand what is Flickr for? You can find there almost every photo you wish.

Paul-Armand Gette De part et d'autre du fleuve

CESAR Compression (1960)

Arman Homage to Cubism

A.R. Penck I can't recall the tile but I remember the idea of the art object. It was many paintings lying on the floor, leaning against the wall. They were turned to the wall with the face side so visitors couldn't see them, only backs were visible. It provoked quite interesting emotions and reflections involving art recipients' desires, reception of contemporary art, its condition. Quite nice.

Victor Brauner Chimere (1939)

Georges Braque Nature morte

Some Burkhard's photos

Animals:

Bear, 1996

Elephant, 1996


Human body:

Seville, 2007

Feet, 1980


Cities:

Los Angeles, 1999

Chicago, 1994


Nature:

Rio Negro, 2002

Rio Negro, 2002


Documentary/people:

Cuba, 2005

And this is Helsinki (1999). It brought Jaana on my mind. I really enjoyed it being exposed at the exhibition. Thanks to it I felt connection with her. It felt warm. And cold at the same time given that it's so snowy scenery.

And now compare this photo...

Arm, 1980-82

(...) with Mapplethorpe's one:

Aren't they alike? It's like Mapplethorpe's "Fish on a paper" and Rafael's one which I was writing about two entries below. Similarities. Similarities all around. Isn't this kind of coincidences puzzling? Art is like collection of limited number of elements and makes them fresh and desirable again and again by putting them in new contexts and presenting in new ways. The same schemes, the same ideas, still new and delightful over the centuries. It's fascinating. It proves Volcans has chosen their basic philosophical motto accurately: Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.

By the way, I watched "Star Trek - The Original Series" for the first time recently. It took me about twenty years of maturing to get ready to watch it without any aversion, to watch it not only as memento of its times but really enjoy it.

And you know, the Arm presented above... It was remarkable! I liked it very much. It was huge, probably the biggest picture I've ever seen. The entire wall was covered with it and it was really beautiful.

That's it for today. Live long and prosper, my friends (and all trekkies all over the world)!

The visit in Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Strasbourg

I mentioned my visit in The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Strasbourg two entries below. It was my second visit there and it was outstanding. The first one took place in 2003 during my EVS (European Voluntary Service). I went there with Laia then.

They have great permanent collection that contains few works of my beloved Kandinsky, Miró and Klee among others and both times I went there they were presenting marvelous temporary exhibitions. It's also worth to mention that there are always really handsome, attractive guys among visitors who are worth to look at not less than the pieces of art hanging on the walls. The atmosphere there attracts, as I believe, people who enjoy calmness and peaceful atmosphere. It's very calm there, very silent, never too many visitors. It's nothing like museums in Paris. One can attain very intimate relation with the art thanks to it. I loved that.

There were two temporary exhibitions that draw my attention particularly. The first one was called "Instant anonymes" - the collection of photography from random, ordinary people's albums. It was real treat for someone like me who loves observing people around. The second one's title was "Balthasar Burkhard – Reconnaissances 1969-2007" and it's obviously not hard to guess it was the monography of works of Balthasar Burkhard, the photographer. I felt in love with it.

The three main topics that can be single out when looking on his pictures are: animals, cities & nature, and human body, parts of human bodies, being more precise. He does also some documentaries, kind of tourist photos but focused on people I would say.

He seems to try to excerpt magic from cities and nature. He achieves that by taking pictures special way, from special perspective. Cities are usually photographed from long distances, in large perspective. However, since the format of photos is very large one can also see details if he wishes so. And the nature photos present relatively small pieces of it, like waterfalls, forest glade or so. But Burkhard shows always very special parts of it, the ones that look strange, unusual and he photographs them exceptional way, using long exposition or making use of other tricks. The photos evokes magic, maybe even disturbance in audience, they seem to be out of this world.

Animals are photographed as in anatomy textbooks. I'm sure you saw sometimes the flashes from dog shows on TV. The dogs there assume all those strange poses when they appear in front of jury. Those poses are the most neutral for them, allow them to be shown at their best. But on the other hand they seem to be completely unnatural for animals, we never see them like that. Burkhard does the same thing with all other species. Bears, elephants, ostriches... You name it. Because of the way they are presented on his photos they also seem to come from outer space. They seem to be alien life forms to me. They are like perfect specimens of their species, prototypes.

And human bodies. Perfection and beauty itself. Perfection and beauty indeed. Those qualities of human body can be perceived and appreciated more easily and thoroughly since only parts of body are shown on the pictures. It's like pointing out certain elements of our bodies with aim of making audience admiring them separately, one by one and fully appreciating their beauty. It's like Burkhard would try to avoid any distraction in audience, any superficial in watching what photos presents. He seems to make in order to revel in watching those bodies. That's my guess. I didn't read abut his work yet.

He's defiantly worth to be recommended. With remark, however, that maybe not recommended to people with great temper. But what do I know? Maybe it's not contemplative art at all.