Warsaw tomorrow...

I am tired, today we had another rehearsal... and tomorrow I go to Warsaw, just for few days, to close up the new "VOX design" issue... and meet my friends - Frau and Paweł.

The Curators' space...

And so "the Curators" can be heard on myspace...
http://www.myspace.com/thecuratorsberlin

Vienna Vienna Vienna

Right after the exhibition of Herr Hermann Nitsch in Martin Gropius Bau in Berlin last year we thought of going to his castle, Prinzendorf, for a celebration of Pfingsten (Zielone Świątki). Every year he makes a little event on this occasion. So Jacek booked the tickets - which were cheap then, and so we decided to go. In the end of May we flew to Vienna. Vienna is big, pompouse and one can see that the Austrians are polite and peaceful, no wonder, Austria was a big powerful land for so many centuries. We visited Museumsquartier, a very cool place, where are many museums, exhibitions and events.

There was even one polish exhibition, "Umpolen", with mainly videos from IKOON from Warsaw. Ok. We also saw an exhibition of Bernard Rudofsky, who was really an interesting architect. He even designed shoes! Ha!

At the same time there was Putin visiting Vienna, so some parts of the city were closed... oh... and there were helicopters flying the whole time... we spotted one...

At least we tried...

We also visited a project from Angela Dorrer, "Urban Pilgrims", where one could write some thoughts about Vienna, the city and cultural life! Of course as I love to answer questions, fill out forms and polls, I wrote also what I think. Actually, I drew.

After spending some time in Vienna, we got bored with the big city. Ok, historical centre is beautiful, but boring. We have also seen all exhibitions in Museumsquartier...
The good thing was that we rented a car. We decided to go to Neusiedlersee just to chill. We found a place to stay in a small village, a Guesthouse, with a view to the lake, and with an own winery. We bought some wine, which was really good, and went to the lake... we spend some days there, doing nothing, having fun, swimming and having some suntan - especially me. I need sun to feel good. That's it.

Don't miss the swans in the background... yes, it was that lovely!

We also took a trip to Hungary, a short one, just few hours. On the way we visistied some strange places...

The palace of count Esterhazy....

And we also took a trip to Bratislava... funny city. In the wonderful historical centre there were many english tourists, being drunk, shouting etc, just like in Cracow and Prague. Apparently there is a cheap airline going from UK to Bratislava. How typical.


But one can also find very strange structures in Bratislava... maybe also typical...?
(Have you seen the movie "Hostel"? Yesterday I saw part 2. No comment.)

After that we drove finally to Prinzendorf, hoping we will attend Pfingsten thing there. As we arrived we noticed that is was surprisingly quiet... hmmm... in front of Nitsch's castle there were few cars, ok, good sign. Good cars... We rang the bell. After half an hour came Mrs Nitsch looking at us angrily. She said that actually this year they do not organise Pfingsten ceremony because last night there was an opening of Nitsch Museum in Mistelbach (a small town nearby) and they decided it is enough of events for one week. Shit! We came all the way to Austria, just to be greeted by frustrated Frau Nitsch saying she doesn't really want to see us. She told us how tired she was of the museum's opening, having guests etc etc. We were so upset... all for nothing! For a moment I thought to put her on my enemy list (which is quite long), but then I thought she was more frustrated then us. She let us in, just to say "hallo" to Master Nitsch, who was chilling alone in the garden. And so we did say "hallo". In the end Mr Nitsch wanted that we stay a bit, although he was tired and had hangover. I think he wanted that my legs stay there, but in the end we left. Frustrated and disappointed.

It was Sunday. Our plane was on Tuesday. So we were driving around Austria without any logic. We didn't know what to do with all this time. We went to Mistelbach, anyway, it was on the way to... nowhere... but since it was Pfingsten, everything was closed. It was boring to death. We boycoted, of course, the Nitsch Museum. In (the only) one opened caffee we found Nitsch Pralinen... Ha! Now, that is how he makes his living!

We came back to Vienna for one night, went to a concert of a polish band, Robotobibok, in Volkstheater, organised by Polish Culture Institute in Vienna. Jacek wanted to see this concert... it was one day before his birthday... but the concert was somehow ... not good. They all played like they do not listen to each other. And the ladies from the Institute were so embarrasing. I heard them talking all the time, and between the songs, one of them shouted to the musicians "Tomek (I don't remember the name, let's say it was Tomek), Tomek, introduce the members of the band!" Oh, how embarassing. Good thing he didn't do it at this moment.

Next day, was Jacek's birthday (and my Dad's). We had some famous Sacher Torte and went back to Berlin. That was it. At least we had good weather. In Berlin it was raining as hell.

Curators

Today, again, we had our rehearsal... we are almost ready for a big show.
"The Curators"! Finally we have a group photo. So, from left, Jacek: keyboard, (super) vocals, theremin, moi: pink electric guitar, Patrick: electric guitar, keyboard.

My God, a GodDaughter

Ok, I do have a God Daughter. Her name is Lena, she is 9. Last time I saw her was... when she was 1. She is the daughter of my cousin. The family was pressing me to come to her Communion on May 13th, and so I did. Straight from Wroclaw I came to my parents and we went to Nowy Tomysl with a car. I was terribly scared of this little girl... I don't really like children, I am scared of them. I don't know what to talk to them about. But this time I had to go, I had to meet my God Daughter... face the child. We went to the church, I survived the mass. Was not that bad.


I saw Lena in the church for the firts time. Ah, she is so pretty!

After the mass we drove to a small village where there was the dinner planned. All family was there. Ok, no comments. I guess they think I am strange, I am 31 (since yesterday), no husband, no child... no house, no car, no real job... but that is me. When my cousin and his wife arrived with Lena, I had to say hallo and greet her... I was so scared! I said stupidly: "Hallo Lena, I am Ania, your Godmother. " And I ran away, hiding behind some family members and my partents. She glanced me, didn't say anything. We all went to the dining room, which was arranged in an old barn. And there was food.... typical polish style, one dish after the other. A lot of food! Every now and then people were going out to have a cigatette and move their legs... I was sitting next to the my boring cousin, the father of Lena. She was sitting on his other side. My Mom was telling me to go to her, and talk... but I couldn't. Of course I was annoyed and said, later, later. I need time. Besides, what can I talk about with a kid? Then there was a photo session with wild aunts, grandmothers etc etc. Poor Lena, I could see she was also annoyed feeling dreadful, when her mother and grandmother were telling her to smile and look nice to the camera. I wanted to make the atmosphere more easy for her and started stupid jokes and making stupid positions to the photos, so little Lena could realx and chill a bit. It worked.
At some point we were circling around each other, Lena and me, looking at each other quriously and carefully. She was following me everywhere. I noticed that. So we started to talk... me, of course saying stupid things... but it appeared she was very cool. And, she did the talking. We went for a walk, we found a cat, ok, she did. she really likes animals. I wouldn' t really take even a cat on my hands... she did. So we went to the fields, to steal some strawberries, but they were not there yet. It was too early. She was telling me stories about herself and I found out she was really cool! We spend the whole day together, far from the family, walking around beautiful fields. It was great. I really felt that I like this crazy girl a lot. She learns english, she plays SIMs, rides horses and goes also to a school of good manners! she will be a cool lady one day!
We really found ourselves. Ok, it took time for both of us, but I guess we both needed it.
When we were leaving I felt reallt sad... my little girl! I think it is the first child that I really like.


Lena and me.

Wroclaw

I must admit - the exhibition in BWA Wroclaw was really cool. Basically BWA is cool. Asia, my curator, did a great job, poor thing, she had a twisted ankle. Agnieszka was also great, we went out and had goot time. And my parents came, and Jacek came from Berlin!



It was also a funny experience, well, th eopening of the exhibition in BWA was I think the shortest one I have seen. We started at 6PM with a short speach by Paweł Jarodzki, the director. Then there was my turn. I didn't really wanted to bother with talking, so I thought I will play a bit on my pink guitar. But of course in this moment it appeared that it was broken. And I had to keep up with my not-planned speach, talking something about what a great city Wrocław is... So there was Jacek trying to fix it, the TV crew who came to make a feature, they also helped... but it seemed that the guitar is dead...



we needed a screw driver... the ones in BWA were somehow wrong... in the end it was Jurek Kosałka, who overheard that we need the screwdriver and juzt took it out from his bag! The show was saved! I said "a picture is 1000 words worth" and had my solo gig!



After that I announced that the buffee and the exhibition is open. Wverybody went in. In 30 minutes all wine was gone. In 60 minutes the opening was over. The cleaning ladies came and we had to leave. Funny! Short. In Berlin, if you make an opening at 6PM, nobody comes on time. And especially in our gallery, the openings last till... 1am? Anyway, I still think it was good this way, at least people really looked at the exhibition... something I doubt about in Berlin... I never do it on openings anyway. Enough of culture differences.
Later on we went to a bar, and stayed there. Don't ask me what was the name of this place...
And there I have learned what is a "bodyshot"... we had some, and it was great! We drank so many tequilas... I even pushed the bartender to give us a round on house. It worked. Jacek wa scompletely drunk, which doesn't happen too often. Only me, I was sober as a horse.



Maybe I was just too excited... when we left this place, we went to another... I mean we - Agnieszka, her cool mom, Jurek Kosałka, Jacek and me. When Agnieszka and her mom left, we stayed. Jacek was talking with Jurek about art... and I "woke up"... I was dancing . Like I sometimes do. That was when all these tequilas finally got to me.


There I am... Jurek Kosałka in the background...

I had a great time!

Maybe May

Ok, true, I didn't write for a long time. It was because all April and May I was working as crazy, making drawings for a book, making websites and most important working on my first issue of "VOX design" where I am now Editor-in-Chief and preparing my big exhibition in BWA. Still from all the jobs, where I am still waiting for money, only a polish company, namely, VOX paid me. Poland rulez! and Berlin, shame on you!