End of May

Finding a space, leaving a place

This morning we continued

our search for the meaning of Art, Design, and Organization -- starting with whichever was closest to our heart: art work,

artifact, or article. Some pondered alone, others in newly-formed writing groups, and finally as a large group discussion.

Interrupted by fika

Even though we had moments of clarity -- or maybe it was that each person reached an inner space where there was new understanding -- we did not, nor did it seem as if we wanted to - create a single, spoken definition. As someone said, "When we actively study all three things at once something happens in the middle of the room, like the 'silent piper' when members of a musical group tune their instruments."

We concluded by thinking of titles for our thoughts-in-progress.

Re-enchanting knowledge

-The garden of forking paths

-The art of the risotto

-Service design and composition flows

-Untitled

-Cultivating grounds for play

-Perspectives on art and design: Propretik interview study

My contribution will be an artifact in the artful form of a graphic novel, submitted as an article to the EGOS-2011 conference. Its working title is, "Beauty in beginnings (not)". The story will be something about collaborations, or the process of becoming. First, rather than an abstract, I will submit a concrete. My struggle with the conceptual meaning can only come through doing. And afterwards it will be critiqued from each of the fields: art, design, and organization studies.

After lunch it was time to return to the everyday world, whether in Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Antibes, Stockholm, Boston, or wherever.

Conferring

This weekend I was one of 17 scholars interested in the confluence of art, design, and organization (ADO) who gathered at the Hono Hotel for a conference.

Individually we presented our "evocative objects,"

while other participants listened

enthralled at a

glimpse into

into our lives; we walked to the sea and gathered "stuff"

to create "whimseys" in small groups,

dialoged in a Protreptik manner,

and engaged in a whole group discussion.

Of exactly what I'm not sure; maybe I'll find out tomorrow.

But the shellfish buffet dinner at the old customs house was worth all the sitting and listening!

Writing retreat

Today was definitely a work day -- we sat in different rooms and worked on our own projects.

Ulla was in her office

Mary Jo and Kristian were in the living room

and Anna and I were in the veheranda rom

In the end, after talking with Mary Jo, Ulla, Anna and I decided to "kill" the paper for DMR. It was the right decision, no one had any regrets, despite putting quite a bit of effort into it.

Kristian, who has recently joined the BDL, witnessed an example of scholarly decision-making.

Long day

In between the work

I accomplished some good writing today - though you might never

know it from my other excursions -- including a walk to the harbor to buy a shrimp "sandwich" for lunch,

and fresh mackerel for supper (apparently no one in Ockero eats fish that has been out of the water for more than 9 hours). You'll have to believe me when I tell you it was delicious grilled (with the head on of course) because I was so busy on potato-detail (about all I can be trusted with) that I forgot to take photos!

Late afternoon on Ulla and I helped Victor load a trailer with the "residue" from the several trees he has chopped down round the perimeter of Ulla's garden. A neighbor took the trunks and main branches to use as firewood. Even so Victor took six full loads and a seventh with "scraps" to the landfill (open on Wednesdays 5-8 PM).

Tuesday work report

Nothing worth blogging about -- unless you count the fact that I was feeling smug about the "Barcelona Irony" chapter being ready to ship when I realized I needed copyright clearance for three illustrations. Or, that despite working all day on our EGOS paper (supposed to be 25 pages at space and a half), it is still in a terrible mess and only about 10 pages. Or, after discussing the theory of painting a color wheel with Mary Jo (a "real" painter in watercolor and oils), I got out my paint kit to complete my final Fundamentals of Design assignment -- and it took me about 5 minutes to do -- no challenges there.

But plenty of challenges await. Tomorrow we will work on our DMR article.

Back to work

Ulla returned from her trip to China today -- full of energy for writing! I met her at the ferry (she's on foot just behind

the grey car). Mary Jo Hatch was with her -- we are on a "writing retreat" whereby each

person "retreats" to their laptop to compose words of wisdom, then we gather for recreational excursions and meals. Ulla and

I are currently working on a paper together, and one of our "times out" was to visit a new establishment on the island - somewhere to buy wines and spirits (beer can be purchased in the supermarket). This store has only been open for about a month, and has a good stock. We were able to buy some champagne for our traditional toast.

Settling in

I had the day-- and the house-- to myself. Victor left early to drive to Malmo to pick up a Hobbie Cat he had bought over the internet yesterday -- and I have no idea when to expect him

back. So, I put my clothes in good order (washing, ironing, hanging, etc.), went grocery shopping (by car, haven't found my assigned bike yet), took a nap, and went for a couple of walks. I debated sitting outside (lots of people were out on their decks or sitting in the garden) but it's windy here and Ulla has so many garden projects in process that it is hard to find a relaxing spot.

Everything is as I remembered it (I was only here last October), the flags and pennants

the little beach with seaweed, fishing boats in the harbor and styles of the island houses

Not all boats are in the water, and

the lilac are only just coming into bloom.

Now established, I quickly dispensed with a couple of "final revisions" to book chapters that had been nagging at me for weeks.

I'm ready for Ulla's return tomorrow!

Finally to Ockero

Saturday was transition day. I worked in my hotel room and sent the text files for all the chapters in the BDL-Perspectives book to Pascal for production. I just had time to pack my suitcases before check-out time. My ride to Ockero was not due till 3:45 (my

driver was running in the Gothenburg half-marathon), so I strolled along Vasagatan under the linden trees and down to the canal path.

I was fascinated by the architecture of buildings on street corners -- every one was different. Here are a few examples --

It was a beautiful, warm sunny day, but I decided to break my wanderings with a short visit to the design museum, and had a good lunch in the cafe.

I emerged onto Vasagatan just as the first runners passed by -- followed by many, many more. There were about 60,000

runners in all. The The race started at 1:30 PM (in the worst heat of the

the day!). The last people

crossed the finish line about 7 PM.

My "driver" - Victor, the (much younger) half-brother of Ulla's son, who is staying in the apartment in her house this summer -- came to the hotel at the appointed hour (I was prepared to wait a long time having seen the race congestion) He had the low number of 1922 based on his previous performance in the race, and had made good time. We collected my suitcases and set off -- by trolley to Ulla's son Peter's house in the suburbs, where Victor had left Ulla's car. We loaded my bags in the car and drove towards the ferry. A series of phone calls changed our plans. So, back we went to Peter's house, Victor showered and borrow clothes from one of the boys, and we set off again -- this time in a taxi -- back to central Gothenburg. Exiting the taxi, close by my hotel, we finally located the source of our invitation to return to town - Victor's boss and his wife and co-worker John (in a small electrical contractor business on Ockero). They had watched the race and saw Victor go by, and we now celebrating his success. I gathered they had been celebrating his success ever since he passed by.

To cut a long story of an (excellent) dinner short, during which I sipped water as the designated driver (for Victor, his boss and boss's wife, in a car I had never driven before), the ending involved a taxi back to Peter's house in the suburbs, my initiation as driver, and a race to catch the ferry in a car (Toyota Yaris) that was not used to a full load of people and luggage. We dropped boss+wife at their home on Hono (the connected island) and arrived at Ulla's around midnight.

No quite what I had anticipated!

Installation of Professors

Here's why I came to Sweden this week -- to attend Ulla's official installation ceremony -- only she was in China delivering an address on behalf of the Swedish government so couldn't attend!

It was a formal affair -- women in long dresses and men in white tie and tails (at 2 PM) in the Concert Hall.

The Vice-Chancellor spoke, then

introduced the new full professors in each school.

There was a trumpet fanfare for each group, then one member of the group spoke about his or her research interests.

Ulla had been selected a long time ago to give the

speech on behalf of the professors of the School of Art and Design, and her speech was video-recorded and shown on the large screen.

All the speeches were printed in the program -- hers was the only one in English.

There were musical interludes and wine and very good eats afterwards.

Students wearing traditional white "student caps" were ushers and banner bearers.