Det började väl med tidningen Fruits i 1997? Tidigare har det säkert också funnits fotografer som dokumenterat "street style" i olika världsmetropoler för modetidningars räkning, men Shoichi Aoki var kanske den förste som på allvar tog tag i affärsidén. Han fotograferade tonåringar i Harajuku, som hade för vana att visa upp sig för varandra i otroligt kreativa hemmagjorda utstyrslar på helgerna. Senare har trenden spritt sig jorden runt, och numera dokumenteras vanliga och ovanliga människors högst originella (eller plågsamt noggrant imiterade) modestilar på ett flertal webbsidor på nätet.

Jag har själv roat mig med att följa paraden på Hel Looks - snygga fotografier som väcker intresse för de avbildade helsingforsarna - tillfälliga eller stadiga "kunder" - i olika åldrar och med radikalt olika stilar. Vissa är läderfetischister, andra dyrkar japanska goth-lolitor, en del har valt en enda färg för en komplett outfit, några gör ett politiskt statement. Själva sajten är simpel och snygg utan att dra uppmärksamheten från bilderna. Jag blir på gott humör, helt enkelt - människan är vacker i sin mångfald och kreativitet. Och det är rörande hur okonstlat underfundiga kommentarer som många av de avbildade har bidragit med. Den här tjejen är min favorit. Och vi får inte glömma de stiliga herrarna på Esplanaden...

En street style-sajt som gör mig illa till mods är däremot Stockholm Street Style på blogg.se. Något tråkigare får man väl söka med ljus och lykta. Märk väl att många på Hel Looks berättar att de gillar svenskt mode och gärna shoppar i Stockholm. Hur kommer det sig då att de ser mycket coolare ut? Jag antar att de som håller i SSS har andra ambitioner än Hel Looks skapare. I många av inläggen presenterar de inte individer, utan olika trender och stilar: fyra par fötter i Converse-skor, fyra olika koftor, fyra personer med leopardmönstrade accessoarer... (Nota bene: Alla dessa stilar har redan utförligt dokumenterats som trendiga i sensommarens modetidningar. Vi kan andas ut. Läget under kontroll. Ingen sticker ut... för det vore väl pinsamt.) Fotografierna är inte heller så snygga som på Hel looks. Visst, det är väldigt svårt att fånga rörliga stockholmare på bild, men man vill ju gärna se det rosa som beskrivs i bildtexten som just rosa och inte korallrött. Även om det skulle vara fel på min skärm, står det fast att osnygg photoshopning med hafsigt pålagrade blur-effekter inte ser så mysigt ut (exempel 1, exempel 2). Petitesser? Mode ÄR en petitess. Stil, däremot...

Vi hade nyligen en diskussion om "genuint" vs. "poserande" på historiska institutionen (av alla ställen). Intressant att notera att även om vänstermänniskor ofta är postmodernister börjar det bli lite mer rumsrent att hävda att någon slags genuinitet också är möjlig att uttrycka. Men det är farliga vatten för mig. Snart kommer väl någon och påstår att han/hon känner sig som en "genuin" finne eller svensk också. Alla dessa års arbete inom nationalismforskningen... (får kanske en mening igen?)

Jag kan tänka mig att det vimlar av människor av alla åldrar, kön, klasser och etniciteter i Stockholm som ser jätteroliga, originella, fantasifulla och spännande ut. De platsar bara inte på Stockholm Street Style, som försöker väldigt mycket att visa hur trendig den är, men glömmer att en modeslav är inte detsamma som en trendsetter. Det finns en anledning till varför stora modehus gör sina trendtester i Sverige (som jag har hört modemetvetna svenskar påstå). Om det går hem i osäkra Svedala, där folk är så angelägna om att visa hur välanpassade de är, går det hem överallt.

... to Lund, Sweden, in the afternoon. And it's about time. I miss my drawing desk terribly, not to mention all of my other stuff, and the mere fact that I have a huge apartment all of my own... and I miss one significant inhabitant of it. I guess I have to sew a huge Juho-shaped teddybear to fill up his chair! (Or, turn his writing desk into a sewing table. Begone, blasphemous, but rather practical thoughts!)

It's all Japan's fault anyway. Why does it have to be such a wonderful country? I can't wait to see what Juho's new apartment looks like.

If anyone is wondering where my Goldenbird updates are, do not despair. I have already drawn enough pages to finish the first chapter, and more will be coming. I just need to access my scanner.

Trying to get inspired to continue my academic work is not the easiest thing. I really want to continue my comic but I also know that I have one whole year to think about that while Juho is in Japan. This year (2006-2007) will be completely devoted to my Ph.D and Goldenbird. I will only associate with people if it's necessary for my mental & physical survival! (And if Finnair has a nice ticket deal.)

It has been a relaxed week in Lahti. This far, I haven't been working very hard on either project, but I have pruchased some material for ideas:

Jari Hanski: Juutalaisviha Suomessa 1918-1944. Ajatus Kirjat [sic!], 2006

This book fills a huge gap in the history of Finland. It deals with antisemitism and anti-Jewish sentiments in 20th century Finland, an embarrassing chapter of culture and mentality which has later been ignored, suppressed and forgotten. In my own research of the 1920's and 30's Finnish press and media, I have often encountered obvious antisemitic messages, as well as the rather naive claim: "We do not have antisemitism in Finland, because we do not have any Jews here". The fallacy of this claim is easy to prove. Antisemitism does not need any "real" Jews. The ideas of antisemitism thrive on fear, ignorance and hatred of any stranger. The imagined "Jew" becomes the symbol of everything hated and feared and despised, be it capitalism, communism, sexuality, degeneration, intelligence, ignorance, religion, atheism... Of course, this conspiracy-theory antisemitism, which can survive quite on its own in the virtual world of newspaper columns and (now) internet forums, has very tangible consequences to those who become its live targets.

Hanski's book is a valuable reminder in a country where people could claim just a few years ago: "There hasn't been any racism in Finland, because there haven't been any foreigners here." As if the Jews/foreigners themselves are the origin of antisemitism/racism! Besides, the claim is a fallacy, because there have always been foreigners in Finland. Some people (and historians) just choose to conveniently forget them, because they don't fit into the pretty modern picture of a homogenic nation-state.

Watase Seizo: Sai. Part 1. Kodansha

I bought this manga book from Tokyokan, the Japanese store in Helsinki. They have a rather eclectic collection of old and new magazines, and I was surprised to find this cute little book hidden in a cardboard box. I have encountered Watase Seizo's work before, in Kodansha's magazine Morning. His style is quite "European" - he always draws very detailed backgrounds and uses full colour, but his drawings are somehow light and reminiscent of the modern development of ligne claire in Belgium and France. The story itself is perhaps not to my taste, as far as I can see it's the everyday life of a gentle kimono-clad housewife called Sai, or rather her lazy teacher husband who is always relaxing somewhere with a beer and a magazine, throwing loving glances towards his mysteriously smiling wife. They have a couple of friends, relatives and neighbours who are always up to some soap-opera trouble, aclways watched by their jolly shiba-dog and a tricolour bobtailed cat, who mysteriously fathers some kittens (tricolour cats are always female).
It is interesting how this American exhibition emphasizes the "Japanese-ness" of Sai.
"Seizo-san pays much attention to specific details when illustrating his graphic novels. One could learn a lot about traditional Japanese culture merely by paying attention to these splendidly presented cultural details." Sai and her husband want to live their life true to Japanese culture, but Watase is clearly inspired by European comics in his art style and his storytelling methods.

Jysäys No. 2 - 2006

The latest issue of this Finnish "adult" comic magazine - adult meaning "artistic European comics" in this case - was a bit of a let-down. Ok, we know that Lordi  rocked the socks off Europe in the Eurovision Song Contest, but that was several months ago, dammit. I don't want a Lordi poster with my connoisseur B.D.'s. Not even if it's drawn by Petri Hiltunen. Luckily the Lordi comic was only 5 pages, and it was a little bit funny too (Rovaniemi dialect!).
Maybe this is a two-way deal: Mr Lordi wants to support real comics for adults, and Jysäys needs readers and publicity. Fine, I'll accept that. It's a cheap price to pay for the luxury of at least ONE monthly magazine filled with new European comics. Remember how Flamingo failed in Sweden? No? They didn't have Lordi, I guess.

Another update on my fabulous 1920's comic strip trip!
What's new? This time, I tried to do the lettering with my own handwriting. Tell me if it sucks.
Oh yeah, and I drew a CAR (it's supposed to be a Bugatti tipo 13 Torpedo, if my internet sources are correct).

For those of you who are newcomers to the series, either scroll down or click the links for part 1 and part 2.

        

A few more pages... and page 7 with a new font (after friendly criticism - Vesa wanted to see it hand-lettered, but I just prefer to do it on PC...). I'm especially proud of the underwater scene on page 11. It was much easier and funnier to draw than I thought. It's a simple truth: the more you draw, the easier it gets. I'm so happy I'm doing this again!

          

Finally! I have mercilessly devoted my summer holidays to my dream: A 80 page "BD", a comic fantasy about the early 1920's. The place: An obscure city-state at the Adriatic Sea, a shiny holiday resort on the outside, a shrapnel of the Great War within. The people: An international mix of tourists from Paris and further away, priests with lots of secrets beneath their frocks, benevolent dictators and shifty journalists. The treasure: A golden bird.

Prego & s'il vous plaît!

                        

http://www.sr.se/malmo/tabla/

Haastatteluani P4:n Sisuradiossa (Etelä-Ruotsin paikallisohjelmat) voi kuunnella kl 18.30 tänä iltana. Klikkaa "webbradio" ja valitse P4 Malmö.

Ohjelmaa voi myös kuunnella myöhemmin osoitteesta
http://www.sr.se/sisuradio/sounds/alueet.htm

Valitse "Etelä-Ruotsi" ja "Tiistai".

På svenska:

Jag har fått äran att vara sommarpratare på den digitala kanalen Sisuradio på finlandssvenska 30/7. Jag kommer att prata om identitet, migration, tillhörighet och främlingskap med exempel ur min egen familjehistoria och min forskning, samtidigt som jag spelar lite mysig musik - svensk punk, tatarisk folk, finsk hårdrock! Programmet kan avlyssnas på SR:s sidor under en vecka efter sändningen.

The beauty that the title image of this blog celebrates
the beast that I still will dream darkly and softly about
the almighty princess Himitsu von Nobara-ken has left us.

She suddenly became very ill. My sister, who was visiting my mother at the time, called me yesterday morning. I decided to leave at once - I wanted to be there with Mitsu in her last moments. We knew what we had to do - nobody wanted to let her suffer in vain. A very nice vet came by today. Mitsu could rest safely in our arms.

I'm grateful for the moments I could spend with my family. I'm grateful for having Mitsu in my life for almost 12 years. I believe that it is death that makes life a miracle.

It is hard to believe that she is really gone, although I helped to carry her and bury her. The vet told us that sick dogs often try their best to cheer up their owners and put up their best face. Mitsu was always a very happy, energetic and enduring dog. She seldom showed a trace of pain. When she fell ill, we could see she was suffering - which meant that the pain must have been immense. Still, she waved her tail at us and wanted to be near us while we waited for the vet - small glimpses of how she was before. During her last minute, her strong heart kept beating for a long time.

I will miss the sound of her paws thumping. How gently she washed her paws, like a cat. I will miss her deep barks towards strangers and her growling "talk". Her sighs and how she rolled her eyes at us when we were acting silly. How she loved to be scratched on her tummy. How warm her tongue was, and how cold her nose. How lovely she smelled behind her soft ears. How she would demand more treats, simply by looking at us and looking at the cupboard, and how her round, earnest eyes were irresistible. How she would hit things with her paw!

This will take some time to handle, I fear. But i'm glad it happened this way. Mitsu didn't have to suffer too long, and she was with us all the time. Soon, beautiful flowers will grow from the grave that we dug for her. She will be a part of her beloved nature.

These are some Photoshop sketches for book or chapter covers belonging to my favourite daydream project, Tumulte Noir. I liked to play around with some suitable 1920-ish fonts and different art styles. Left, Falco in expressionist lighting. I'm not sure why he is holding the rosary that way. Maybe he is going to smite some Godless Bolsheviks with it? To the right, Mayann is shaking her stuff, putting the sin in syncopation. The orchestra is black, but the audience is white. The style is a tribute to the great prints of Paul Colin, and so is the title of the comic... "black thunder" hits Paris.





I was browsing the amazing artwork of Ross Campbell earlier. He (I just realized Ross can be a unisex name, so maybe he is a she - but does it really matter? I don't get p-o:d if somebody thinks I'm a man, and civilized languages don't differentiate between he and she anyway) clearly likes goth/punk girls with lots of piercings, but his artstyle is wonderfully fleshy without being static. S/he was writing about dreams, and seemed to dream about quite a few of his own characters, which I found to be very interesting indeed.

I have never dreamed about any of my own characters, except Falk (in his present incarnation, Fra Falco Peregrini). Not even Maia (Mayann), and she is supposed to be my main character. (Not even Myahkiznakh, and he is supposed to be my main sex symbol.) Oddly, I usually dream that I am Falco. I remember myself in those dreams as being very conscious of this as an act. I'm only playing a role, but I have to do it very smoothly and carefully. Maybe it says something about his personality, as I imagine it.

A few interesting links for today:

Lucia Nimcová is a Slovakian photographer, documenting everyday life in Eastern and Central Europe from many (un)usual perspectives. Czecho-Slovak women in their private homes, Austrians and Ukrainians mixing earthy naturalism and Christian imagery, East Germans in tattoos and polka-dot skirts. Ordinary people are some of the most amazing creatures. Nimcová is also editor of the photo site of CEE Photo Fund, a collection of portfolios of more or less unknown, mostly female photographers in Eastern and Central Europe, amateurs and professionals. Here are some of my quick picks:
Kaarel Nurk, Army, 2004 (Estonian boys in military service)
Alexandrija Ajdukovic, Wild Cats, 2002-2004 (Balkan ladies wearing wildcat patterns - rowr!)
Veronika Zapletalova, Summerhouses, 2004 (Colourful, imaginative and sometimes bizarre architecture)
... and much, much more!
(I found out about these sites through the latest issue of the Swedish feminist magazine Bang.)

Small notes:

A few days ago, the east German city of Leipzig celebrated its annual Wave-Gothic Fest. Around 20,000 participants arrived from around Europe, the Americas, Australia and Japan. More than 170 bands and artists hit the scene. According to enthusiastic German youth, the locals have grown to love this dark carnival since its start in 1992. That's what I love about Germans! The trendy parts of the world might scorn Goth for being "so 90's", but the Germans always stay true to the styles that they choose. (The same is true for country & western! Cowboy boots might be "out" in the fashion magazines, but one can always trust Germans to keep wearing them, as they've done since the 1980's!)

Speaking of Germany, one can't avoid the subject of the World Cup. I'll be cheering for Japan - for 3 heavy reasons:
1. Japanese men are cute.
2. The Japanese team's own aircraft is called "Samurai Blue 2006". That's so dorky that it's cute.
3. The team has a lucky mascot since 2002 - a miniature dachshund, named Rommel. Yes, you read that right. Rommel! (I wonder what the Germans think about that?) Myself, I think it's super kawaii. One more cute point for Japan!