Week 52 (the LAST ONE!) of my artproject „One Year – One Island“
On the last day of October, I packed my art bag one last time – a little melancholy, of course, but also glad that I would soon be “free” and able to plunge into other artistic ideas again. It wasn’t difficult to find a suitable subject between Saxnäs and the Öland Bridge (which was the starting point and therefor also the endpoint of this project), even though I didn’t yet know exactly where I wanted to paint the picture from. But what the painting had to include was clear: I wanted the Ferris wheel of the Öland Zoo to be visible. This Ferris wheel, which I’ve actually never seen moving (in the 18 years I’ve lived here), is visible when driving across the bridge from Kalmar to the island. Because it rises unexpectedly in the middle of the trees and is a rather unusual view, it’s impossible to miss. I’ve never actually been to the Öland Zoo myself, as I don’t like seeing wild animals in cages, I’m not a fan of water slides or bouncy castles either, and I prefer going to the beach with my grandchildren instead. But judging by the numerous advertising stickers plastered on so many rear windows, a visit to the zoo seems to be a must for many families on their Öland holiday. It was a murky day; it had rained during the night, and puddles stood in the empty parking lot. I hadn’t expected the zoo to be closed, because the many billboards claim it’s open 365 days a year. But all I saw were security guards: armed, uniformed men who watched my every move suspiciously. Searching for a good vantage point, I walked past them several times, my eyes always on the zoo. This seemed to make them nervous, probably because they couldn’t figure out what I was doing there. But no one asked me.
This empty parking lot, the huge grinning figure in a safari hat above the locked entrance, the stacked deck chairs in front of the water slide, the warning and prohibition signs pointing into the void – it was a bit creepy, almost like a scene from a horror movie. Behind the palisades and chain-link fences, countless animals must live—lions, parrots, and monkeys—but there was no sound to proof their presence. Everything here felt unwelcoming, and although the number of parking spaces suggested otherwise, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like here in the summer when tourists flocked to the park.
I found a good spot overlooking the Ferris wheel and far away from the security guards. Wanting to capture the atmosphere in my painting, I positioned myself in front of a closed gate. Once or twice, the security car drove past me very slowly; both men inside stared, but they must have realized what I was doing and that I was no threat. And so, undisturbed, I finished my very last watercolor in quite a short time.
I hope you enjoy this last one as much as myself.
After this somewhat cheerless report, I now have a pleasant surprise to share:
There will be a bilingual book about this art project!
With my husband’s help, I’m currently going through all the blog posts, shortening them, and translating them into Swedish. The English texts are also being shortened. All 52 images will be included in the book. Although time is tight, we’re really hoping it will be published by Easter, just in time for the exhibition of the original artworks. The exhibition is taking place at the Himmelsberga Museum on Öland, and the opening is on Friday, April 3rd at 11:00 AM. All the framed original artworks will be available for purchase, and hopefully the book as well. So:
I think I will return to write a short summary here on Substack as soon as the book project is finalized. Untill then I wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR and may it be a more pieceful one for all people all over the world!
