What you see, is what you get? REALLY?
As a child i lived in a very bewildering world.
I came from tiny Norway to ununderstandable uk. It just didnt compute.
First of all my father was a war hero – nobody was interested – he did this, he did that – i did this, i did that – nobody was interested – its called SHOWING OFF.
A very major crime in many books. I was treated accordingly.
That didnt make me stop, it just made me Angry. Especially because of the punishments from the teachers and the bullying from the other pupils, though both learnt before too long the keep their distance and the enlightened – just to enjoy.
Now that really interests me because we are supposed to just sit there, are we?
I love hearing peoples stories – what they get up to – what they do and so comes the joy of stories.
Actually my Father is a war hero – he was part of a secret organisation during the second world war and was a regional leader – he had over 90 agents throughout the war and not one was caught. He was engaged in a far more powerful war that the regular war heroes – that of information.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sven_S%C3%B8mme
This idea that one must not blow ones own trumpet follows me to this day – i am 70.
And still i say FUCK YOU.
It is actually a type of bullying.
So what do i do about it?
Ive tried blowing my own trumpet here but even though its business it doesent go down well – there are 2 ways of advertising your business – ahaaa actually 3.
Word of mouth
Advertising in media
Doing.
One of my works is hand copy turning – in the uk there were not many of us but we earnt well and were very respected because it was magic.
Essentially you came to me with a knob you wanted copying – or a chair leg , lots of church work, and i made it by eye. Here nobody wants to know, principally because they dont understand.
In the uk i worked for all kinds doing that work – that included Freddy Mercury, Vivienne Westwood (jewlery) and more – also local farmers, antique dealers all over the westcountry and other furniture makers.
35 years ago i decided to make a series of spoons meaning something.
Much to my surprise i found that most adults could not understand the concepts. Took me a long time to find out why.
Patterned learning.
Adults though they try to be different are shaped by patterns, they look for patterns in everything, therefore even you get put under this A4 frame.
Even artists – especially artists.
This is such a shame because things dont change because of it. Things remain stative, staid, old, mouldy.
Ive had some sucesses in my local Town – 3 public lectures 1 of them solo. 2 on seaweed trawling and one on teflon (ptfe)
Ive also tended many public events bringing a tent, aquaria and other items for a environment organization – but perhaps it was the brochures on ptfe – or my trying to persuade public bodies to take me more seriously that did it. As a result many turn their back on me –
It hurts.
So ive been conducting a little campaign which involves showing my stuff but in a kind of backwards way.
Recently this has had some sucess with an article on the national news (on the spoons)
https://www.nrk.no/kultur/xl/skeimannen-1.16221649
another in a magazine called Familien
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=757535822582767&set=a.743498380653178
But it is not enough so ive been having a “secret” exhibition in the high street.
ITS A FABULOUS JOKE.
All the more so because its totally ABSURD. Doesent follow any of the “rules”.
I havent told anybody about it – its very high quality crafts and its totally unique. Best of all for many what you see is what you get – missing the hidden meaning totally.
Adults dont get the connection between each item but children do. The very serious adults where the exhibition is being held only see fine crafts and totally miss the underlying “text.”
As the display cases are experimental and fulfill many different tasks it serves another purpose as well.
The displays are made out of Perspex 4mm thick.
Its a difficult substance to work in so ive discarded the usual frame and legs with braces in favour of an internal turned structure which includes a facility for possible wall mounting. The legs do not have stretchers so the whole wobbles if you touch it. The legs can be simply pulled out so the whole is entirely portable and free from scrapes caused by bags or smudges from hands. In short they are funnnnnnn.
