Week of Many Things
Stress Rabbits by *sebreg on deviantART
I've only been working at the gallery for a week, but it already feels like way longer than that. Last Thursday a monument to artist Helene Schjerfbeck, "The Finnish Untuned Bell", was officially presented (http://www.proartibus.fi/sve/start/article-2360-5711-festligheter-19-maj). And the same evening the summer-exhibition was opened as well. I basically started working during the one week of the year when everything was all over the place, everyone was stressing out, things being built and prepared. I actually really enjoyed it. I immediatly got to start helping out with carrying things, painting props for the exhibition, potting plants, installing the handle for ringing the bell at the monument, copying texts, booking motelrooms for foreign artists, got to tag along when everything was presented to the press, and much more.
I got the meet the artist of the monument/exhibition-art, and see the contrast between her and those that had to deal with the practicalities. It was fascinating. So many stereotypes. Also, it's been sort of weird to have people pointed out to me, hearing "and that's what's-her-face, a very famous artist" -- I've not heard of even half the people that are seemingly "famous" and "well-known". I guess I have some reading up to do >_<
The people I work with are quite lovely (and they made a point of always thanking me for being there: I felt welcome, to say the least), and concerning this it was great to meet everyone during a stressy-doing-things-nao-week. I have a much easier time connecting to people if I get to actually do something with them. In a normal situation playing games is the usual fail-safe, but seemingly putting up a tent, making a mess of painting a small box white or potting plants works just as well, or better, for getting to know people, in my case. I even got to hang out with someone that I could discuss HBO-serieses, roleplaying and video-games with. Yay for people from (sort of) the same planet as me!
By the time I've gotten home, I've already forgotten half the things I'd done during the day. The 45 min drive to and from Ekenäs is a pain, especially after work. I might as well be drunk, that's how badly I drive. But on the whole it's been fun, and I'm actually very happy about how things have started out (though, so far I've broken one model for an artwork, a plate, and cost the company some 40€ in lost exhibition-catalogues when I forgot I was supposed to guard the desk in the gallery during the vernissage. Sigh.).
I really hope the coming week is going to be awesome as well. I guess that's why I'm posting all of this, since I'm nervous about actually starting the work I'm supposed to be doing the rest of the summer. Oh man. I'm gonna have to answer the phone, handle artworks, and know things.
In other news, I've gotten a fair bit into Dragon Age II, and I'm on the last chapter of LOTR: The Two Towers audiobook. But I think I haven't seen the last few episodes of Game of Thrones.
Shit, I forgot I was supposed to wash clothes and sew on buttons today.
-- Lillanna