Iris Weigel
Nordingrå
Storm over Stockholm; the boat can’t dock at my stop. “We’ve never had this before,” a passenger says. The next morning: kanelbullar and a chance encounter. “Masha, what are you doing here?” She invites me to her performance. And so my three-month stay in Sweden begins.
A few days later, I’m searching the rental car machine for the key to the Ford Puma and instead find my first cash on the floor: Greta Garbo gazes dreamily past me. I drive north on the E4 toward Nordingrå. The Konstby lies between lakes, forests, and hand-painted signs pointing to flea markets, art and coffee.
They say Nordingrå consists of 52 villages, 52 lakes and 52 mountains. From the terrace, you look out over one of the most beautiful lakes. Everything feels heightened: watching flowers, noticing shifts of light, listening to different languages. I feel at home right away among colorful furniture, letterpress posters and snippets of conversation. I start my days on the terrace with filter coffee. In the garden there is a gallery, in the lower part of the house a café and a small art shop, lovingly run.
Together with Max, I explore the area. Behind every corner we discover a new, fascinating patch of earth. Even the everyday becomes interesting: the process of forming hay bales. “May we film?” A nod. No amusement, no annoyance, not even irritation. In between, we jump into the lake. No one there but us and the water striders. Then back to working outside, in the studio, later in the darkened workspace. I collect objects, search for connections, stack a block of wood on a chair leg, adjust the projector, fine-tune the light.
“Shall we do a joint exhibition?” I ask. Some are in, others not. We settle on Resonance as the title, design posters, write texts and lose ourselves in typographic details and phrasing. In the evenings, we often gather in the communal kitchen. One of my dearest memories: eating chocolate ice cream straight from the tub and plotting apartment swaps between Stockholm, Copenhagen and Vienna. Isabelle discovers Rilke poems in German and Swedish; we read aloud in the language unfamiliar to each of us: O liv, liv, förunderliga tid…
| 1. | My stay in one word: |
| Intense | |
| 2. | Dos & Don’ts in this place: |
| – Pay attention to the seasons and their specific opportunities and challenges. Summer is definitely the most vibrant time. – Make sure you have mobility: relying solely on public transport can be very limiting. |
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| 3. | Things I miss since I am no longer there: |
| – Drinking my morning coffee on the terrace with a wide view – Jumping into the lake during work breaks – The spontaneous conversations and encounters |
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| 4. | Where to shop great supplies: |
| In summer, private flea markets pop up everywhere. Just follow the “Loppis” signs along the roadside. You might find something perfect… | |
| 5. | What you should definitely bring from home: |
| Depending on your project, clarify beforehand what can be borrowed on site and what needs to be brought yourself. In summer: don’t forget insect repellent and a sleep mask! |
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| 6. | Concerning art at this destination and where I visited the best exhibitions: |
| In summer, the Nordingrå Konstrunda takes place, during which galleries, studios, and cafés open their doors. If you miss the event, you can follow the map; some places remain open beyond that, or visits can be arranged. | |
| 7. | Around the studio – where I shop, drink coffee, and get the best lunch deal nearby: |
| There is a supermarket about five kilometres from the accommodation. The in-house café offers lovingly prepared snacks, cakes, and homemade ice cream. |
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| 8. | Where I like to spend the evening (dinner, drinks, good sound, networking): |
| Our evenings often took place in the shared kitchen. Alternatively, we had barbecues on the terrace or picnics by the sea. |
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| 9. | What would have been useful to know before starting my residency: |
| It can be challenging to constantly adapt to new people, as not all residents arrive and leave at the same time. There is only one day when the café is closed, so there is always something going on. |
Website resident: irisweigel.de