On my last day in Palermo, visiting Manifesta 12 a few weeks ago, I walked all the way to see one work from a bridge by the sea, at the outskirts of the city. And there I also made a short video, inspired by the title of the series City on Stage, which I misread ”city as stage”. I though that could be developed into a once-a-week type of series, made with my iPhone, and my little tripod, of handbag size, which I did not have with me in Palermo, of course. The rough sketch made with the iPhone leaning on my handbag shows a blurry shadow in the lower part of the image. I liked, however, the idea of simple and quick sketches made at the outskirts of cities or in places that I happen to visit. I edited three versionS of the small work: one where my movement into and out of the image is included (1a) one with the still pose only (1b) and one with a slow crossfade between the image with the human figure and the one without, a slow disappearance (1c). Here are stills from a and b:
 

 

 
Today in Bergen, Norway, I made another attempt, a quick sketch while waiting for the bus to the airport, placing my phone with the tripod on top of a rubbish bin and simply walking into the image, inspired by the presentations and discussions at the Artistic Research Forum I had enjoyed. And this time the city really served as a stage, because there were some passers-by performing with me. While waiting for the plane at the airport I edited two versions of the work, one with my movement included (2a) and one without (2 b). Here are stills from both of them:
 

 

 
Now, when I have made two sketches, in two cities, and when I know that with the right equipment it is rather easy, I can confirm that this is something I can try to keep up as a practice, at least while visiting various cities. The first video clips are available on the RC, here. This is not at all related to my project performing with plants, but rather linked to my previous attempts at performing landscape. There is something unpretentious in this way of making improvisatory notes that I like, anyway…