no-space

Visiting an old factory area in Mölndal

One of my old paintings in the long time-ago-existing shipyard in Eriksberg

We've just started a new project: Find a no-space! My first thought was: A piece of cake! My mind started working immediately, when Mattias introduced us to the task. In front om me I saw all these abadoned places in our city. Ha, ha, it wasn't guite that easy finding these, when cruising on my bike. Then I recall a lecture I went to at HDK during my summer course. Catharina Thörn, sociologist, talked about city perspectives from different point of views. Qustions were brought up on how cities/communities are able to survive in the global competition. I found the issues very interesting when she discussed urban vitalization. It more or less means that you want to inforce the power of attraction into your city, polarizing it, when focusing on the inner city and on how to increase the value on properties here. Actually I think we're reconstructing and exploring every inch of Gothenburg today. We're even copying an attraction from another city: the London Eye!

Thörn also declaired that our city has changed a lot during the last five years. She compared it to the socio-cultural transformation that occured in the Dockland area in London, where strong forces (politicians, company owners etc) wish to have a specific type of people in the inner city (including - excluding people!). I was looking for old, empty buildings and for open fields or spaces fairly situated in the center, but it was quite a challenge!

I went to an old factory area in Mölndal together with two of my fantastic HDK friends, Julia and Annie. This is one of the few spaces where I could feel it wasn't completely soulless. One of the houses was totally abandoned and I took a glance inside and got these wounderful thoughts about its oportunities. It was almost like when I used to visit the Eriksberg area several years ago. Then it was a huge territory for shipbuilding. Those yards were really interesting exploring! I'm not quite done with my searching or hunting and I'm most definately not done with ideas about how to work with my no-space. A few days ago, I looked into the book "Wall and Peace" (Banksy) just to get some inspiration for my project. I like his "Segregation Wall" a lot. It's a boarder built of concrete, where the artist has painted openings. They effect me emotionally in a very strong way. If I have a name of my project? Not yet, but it will come to me in a few days, hopefully.

Possibilities