Walking the Gray Area

Dear ketli,

I am also working on some things which I am trying to photograph. we could have some chats by skype to boost things up. I am also sending you some maps of Surinam and the plant-ages they had there and how they were situated. I am working on some rings who are very common in Surinam. Every body in  Surinam has a ring like the symbol of something which is known to many people(see picture.)

I think this is very interesting just like the map that when you look at it there are common grounds even though the cultures are different. We can skype, but perhaps I can sent you my skype name somewhere else, because it is joint with my husband.

paramaribo

Today when I looked at the images I sent you yesterday, I felt I have to explain a bit as it is quite far from symbols we talked about last time.

If you look at some images, regardless your nation, culture or place you live, they are easy to perceive, but  this does’nt have to be necesserily their only meaning. Therefore I sent you these images(I was working with them for something else too).  First this agricultural system, what looks probably quite similar for the ones used in your country. But it can also be percived as scheme made after aerial photo or just a dynamic drawing. Second pictue have strong characteristics of its decade and actually makes the subject(miners life) less important.

Quite the same thing is with looking at things while you are abroad. People might use the images you know well as characteristic for certain themes in completely different context. When you do not know the language of the country you temporarily are living in, lots of interesting miss haps can happen. Also while translating complicated texts from foreign language, you actually create your own parallel texts with a new meanings. I remember once, that years later when the same book was translated into Estonian I was really disappointed because I interpreted the text so differently from the original.

Last week we had the opening of really interesting international exhibition in the KUMU Art Museum-”Let’s talk about nationalism! Between ideology and identity.” You can read their online catalogue here.

And I am looking forward to see your new work. I hope to shear my experiments soon too.

All the best,

Ketli

I like the map you sent me, it looks like a family tree. Is the other image taken from carpetbeater?

I am continuing to work.

Please e-mail me your skype address: ketli(at)ketlitiitsar(dot)com, I shall try to get in contact with you.

Best,

K

Hello Ketli,

I thought it was interesting to see the infrastructure of both our countries. Which in a way are very similar. I am working on rings because in Surinam almost everybody has the same ring as I said, My idea was perhaps we could make a series of rings or pendants which have symbols joined on them or engraved. The picture I sent is of a how did you call it hand… for dust. But in Surinam its stands for strenght and is used in a lot of ways. Here are some pictures of the work I started but now am bussy with the rings have no good picture yet because of a broken camera have to get a new one.

I also have a picture of some wood I on that has the same feeling as the maps. Which to me is also interesting. Have to go now but will sent you my skype name tomorrow so we can skype.

Ketli,

forgot the word” hammered”  I did this with the piece of wood.

And here a not so good picture of the “matteklopper” as a pendant.

Dear Chequita, it was really great to see your ideas in progress and I find it very interesting what you told about the braided carpet beater.

And the fact that you can say that In Surinam most of the people have the same ring made me really curious. Did I miss the image of this ring? I guess only wedding rings have such a wide popularity here in Estonia.

I am thinking about hanging things down, so I am more moving towards the pendants. I will keep the idea of rings in my mind, maybe…

Your origin like a weight you carry on your neck. It can be light and heavy.

If I think about culture and cultivation, I also think about weed-a plant considered undesirable, unattractive, or troublesome growing where it is not wanted. I have seen dandelions coming through asphalt roads.

Different layers with different meanings, shapes and materials. Wood, birchbark, found objects. It is still very much in the progress.

Heart shape is inspired from you, I have never used heart, and I am still not sure, if I am going to use this one either

I wanted to share an other image with you.

Wooden property marks- very typical to west-coast of Estonia. Fishermen attached them to the fishing nets so they would not get mixed with others. Also in case they were lost, after these signs they were returned to the owner. (Photo is from the museum display, therefore they hang this way).

PS! You have forgotten to put your posts under our space. You can edit your posts also afterwards and simply after opening your post again go to the categories and tick the box in front of our names. Then they all will be in the same spot

Ketli,

like the idea of heavy hanging pendants, I was already making little pendants but a lot in porcelain and was thinking of making pendants in metal or wood which have the shadow of different kind of symbols.

A Necklace with a boundance of hanging symbols. The Necklace you sent with all the wooden tags and symbols is also inspirational. I will try connect to this.

Ketli,

porcelain hearts where the intention was to integrate some symbols. I have been working on this,because the idea about making a necklace that is heavy due to the pendants carrying the symbols of our country is quiet  beautiful. It should be a lot of pendants But think it could be from another material wood perhaps, or silver?

So now I am working on silver pendants with shadows of symbols. Like the one  I did in paper. This is the ring I made with the dust beater symbol going on ……..

I am not able to get any images on due to an internal error . put them on later

Ketli the ring and other things

Thank you for sharing your images and sending the comments. An interesting piece you made out of paper. I also found interesting to see your ring. Your pieces remained me of relics. Some things with a certain meaning but for people with different cultural background they could be interpreted in many different ways.

I am glad you liked the idea of pendants, I am still working with one. I am very slow with my work.  The process itself brought up many ideas and now when it is time to finish it takes more time then ever expected. I guess it is also very natural.

Carrying in my head idea about rings marking different spots in Estonia and Suriname. Names, may sound just poetic and completely disguarding. I find names of the Suriname cities- Paramaribo, Apoera, Tepoe, Moengo, Jenny and Apetina very beautiful and even a bit mysterious.
What do names like Tallinn, Hiiumaa, Kiviõli, Rakvere, Mahu tell you?
In Estonian and in Finnish there are quite some worlds written in the same way, but they mean an opposite. Lots of hilarious stories.

I have to admit, that while starting with this project, I was kind of confused while getting to know that Chequita you are from Suriname, which in the map inside of my little brains was a country in Africa . Who ever I asked from my friends they all were also convinced that Suriname is in Africa. It is really embarrising, but nobody could explain why we all thought so. There were two of my friends who related Suriname with Asia too, but nobody guessed that it is in South America. As you see this experience has really changed my world.

I hope to post some pictures tomorrow.

Best greetings and good luck with your work,
Ketli

PS! We really have no time left, isn’t it so, that works have to arrive to Holland for next Monday?

UH!

Hi Ketli,

These words to me sound like ingredients of dishes. Or like spices. But that is a problem I have to me a lot of words reminds me of Food! I am working on some new pendants. Also found some mexican symbols, but I will use mostly Surinam symbols perhaps combining them with Dutch symbols. Will sent you pictures tomorrow.

Still not ready. Contemplating about unknown and known places….

Dear Chequita, just now I saw your replay for the last letter. I loved your comment about the Estonian city names, I haven’t thought about the similarity of foreign words with exotic food names.

I shall continue and keep you posted. I have really intense period in the museum right now too. We are going to take down the triennial and build up our permanent display. These are my major projects, happening every third year, therefore, everything takes extra long time for me now.

All the best,

Ketli

ketli,

Liked the wooden pendants as I said was also working on wood, because in surinam woodcarving is one of the main things people do. Combining this with symbols from surinam and spices the estonia words reminding me of. Everything will be dyed red, because that stands for ‘ unity of all ethnical groups’ in Surinam and protection.

What do you think?

Dear Chequita,

I am sorry for the little break again, we established such a good rhythm, but my daughter got sick and last days have been really hard.

Your images show similarity in our thinking for me. It is really interesting to follow how from quite different points of view we have developed some kind of common ground for our current work. I like your little talisman bags, they resemble tea bags a little bit, with their transparency. All tea are made from the same species of plant, from the same leaves. I find it very captivating that one plant gives so many different tastes. Tea is my favorite beverage.

And the way you have attached the little symbols to wooden details is very poetic, I like the dynamic and natural order with strings. I am just amazed how similar way we work. First I also tried to hang my drops exactly the same way with string you did. But my strings got so badly messy that it took me long time to solve the order.

About my work. This is the photo I plan to send for the catalogue. With the search of symbol for my work I chose different types of wood, mostly from Estonia. I find them bearing strong narratives within their texture. Drop is like vertical distance reaching deepness. Act of falling, loosing, gaining. First I saw all these drops in one piece, like a heavy burden. Now I started to doubt in this heaviness. Set of separate pins would be perhaps better solution. My hands are tied, I know there is absolutely no time left, and my baby is sick but… Tomorrow the only chance, to fix this as I want to post the work on Thursday morning. I certainly will try. I will show you the result.

As soon you feel you are reaching something, things change and new perspectives appear. With making jewellery isn’t it always so?

Are you planning to attend the conference in Mexico City?

Talk to you soon,

K

Dear Ketli,

Yes life always presents things at times we cannot use them or so we think. I liked that we both had the idea to work with wood. And also that you were thinking of not making the pendants look heavy as I did. I thought I was ready, but as I looked at the work while making pictures for the cataloque I decided to change it and made it look more heavy.

I hope your daughter is feeling better and you will find the time to finish the piece. Although it was not always easy I really liked the rhythm we got into and hope we will continue after this will end. Unfortunately I am not able to go to Mexico anymore. but hope we will meet soon somewhere else.

Thank you

ketli, here it is

I am finished too. Took new photos tonight(the one here is just for you). Tomorrow morning, first thing to the post office.

I like you finished work very much! I shall write more soon.

With love from awfully snowy Tallinn,

Ketli