The sound of ABBA could be heard wafting from the cafe of the Lutheran Church in Sydney tonight.
As part of our Swedish studies each week, we translate a song and have a discussion about the lyrics, how they work as texts, and, of course we listen to the song.
We’ve done a range of Swedish artists, but have so far avoided ABBA.
Tonight, however, we bit the bullet and did the original Swedish version of ABBA’s song, “SOS”.
Lutheran Church in Sydney which is also home to Svenska kyrkan i Sydney
It was originally recorded by Agnetha Fältskog for her album, Elva kvinnor i ett hus (Eleven Women In One House).
“I don’t remember the English lyrics”, said the woman who did this week’s translation.
“I remember them completely”, said another, noting the Swedish version was a little more bleak. Or maybe just a little more direct? Or maybe the translation was just a little more literal.
Whatever the case, it was good fun. And despite a couple of groans from some of the younger class members, I noticed just about everyone in the class was lip-synching along (in Swedish of course).
Class was quite good fun tonight, and especially since there were a few new faces.
It was a good way to end a day that I found a little more satisfying than yesterday.
It’s about half way through winter, I think? And so I thought I’d reflect on my personal challenge this year: not to use artificial heating.
There are two levels to this. First, the idea that I can keep my electricity bill down by simply putting on an extra layer or two. Second, the idea that I might be able to do something small to “save the planet”. The second one is probably the greater for me, as living alone, my electricity bills, generally, aren’t too expensive.
And you know what? So far it’s going pretty well. Tracky dax, a pull over, and a doona over my knees in preference to sitting around in shorts, a t-shirt, and with the heater isn’t that hard to do. I’m lucky as my apartment is protected by those above and those below, and so it’s never usually too hot or too cold.
But even so, an extra layer of clothing is absolutely fine in the context of mild Sydney winters. Hey, I’ve walked on a glacier in Iceland. I’ve been in Sweden where it’s been minus 23 and I’ve been warned not to go out at night, in case my eyelashes freeze together. I’ve also been in Sweden in sub-zero conditions where the bottom of my jeans became damp with snow, and I’ve needed to go back to my apartment to warm up slowly to avoid frost-bite. In contrast, overnight temperatures of 5-10 degrees are pretty mild, and so putting on an extra layer is not that hard.
Collecting art involves more than a fat wallet.They are an eclectic group – some work in the media, a couple are lawyers, a number are public servants and one is a pharmacist – but they all have a common passion: art.
They came together two years ago with the intention of putting together a collection of Australia’s emerging artists, providing a snapshot of what was happening in the country politically, socially and culturally over 10 years.
The project is the brainchild of long-time art collector Dr Frank Croll and his niece, Janne Ryan, a Radio National broadcaster. Croll died last year but Ryan has kept his dream alive and gathered around her 11 like-minded people, such as art teacher Wendy Mortimer and Steven Alward, head of policy for ABC news and current affairs.
The group calls itself Hawkesbury One in keeping with the river themes of similar Australian groups – Derwent in Tasmania and Yarra in Melbourne. So far, it has collected eight works, including paintings by Dorothy Napangardi Robinson, Adam Cullen and Arryn Snowball, a digital photograph by Patricia Piccinini, a cutout by Neil Smith and its most recent work, a video piece by David Rosetzky. Each member puts in a set amount each year, the purchases are decided by
a committee and the works are rotated through members’ houses every four months.
It has been a steep learning curve for the group, most of whom had previously just dabbled in art collecting. “We decided we wanted young people who are passionate about having a full-time career as an artist, who are coming up through the system and whose work is edgy, moving and likely to last,” says Alward.
“This has meant lots of research – going to galleries, talking to dealers and artists, critics and analysts, subscribing to every art magazine on the market. We are tapping into a whole range of discussions that are going on around contemporary art. It is as much about the conversation as actually owning the art.”
It’s a journey many people hope to make but few know where to begin. Stuart Purves, the national director of the Commercial Galleries Association, suggests a good starting point is buying a copy of The Art Almanac which lists all Australian galleries.
“Spend up to a month going around the galleries, then concentrate on the ones you feel most comfortable in and the ones that challenge you. Discuss art with collectors and friends and read the plethora of material written about art and galleries. Having done all that, begin a discourse with the galleries you like and they will show you their stock rooms. Galleries do play favourites with artists and clients; the people who have the most genuine involvement with the gallery will benefit over the rest.
“And [once you start collecting] you can forget about painting your house or going on Christmas holidays because you will love collecting so much all your money will go into paintings.”
Mark Fraser, the managing director of Sotheby’s Australia, believes auctions can be an educational environment. “You get a feel for the mood of the market at auction,” he says. “You sense whether or not a particular style of artist is in vogue; you can feel if the room is buzzing or a bit bored. It also gives you a very clear idea of price.
“The major pitfall is buying something simply for the name. People see a big name, say, a Nolan or a Whiteley, but it may actually be a second- or third-rate example. You have to understand where it fits in with the rest of the artist’s work.
“You also have to understand that the market is as sectionalised as the sharemarket.”
Susan Borham, the editor-in-chief of Australian Art Collector, says people should look at works of artists in the same age bracket as themselves as there “tend to be shared generational themes, interests and sensibilities”.
She says the two areas of art that are “hot” in Australia now are photography and video or digital art. But she suggests enthusiasts look at abstract art, which she claims is underpriced, particularly when compared with figurative or landscape art of the same era.
The magazine’s annual “Smart Art” list of collectable art for under $3000, in its current issue, ranges from Kate Briscoe, who mixes paint with sand for her rich minimalist landscapes, to Sam Smith, whose work encompasses DVDs, sculptures, installations, sound and photography.
Alward says that although he has been buying art for 20 years he is only just beginning to really appreciate it through the Sydney art group. “Hawkesbury has given me new eyes and new ways of responding to the visual arts,” he Says. “Where once I would choose a piece of art because it would look nice and fit a space on a wall, that is no longer enough. Now it has to scare me or make my spirit soar or make me laugh or cry or make me want to sing. Art has to surprise me.”
When not to buy art
* At night: you tend to be less focused and the chances of buying impulsively are greater.
* While on holiday: you’re relaxed and, again, your critical defences are down.
* When a dealer wants to deal: alarm bells should ring when a dealer drastically reduces the price.
* If you’re under pressure: ignore the dealer who stands at your shoulder. You need space and time to make your choice.
* Think twice before buying art for sale at a restaurant.
* Beware of opening-night fever: fuelled by free alcohol, punters can lose their heads.
* Beware the red dot: some dealers put dots on works that aren’t sold to give the impression the exhibition is popular.
– adapted from How to Buy & Sell Art by Michael Reid (Allen & Unwin), $29.95.
“Speaking out on SVT tonight – Agnetha Fältskog on her difficult times” proclaimed the Aftonbladet news-stand headline all over Stockholm today. Thirty years after their break up, ABBA remains an important part of the national consciousness here, and an appearance on a national talk-show is enough to generate national news.
And this is particularly so if you’re always described in the media as “The Modern Garbo”. Although she appears in public from time to time, and repeatedly says she hates being called a recluse, it really is a big deal when Agnetha does what she’s done this week. She’s released her first new CD in eight years (and the first with original material in seventeen years), and she’s also appeared in a number of radio and television interviews.
The interviews so far have seemed somewhat rehearsed. She’s spoken about how she was approached by the writer and the producer (with a Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson pedigree, but still Swedes), and when she heard the songs, says she couldn’t resist them and agreed to do an album so long as she “didn’t sound old”. She’s 62. She’s admitted to having had some singing lessons, as she was a little out of practice for the first couple of recordings. She also now seems happy to acknowledge her ABBA past. Indeed, when you see the video clip for the first single, “When You Loved Someone” you can’t help but think it has a certain autobiographical element to it, reflecting on her own relationship breakup over thirty years ago. Or am I reading too much into it?
As soon as it was announced she had a new record and was doing some interviews, I knew she would probably appear on Skavlan. As I wrote to an ABBA mailing list the other day…
I think the TV show to keep an eye out for will be Skavlan. He does a fantastic show on SVT where he interviews celebrities all the time. He was the interviewer who spoke to Bjorn about his atheism, and to Benny and Ludvig about their alcohol problems. It wouldn’t surprise me if Agnetha turned up in this program. Even though he’s Norwegian, it’s a program where she could articulate herself clearly in Swedish, and which reaches a large population throughout Scandinavia. The program goes to air on Friday nights, and although I haven’t seen the advertised guests for this weekend, I think he would definitely be seeking out Agnetha for a forthcoming program.
I really like Skavlan’s show. He’s quite good at the confessional, but doesn’t let anything get bogged down too heavily. I think he’s like Michael Parkinson when he was in his prime. I like it so much, in fact, I wrote to the general inquiries email address of Swedish TV a few days ago asking how I could obtain a ticket to see a live recording. I’ve yet to hear back from them, though I hope it might be possible sometime in the future.
In the end she didn’t really say anything I hadn’t heard before, either in interviews, or through her book released over a decade ago. She flirted slightly with the tennis player, Mats Wilander, which was interesting. She also seemed to command a presence many years later, both for the audience, and for the other guests on the program. It was still nice to see her, reasonably comfortable and relaxed, on real live Swedish TV. Here’s the interview on Youtube. Click on the captions option to see the interview with English subtitles.
Soon afterwards I wandered out for a couple of drinks, invited by Robert and Sandra, and which included a large-ish group, very interesting group of people.
My life has changed so much since I got my mobility scooter. For a long time during COVID and after my limb amputation, I’ve spent all my energy looking down at the ground, focused on every step. I was constantly on the lookout for uneven footpaths, small children, and dogs, which meant I missed so much of what was happening around me.
Now, with the scooter, I’m able to rediscover old routines . I can take my favorite route through the Devonshire Street tunnel to work, stopping at my old coffee shop—where the owner still remembers me—and grabbing a bread roll for lunch.
Grabbing lunch at an old favourite bakery!
But more than just routines, the biggest change is being able to look up and see the world again. Today, I stopped to admire the new Atlassian building under construction in Sydney’s city center. It’s a building I’ve seen in the distance, but for the first time, I get to appreciate it up close without worrying about my next step.
What you can see when you’re not always looking at the ground. The new Atlasssian building, under construction near Central Station in Sydney
I’m also finding a new sense of community with other mobility scooter riders. Just today, a fellow rider coming towards me happily tipped his hand and smiled in recognition of our common mode of transport. A couple of days ago, I was heading to work when another rider on a much larger scooter wanted to chat about things like pneumatic tyres. It’s a whole new world of connection, and it’s wonderful to share these experiences.
The scooter isn’t just a vehicle—it’s a way for me to reclaim my independence and fully enjoy life. It’s truly amazing how much of a difference it makes. I really didn’t think it would make such a difference.
Handy parking spot at an empty workstation in the office!
Once again my thoughts have turned to travel. I think it’s the end of daylight saving that’s brought it on. Whereas last week I was still arriving home in daylight, it’s now well and truly dark by the time I walk in the door. That means only one thing: winter is on the way.
I’m not averse the cold, as lots of photographs on this site attest. In fact, I really love snow, and a year ago this week I was visiting Iceland where I experienced four seasons in one day. What started off as a bright sunny day turned into a fairly heavy snowstorm on the beach.
In contrast, winter in Sydney is very mild, and I shouldn’t complain. But there’s something about the long stretch from April until the end of July that causes me to become a little grumpy, and a little reclusive and make me want to head somewhere a little further north.
I’m heading to China for a couple of weeks in May, and so hopefully that will help. Deep down, though, I’d like to do something in the cold heart depth of July.
The wunderlust hasn’t been helped by the fact a close colleague is now counting down the days to her three months of long service leave. To make matters worse, she’s actually going to Sweden at the end of July. To the far north of Sweden, in fact, in what looks like an incredibly beautiful area, to attend a wedding of another colleague of ours. I’ve been invited to the wedding also, and at the moment, I’m erring on the side of financial caution, though I might assess my finances after China, and you never know, as the wedding is just days before Stockholm Pride. Hmmm…
A trip to Canberra is not complete without a trip to Parliament House. Like everyone else today, I marvelled at the architecture and the symbolism of the design. But I suspect I might have been the only one who went for a wander in the nearby bushland. I really love how Parliament House is surrounded by Australian native plants. Here’s a few of the photographs I took earlier today.
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Any hotties amongst the new troops? Enquring minds want to know!
Any hotties amongst the new troops? Enquring minds want to know!