Finland Awakes, Art & Culture shape our Destiny

Music crosses borders but also expresses our souls 

"Finland doesn’t have a history of kings and castles. We have always been occupied.  When we finally became free it was built on language, literature, painting and music. Jean Sibelius created the idea of what Finland sounds like. You can hear his enthusiasm for discovering the Finnish sagas – folklore that’s ours alone, even as he was becoming a universal composer.”

writes Dalen Stasevska (BBC Symphony Orchestra principle guest conductor) 

who returned as principle conductor to Lahiti – home to Jean Sibelius. 

 

Sibelius (1865 – 1957) helped force Finland’s independence in 1917.  He was a violinist who found inspiration in Finland’s myths, sagas and folklore, particularly in the poetry of Kalevala.

 

Jean married Aino Janefelt, whose family was artistic and activist – her three brothers were a painter, composer and writer. Their mother was determined to fight for Finnish independence and she gathered a Finnish-speaking, pro-independence circle around her, including Sibelius.

Aino Janefelt & Jean Sibelius

Defiant Finlandia

“we fought a 100 years for our freedom and I am part of the generation that achieved it. This is the song of our battle – our hymn of Victory. “  Aino Janefelt

But after a civil war, Russia again attacked during the WW1. 

Lahiti built Sibelius hall from wood in 1996. At this time there was 28% unemployment, so it was hard to justify a new concert hall. But the government was keen for a prestigious building as part of the Year of Wood, Plus they had the backing of businesses – Metsa and UMP.

 

The concert hall now hosts a Sibelius festival and is rated in the top ten for acoustics. The area was rejuvenated around the site with restaurants, and a new marina developed.

 

Jean Sibelius

(extracted from Lesley Riddoch article - Finnish composer and the lessons we can learn from Nordic neighbours

 

Scottish Art and Anti-Scottish lobby

 

The Scottish Reformation 16^th century introduced a democratic structure to run the church and education for all. Scots were the most educated people in Europe. 

However in recent times those recruited to run Scottish arts have been mainly recruited from England, who clearly have no knowledge of Scots heritage, history, language, music or arts. And this is "all designed to imply that Scotland is a dull backwater which has never produced anything of importance.” - writes Paul Henderson Scott in his book Scotland: A Creative Past. This was also a result of the extreme centralising in the UK during the wars of the 20th century.

 

The exception is Celtic Connections, whose artistic director is Donald Shaw from Oban (Capercaillie). In a new improvement in 2022, violinist Nicola Benedetti has become the first Scots (and first woman) director of Edinburgh festival. Nick Barley from Yorkshire, is director of Edinburgh book festival. 

 

- In her article Scotsman Carol Craig writes  of, ‘The Scottish crisis of confidence about Scots feelings of inferiority.”

 

- Crawford Beveridge, first chief executive of Scottish enterprises 1990s, stated that the major problem facing Scotland is “a lack of self-belief.”

 How can this be true in a country that has contributed so much to the world in ideas, inventions, literature and arts? The answer is that education of many Scots has left them in complete ignorance of all of that. London became the main centre of the British empire. Back early 17th century, James Stewart VI of Scotland and England  in a treaty with clan chiefs on Iona, had them agree that their eldest sons would be educated in England.

 

One problem is the number of private schools in Edinburgh (at 25%) and with English students dominating Edinburgh university and St Andrews. #¥esScots

 

 

BOOK – Scotland: a creative past, an independent future, Paul Henderson Scott-

https://blackwells.co.kshop/product/

Ali Smith’s film 'Art in a Time of Lies' at Edinburgh International book festival 2021

 

Seeing Things - short film with wonderful images by film maker Wood Edinburgh International book festival 2021

 

The highly-respected Scottish novelist has teamed up with artist Sarah Wood to create a new short film made uniquely for Edinburgh. Seeing Things: Art in a Time of Lies, directed and edited by Wood; written and narrated by Smith (one time showing and will not be on-demand). , At the start with wonderful old black and white clips of gangsters.

 

THIS CULTURE OF LIES is like seeping rain, an aesthetic.. 

“I RANT AT THE TELEVISION AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR IT? CORRUPT GOVERNMENT. I FEEL SHAME.

INTO OURSELVES AND BEYOND OURSELVES, INSIDE OURSELVES. DARK AND LIGHT. IMAGINATIONS WAKENED – WITH A CHINK OF LIGHT IN THE DARK.

THEY ARE CUTTING THE ARTS BY 50%.”

 

These cycles come round and round – destroying. World changing too – left EU, end Trump, 

 

“Art is a lie that reveals the truth. What a slippery fish truth is. Little lies become a story. 

A lie distracts from the truth and take us down a garden path,  politics make lies sound respectable, (do they believe we believe them? Its always about power, lies are sanctioned. We become a slngle self, and persuaded to be tribal. A surface world shunts fast info, and we discard so much of it. “

 

Questions? Is art simply a displacement activity, a diversion from the ‘real things’ happening in the world? Or could it be that Ali Smith’s achievement is to reveal – with her trademark nimbleness – just how important art can be in helping make sense of a stupid, shameful, schismatic world? 

After the screening, Smith talked about her writing and some of the artists who have inspired her with Festival director Nick Barley

 

Questions: Is fake news new? “Shakespeare’s fake news is ancient: fake news today is faster – radio or t and now in our pockets.“  Split, diverted politics enrage, people under pressure, exclusion lines – becomes fascism. When we must work together.

Stories give us space, of our history, politics, and our dreams. 

 

Pull something light out of the mess,  Looking and seeing.

Art is difficult and shocking.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL 2021, Ali Smith - https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/ali-smith-art-in-a-time-of-lies

 

In each novel of Ali Smith’s Seasonal quartet, the narrative closely follows real world events. Brexit, the internment of migrants and the Coronavirus pandemic: each is woven into the fabric of Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer, lending them a keen sense of relevance. But look again at this group of genuinely novel novels, and there are countless references – from other times and other places – to artists and thinkers. 

Visual artists Barbara Hepworth and Tacita Dean; filmmaker Lorenza Mazzetti; writers Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare – why do they have such a profound influence on Smith’s characters? 

 

Victoria Morton's painting Soliton Kelvingrove

At Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, from the Hamilton Bequest (since 1927), there are world-renowned works by Glasgow Boys William Kennedy, Scottish Colourist Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell and painter Joan Eardley as well as Monet's View of Ventimiglia and The Young Girls by American Impressionist Mary Cassatt.

The final paintings are by Scottish abstract painter Victoria Morton's Soliton hangs at the gallery's south east stairs next to Salvador Dali's Christ of St John of the Cross.

As an art student, she came to Kelvingrove and was inspired by the Scottish Colourists and the French Impressionist collection. The colours in her work and the broken brush she is looking back to past master examples: a sensory experience.

" Morton's paintings are closely connected to her practice as a musician (she sings as well as playing bass recorder, piano and analogue synthesizer). Working through painting, sculpture, found objects, photography and sound, the artist explores colour perception, expression and non-verbal communication. "They were very open-minded," 

Morton, "I wanted to make a series of works where people could just walk in and experience them all at once, almost like they were different movements in a piece of music. I was thinking about broad and universal themes like light and sound and the physics of sound. The name Soliton comes from a type of wave form that exists in nature and also in physics. I was interested in that sound aspect because I work with music as well. "Soliton is quite a sensory piece. There is a direct connection to music and waveforms. I wanted to make a large scale, abstract expressionist painting that relates to real experiences. I love colour and the effect it has. Colour is a type of waveform, so there are different frequencies at play.”

Photos 2018

2018 was a confusing year.  In Scotland we enjoyed the grand opening of the new V & A Dundee, which is a wondrous new landmark and attraction on the river Tay. 

Journeys

I travelled the Scottish islands – Orkney, which was awesome, and all its history. Orkney gently tells many stories – ancient sagas from its rich past. The outer Hebrides and the beauty of the shimmering soft blues of those landscapes is breathtaking, with its expanse of sands and surging seas....

Ross Wilson

Emeli Sande

MUSIC - Rab Noakes, Blue Rose Code,

Photo of Brian May In Edinburgh - also Karl Ove Knausgaard, Murray Lachlan Young, Gina Miller.

We learn invaluable lessons by following those who walked before us. 

I’ve been searching for Scotia – in Edina’s ancient streets ….

Brian May

Gina Miller

Nations Apart: Turbulent times

Burns and Mozart both lived in times of huge turbulence - late 18^th century. Burns 1759 - 1776. Mozart 1756 - 1791.

Robert Burns retold and recharged the great tales and songs of the Scottish nation in such unique ways. 
I visited Vienna last year where the genius musicians Strauss and Mozart told the tales of central Europe, Austria (population 8m) and of the great Danube river.

The poet Bob Dylan lived through the turbulent times of the Cold war and the civil rights marches. 

In Paris in the 18^th century Impressionism painters expressed the great creative out pouring and flair, to see in new ways. 

Italy’s Renaissance (14^th century to 17th) took two dimensional art not only to three dimensions but to stratospheric new heights and told of Italy’s great struggles and love of beauty.  

All these highly unique stories matter …

Welcoming Different Cultures

It makes me unspeakably angry. The two big events I attend, take photos at and greatly enjoy each year – Celtic Connections and Edinburgh international book festival - are solidly based on diversity, inclusion, openness and collaboration from different cultures.

Since the Brexit vote it has become impossible for some international artists to travel to these festivals. This year several major African artists have decided it is far too difficult to try to attend Scottish festivals. 

The visa application process for artists, musicians and writers has been made so difficult by the UK Home Office, that many are now deciding its not worth the hassle. Donald Shaw (director of Celtic Connections) and Nick Barley (director of EIBF), both report that Britain is now a closed gate, particularly for African visas, and that festivals here will now have to be less international. Celtic Connections has been running for 26 years and EIBF, the oldest UK book festival since 1982; as well as hitting the main Edinburgh International festival.  

What will it mean for international festivals if our doors appear closed? Breixt sends out totally the wrong message. As Pat Kane puts it so well (National November 2018) – "Scottish nationalism is a cosmopolitan nationalism, as some German academics recently described their own country’s mainstream identity."  

British Nationals misunderstand Scottish Nationalism – which is not about isolationism but about democracy: its about all voices having a say, inclusiveness, more local government, equality and not isolation at all!?

Many artists, musicians and writers depend and thrive on cultural exchanges. Creatives value the ‘Four Freedoms’ – free movement of goods, services, capital and people. The academics, entrepreneurs and financial sectors also do. 

African acts were also unable to attended Peter Gabriel’s Womad festival, ‘ Do we really want  a white breaded Brexit flatland? A country that is losing the will to welcome the world?”

The withdrawal of the acts, from Mali and Senegal, has emerged months after Mr 

Shaw warned the festival may have to become less international in future over concerns Brexit would create a financial and logistical “nightmare.” 

Shaw has previously had to scale back his programme due to the plunging value of sterling since the EU vote. Celtic Connections has been hit months after the Edinburgh International Book Festival revealed up to a dozen authors had faced prolonged problems. 

Director Nick Barley warned the “humiliating” process – including demands to provide bank statements and birth certificates, and undergo biometric tests – would deter artists from visiting the UK in future. 

Mr Shaw said: “We had two quite large world music acts who I had pencilled in to perform that both pulled out about six weeks ago due to the hassle and stress of the visa application process. 

They just felt it wasn’t worth the grief. The application process was made so difficult for them they decided not to persevere. “These are top-class musicians who have been travelling around the world for 20 years. Britain now has a very solidly-locked gate, certainly in terms of African visas. 

“The whole thing undermines us as a Scottish festival with an international outlook. We always looked to embrace an internationalist programme. Anything that restricts that is disappointing. I don’t see any good reason for it.” 

CELTIC CONNECTIONS 2019 launched!

Rab Noakes Old Fruitmarket

Celtic Connections 2019 announced today for its 18 days major winter music festival, 

From 17^thJanuary to 3^rdFebruary

The UKs premier celebration of celtic music. Over 20 venues in Glasgow, 300 events and 2,100 artists.  

The festival will feature alongside one of special event concerts – film screenings workshops, talks, theatre, ceilidhs, exhibitions, free events and late night sessions.

Celtic Connections includes innovative collaborations while respecting past traditions and encourages new talent with late sessions, open mic and more.

Cara Dillon and Scottish National orchestra City Halls

Karen Matheson & Julie Fowlis

In this year of young people, the Opening Concert2019 will celebrate new talent and the passing of traditions between the generations and 15 years since Harvest 2004.

Appearing in 2019 – Rhiannon Giddens, Loudon Wainwright III, Graham Nash, Judy Collins, Kathy Mattea, Eddi Reader, Blazin Fiddles, Cherish the Ladies, Karen Matheson, John Grant, Elephant Sessions, Aiden Moffat and RM Hubbert. 

Special one off concerts include - 

Gaelic singer Kathleen MacInneswill perform with Amilinafrom Iceland, and string section for Sigur Ros. Rachel Sermanni and Jariath Hendersonwith the Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Karine Polwart and Kris Dreverwith the SCO. 

A celebration of folk-blues singer-guitarist John Martyn’s Grace and Danger album with a special line up – Paul Weller, Lucy Rose, Eddi Reader, Ross Wilson, Rory, Butler, Eric Bibb, John Smith, Katie Spencer.

Punch Brothers concert hall

Richard Thompson

*Visual Performances – showcase of Brave in Concert 

And The Bards Tale – a virtual journey through an 18^th century Scotland with music, gameplay and acting and some of Scotland’s  finest singers.

Along with Showcase Scotland, World music, Celtic cousins (Ireland, wales Basque country) 

Full details & TICKETS Celtic Connections website - https://www.celticconnections.com/

**Celtic Connections Journeys and Photos since 2008.

I’ve been looking over some of my favourite images from Celtic festival. I’ve been honoured to shoot at the festival since 2008. Its hard to pick my best memories because there are so many!

From the top ceilidh bands, the famous, well kent faces, the emerging young talent, the skilled musicians, indie rock bands, the exciting collaborations and beautiful singers, the pipes and Gaelic song, world music and Irish dance – Celtic has them all and more.

Mogwai

Danny Thompson