A walk on the dock or Reykjavik, watching the ships in the marina.
The highlight of the day was a visit to Harpa, a concert hall and conference centre in Reykjavík. The exhibition “Circuleght” was on. The installation was a combination of real-time interactive visuals inspired by eight elements: lava, basalt, glacier, water, flora, algae, microorganism and volcanic gas. It is always exciting and inspirational to see different ways people combine new technology and art. The movement of the audience triggers the movement of the visuals on the walls, so you can keep on playing with it.
We spent some time soaking in one of the geothermal pools in the city. I started with a really hot one 43.6 degrees but I couldn’t stay for long. While relaxing in the hot water (there are five hot tubs, steam and sauna) we watched the steam rising from the surface of the water and the stars above us. The temperature on a digital display ranged from 6.1 to 6.4 degree celsius. I used the opportunity to jump into the swimming pool (25m in length) where the water temperature was still pleasantly warm 27-30 degrees and made ten laps. As I don’t swim in the Pacific, this was a nice exercise.
On our way home, we were passed by numerous scooters. Not a lot of people on bikes around, but scooters are fine and it seems good vehicle to get from one part of the city to another. Most of them seemed rental and they were everywhere, against the wall, on the grass, on the pavement… They are just left there, like an abandoned pet for someone else to take them and “adopt” them for a very short term.
Although we arrived at five in the morning and the bus ride from the airport to Reykjavik was through rain and dark, so we could have been pretty much anywhere, just knowing that I was here again made me tremble. Despite of it being like a humongous rock thrown into the cold water of Norwegian Sea and the “final frontier” of the Atlantic ocean, Iceland still feels like a hug to me. I don’t really know why, but coming to Reykjavik is like coming home. Maybe, just maybe, hundreds or even thousands years ago, there was an ancestor which connects me with these people and this land, someone who gifted me with his gene to carry forward. Most of the visitors to Iceland leave it awed by its natural beauties, but I feel almost physical pain in my chest at each encounter – this is where magic lives.
Hallgrímskirkja
As I was leading our way up to the church, seeing only its illuminated cross on the top at that moment, I was trying to recognize a street, a house, a wall… from 2014. There, it took me eight years to come back. When it finally revealed itself to us in its full glory, what a sight! It was almost singing. Or it was just my heart glancing down the now familiar street with still sleeping Reykjavik inhabitants? The church was designed to resemble Thor’s hammer, with the handle facing up. I am imagining this giant, the son of Odin, standing on this hill and reaching out to grab the lightning hammer. We came back to it later in the day when it was open. We could hear its bells tolling a number of times during the day.
Was this the coffee shop I liked? Yes? No? Yes! We enjoyed a morning sip with a number of similar visitors, with suitcases, their laptops or phones, warming up, waiting for a sun rise that would eventually come at 8:41 according to the Internet. Everywhere we went, I tried to recognize at least a few words from my short Icelandic language course I took last fall. I was so ready to say “Ég heiti Natasha” but no one asked me for my name.
At some point, we were finally in the “poetry park” where I saw for the first time the use of QR codes for something more than a shortcut to a website, advertising a commercial product. They were on the benches in this park, Hljómskálagarðurinn, giving you access to poetry and literary world. Reykjavík has been designated a UNESCO City of Literature and poets and creative writing students launched the project Wordfrom a Bench publishing fiction and poetry on benches in the public parks. I was going from one bench to another, disappointed, as QR codes were nowhere to be found. Later on, I checked on Google, and discovered that they were there only in September 2014 when I visited Reykjavik! I see it now as a gift for me from the city eight years ago, and I wonder what I will receive this time.
Hljómskálagarðurinn park – ready for Halloween?
Playing in the pond
Tjörnin, city pond with Fríkirkjan in the background
She
He
Different view to the small church in Hljómskálagarðurinn park
We took our time to check the shops and take the opportunities to warm up inside, killing our eight hours on our feet before we could finally access our Air BnB to rest.
Entrance
Suspended
I am not sure we were ready to go out in the evening, but Húrra was the only place, and Sunday was the only day that I could find with open mic for poets. Why not? That would be something to remember. Bonnie was a good sport and said yes, even though we were both longing for that soft bed. I don’t know if I had a half an hour nap since I got up on Saturday morning. Converted, that would mean that I was still awake at lunch time the next day. We got a table too close to the speakers and the music was not what I would listen, so we left during the first break without even waiting to see if there was an open mic at all. Regardless, it was an experience for me for many different reasons, one of them being listening to someone singing in Icelandic and talking to me (as an audience) in this still very incomprehensible bundle of consonants and vowels. I recognized “Takk” (thank you) a few times, and “Bless, bless” (Bye, bye)! The walk from our accommodation adjacent to the University of Iceland (we couldn’t run away from an academic environment) to downtown next to the city pond was beautiful.
No sleep. My body (or my mind) doesn’t need a rest. It goes on and on. I tried with watching Netflix and it almost worked. But as soon as I closed my eyes, finally falling asleep, my brain was busy again and I was fully awake.
The sun was up, bright outside so I got up. Coffee on the terrace, looking at the water. Beautiful! Everything was nicer at the beginning of a new day.
The beach was so tempting and there was no real reason to resist. I changed and went out through the tiny door and white stairs, crossed the road, got on a narrow pathway that went to another flight of stairs carved into red, volcanic rock down to the beach. And the sea was waiting. Waves crashing on the rocks, sun coming out, still young. I could not smell the salt, but I knew it was there. I took of my shoes and walked barefoot on the the sand and water, timing my pace with waves.
I took photos of the horizon and red and black rocks. I took videos of that power coming in and bursting. I took it in slow-motion to feel the passage of time, wavers rolling in and pulling back. Watching them made me almost sea-sick and I remembered that vacation in Kavala when we kept jumping into the waves, over and over again, playing with danger of being pulled into, down, back to the vast of the sea. We were kids. We didn’t know the split second between being alive and beaming with joy, and being swallowed by a hungry mouth of the Aegean Sea. I lost my footing at some point and I remember that horrifying feeling of primordial fear. When I managed to come up, I stayed closer to the beach, in shallow waters. At the end of the day, when I went to bed, I was still riding the waves up and down, they kept coming at me. For the first time I experienced the sea-sickness, ready to throw up.
Two writing workshops that can help you build back your self-confidence and give you a positive way of dealing with some of life’s hardest situations. The opportunity to submit your written piece to a potential anthology.
April 30th online 10:30- 12:30 pm Moon Flower: Blooming in the Dark
Trauma is anything that happens to us, physically or psychically, that is beyond our capacity to cope given our personal circumstances and development. Trauma devastates individuals and those who support them (Dr. Bonnie Nish, 2020).
How does one navigate through the complex journey of reconnecting with self after trauma? Is it possible to find meaning for oneself in the wake of trauma and to reengage with life in a productive way? Recovering is different for each individual. Using writing for healing is a powerful tool which allows the writer to access previous experiences, understanding and information.
Join us in this 90-minute online writing workshop and allow your imagination to help you open spaces, peel back layers and let go of trauma. Writing can help you build back your self-confidence and give you a positive way of dealing with some of life’s hardest situations. We invite you to bring your coffee and join a community, where coming together helps us feel connected and promotes further healing. Write, share and then eat your words. Seeing your words is just as important as sharing them. We will invite you to send us a line from what you write and we will create a unique edible flower with your words on it. You are welcome to eat them (ink is edible as well), display it, or share the words with the world.
Please note that one of the purposes of this workshop is to generate writing that could possibly be included in a new anthology of personal stories surrounding trauma.
Saturday, June 6th, 2022 online 10:30- 12:30 Moon Flower: Back to Wholeness
Uncover some hidden pieces of your story as you pull together a collage of art and words to help you come back from events which may have had you stuck for years. Time to break molds and piece a new creation together. Surprises? Absolutely. Epiphany? Hopefully. Connections? Definitely. No experience necessary. We will invite you to send us a line from what you write and we will create a unique edible flower with your words on it. You are welcome to eat them (ink is edible as well), display it, or share the words with the world.
Facilitating workshops with: Dr. Bonnie Nish is Executive Director of Word Vancouver, Western Canada’s largest free literacy arts festival. Bonnie’s first book of poetry ‘Love and Bones’ was released by Karma Press in 2013. Bonnie has a Masters in Arts Education from Simon Fraser University and a PhD in Language and Literacy Education from the University of British Columbia where she currently teaches. Her next book “Concussion and Mild TBI: Not Just Another Headline” an anthology of concussion related stories, was published by Lash and Associates in 2016. Bonnie is an Expressive Arts Therapist with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies from the Vancouver Expressive Arts Therapy School who has worked extensively with youth and adults in high-risk situations. She has conducted writing and expressive arts workshops for over 20 years across North America. Her latest poetry book, Cantata in Two Voices, co-written with Jude Neal was released by Ekstasis Editions in 2018. Bonnie lives in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada. Find out more about her at https://bonnienish.com
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO A TRANSMEDIAL PROJECT: Trauma, the road back:
Your stories in augmented reality:Trauma is anything that happens to us, physically or psychically, that is beyond our capacity to cope given our personal circumstances and development. Trauma devastates individuals and those who support them. Dr. Bonnie Nish (2020)As our journey though trauma and challenging times continues to unfold, we discover that it is full of surprises, grief, loss, joy and wonder as well. It is full of grace and resiliency. “. It is through grace, the ability to hold my head high and move with elegance no matter what, that I find I am able to bear the magnitude of these changes (Nish, 2020).”We are collecting short narratives or poems depicting personal experiences of trauma and resiliency. These are important stories. How has the journey impacted your life and the lives of those close to you? We will be looking for a publisher with the aim of having the book published sometime in 2023/2024. Every story/poem may be accompanied by a short video turned into augmented reality experience. So, we will be asking for a 1-3 min recording. Please note that sending in your piece of writing is not a guarantee it will be included in the anthology. Only those selected for the collection will be contacted with more details about the video recording requirements.Please tell your story-in no more than 500 words.Please send to blnish_pandoras@yahoo.ca– by July 25th 2022. – please put “Trauma, the road back” in the subject line.
My “Cursed poem” (“Prokleta pesma”) will be part of the Sea of Po: a poetry mag-app developed by Jim Andrews, an interactive app, a performative instrument that allows you to play with poetry and visuals. The link to it will be available when the project is complete.
Only screenshots for now.
December 18, 2022
Monologues and Poetry International Film Festival
Virtual screening of the poetry film, Legacy, California USA
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO A TRANSMEDIAL PROJECT: Trauma, the road back: Your stories in augmented reality
Collaboration with Dr. Bonnie Nish: We are collecting short narratives or poems depicting personal experiences of trauma and resiliency. These are important stories. How has the journey impacted your life and the lives of those close to you? We will be looking for a publisher with the aim of having the book published sometime in 2023/2024. Every story/poem may be accompanied by a short video turned into augmented reality experience.
Please note that sending in your piece of writing is not a guarantee it will be included in the anthology. Only those selected for the collection will be contacted with more details about the video recording requirements. Please tell your story-in no more than 500 words. Please send to blnish_pandoras@yahoo.ca– by July 25th 2022. – please put “Trauma, the road back” in the subject line.
June 23, 2022, online 4-6pm (7-9pm EST)
Dragonfly Poetry reading
Reading at Annual Dragonfly Poetry Reading and Gallery Walk, a celebration of the publishing of the 2022 Dragonfly Arts Magazine. This free VIRTUAL event will feature local visual artists and poets’ work, offering reflections on life, love, trauma, justice, renewal, and hope. The evening provides a dynamic opportunity to experience the power of words and the vital role that the arts provide in promoting healing, awareness, and change.
June 6, 2022, online 10:30- 12:30 pm
Writing workshop, Trauma: The road back Moon Flower: Back to Wholeness
90-minute online writing workshop. Each participant will get a unique edible flower with his/her words on it. The opportunity to submit a written piece to a potential anthology. Read all the details at Trauma: The Road Back
April 30, 2022, online 10:30- 12:30 pm
Writing Workshop, Trauma: The road back Moon Flower: Blooming in the Dark
90-minute online writing workshop. Each participant will get a unique edible flower with his/her words on it. The opportunity to submit a written piece to a potential anthology. Read all the details at Trauma: The Road Back
January 2022
Cinematheque Film making Showcase
January 12-23 Using smartphones and free video editing software, each participant created their own original short film exploring questions and themes raised by the artworks at The Lind Prize 2021 exhibition.
The short films played continuously during the Gallery’s operating hours.
Participating artists included: Miki Aurora, Kaila Bhullar, Natasha Boskic, Sara Brinkac, Olga Campbell, Alexander Chang, Aurore Dupont-Sagorin, Noah Horn, Frances Hui, Alger Liang, Andy Liu, Sam Mason, Shannon Ruth Dionne Miller, Lyndsey Paramo, Jeremiah Reyes, Michellene Sigurdson, Carla Tooley, and Mimi Xia.
In case you missed @NatashaBoskic's booth at #TECExpo2021 yesterday, how cool are these cookies that play music?! Her booth focussed on augmented reality as a multi-sensory expression. @UBC_ETS
A new little literary magazine of short form poems, Pocket Lint and a short poem, Love
April 2021
Telephone project
“TELEPHONE is just like the kids’ game. A message is whispered from one person to another and changes as it is passed. We whisper a message from art form to art form.”
Starter: Traditional meze for two: Smoked pork loin, kulen, pork neck, katchkaval cheese, ushtipci, kaymak, urnebes Served with rice and/or soup.
Main: Karadjordjeva schnitzel: Pork loin schnitzel stuffed with kaymak cheese, breaded and fried, served with hashbrowns and coleslaw
Drink: Vranac (red wine)
You
Yanked and
yerked out of Yugoslavia.
Yearning for yummy yesterday, for yellow yolky yarn of yeasty youth. These years of yawning, yelling and yelping like a yeoman to you, like a yak with a yoke on its neck.
Yielding to yonder Y-chromosome to be yin and yang, Yes to Yesenin and the young years.
Yammering: you, you, you, You, you, you, you, you You, you, you, you, you You, you, you, you, you You, you, you, you, you…
