Cultural Selection

Today I went to the opening of the exhibiton: The Origin of Domesticated Species around Væksthuset (The Growth House) at Copenhagen University.

Interesting to see how different plants like cabbage, heartsease and beet-plants have developed via human selection, in part methodically, and in part unconsciously, during the last 10.000 years. The exhibition is situated in a beautiful garden around the university and I will return with updated pictures when the plants have grown a bit more.

Natural History for beginners

The Green Table* is still growing and strange creatures appear - they have all got names but for a while I will let them remain unnamed - just to be enjoyed as they are.

* In Denmark "The Green Table" usually refers to an exam table - that table where you are sitting alone sweating on the one side with 2 examiners opposite you.

Art Zone Therapy

I have just visited Beijings Art zone called 798 but it seemed quite commercial.

Today it seems more interesting to visit Songzhuang (further out of town) or East End Art Zone.

Tic Tac Toe

Everything I have ever wanted to say

Save the trees (from human interference)!

Apparently trees in China are very fragile and need humans to save them from .....ehhh ... being natural (?).

The Green Table

2 February 2009


18 February 2009

15 March 2009

Late June 2009

...to be continued .............. here.

Bioco(s)mical Equation

Hello everybody.
I am still calculating and trying to figure IT ALL out - and I think I am getting there - sort of.

Mutability

The world is not like it used to be - and it never will be according to the law of mutability.

The title in Danish is: Rede-lighed, which means both " a mess" and "nest" + "equality & similarity".

Hush!

Hush! Don't tell anybody that the Earth is round.

I have just been on a pilgrimage to Darwin's home country to see the exhibition "Darwin's BIG Idea" at London's Natural History Museum.

I am fairly fit, but I almost didn't survive the last part of the journey as trains and tubes were delayed as usual - I had to run for life in order to get there in time for my slot.

The exhibition is extremely popular, and you must pay in advance for an exact time of entrance. However, even though I was late (and terrified by the thought of being let down), and even though I faced the sight of a long, long queue, I was so lucky to be naturally selected by a guard, who saw my crocodile tears and followed me personally all the way through gates and barriers.

Finally, in the great halls of fame, I adapted to the situation of being a sardine in a tin can, while struggling to see the sacred.

I was moved by seeing Darwin's scribbles, his studio and evidence of his curiosity into so many very different subject areas: barnacles, cabbage, beetles, orchids, facial expressions in animals and humans etc...

However, what seemed most peculiar to me, a lukewarm protestant from Nothern Europe, was the emphasis on convincing the audience about the truth of evolution. To me it was like trying to convince the audience that the earth is round, not flat.

I shall never be the same after this - I became aware of my own evolution paradigm specs. So, although I like the idea of freedom to read and freedom to think for yourself, I cannot put my money where my mouth is, when it comes to public school politics. To say it simply: I don't want my tax money to be spent on teaching (my daughter and son) creationism as a realistic alternative to evolution in schools.

Yes. Sure. Evolution rocks! But - contrary to Dawkins, Dennett and likeminded (not that I don't love (yo)U(r) (theories) guys :-)) - I still think there is plenty of room for God(s) and spirit and the unexplainable. Science doesn't diminish the miraculousness of Life.

Who Cares?

D-Day

D-Day is coming up soon - it's time to book a table for the birthday Party.

We are going to celebrate that WE and Sir Charles Darwin are all very fit and have survived so far :-)

Who will get the best seat?

It runs in the Family

See also stunningly photographed photoes of our relatives by Fokusfoto.

X

Wow-Wov-Woven

Some of U out there may be familiar with the Scandinavian tradition of making woven X-mas hearts.
This week, however, I came across an extended version of this tradition. Fuglepigerne (the Girlie Birders) invited "fools & fowls" for "tea & teaching" and 25 creatures turned up ready and steady to embark on a craft demanding tweezers, scissors, glossy paper, dexterity and fingerspitzgefühl.
Inspired by the book Jule-Fugle-Flet we were taught how to weave birds like the golden oriole, black woodpecker, cormorant, long-tailed titmouse, nuthatch and blue tit.
I was sweating like a pig(eon), desperately trying to (pretend I was in) control of my 10 claws, but in the end I actually managed to complete a piece of work: the Golden Oriole!

Merry X-mas to all of U out there!

Do you remember the Name of the Game?

If not, visit Dansk Jagt- og Skovbrugsmuseum or go far out in the forests and spot or be spotted.

Can You Dance the Swedish Polka?

FEMALE FORESTRY?
If Forestry is defined as "The science, art and practice of managing and using trees, forests and their associated resources for human benefit", then this might be a version of a kind of Female Forestry.
This video installation was originally shown as part of the exhibition "Who's that Tripping over my Bridge?" at Frederiks Bastion, Copenhagen 2002.
Made by Joss James, Anne Mølleskov and Ingrid Weiss.