January 2011

The play "Invasion!" by Swede Jonas Hassen Khemiri will be shown in New York

Posted by Susanna at 3:43 PM, Jan 27, 2011 (Comments)

Category: Events

JONAS HASSEN KHEMIRI - a playwright and novelist of Tunisian and Swedish parentage - and his play "Invasion!" has had great success in several European productions. Now his play, translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles, has been brought to the United States by The Play Company. The U.S. premiere will be Off-Broadway at the Walkerspace at 40 Walker Street in Tribeca on February 21 - March 12, with previews starting on February 9. "Invasion!" is directed by Erica Schmidt.

"INVASION!" is the playwright's first play and is a subversive comedy that centers on "Abulkasem," a name that bears seemingly magical powers, and a series of characters who assume the name for their own reasons.

JONAS Hassen Khemiri has won Sweden's top prize for best literary debut with his novel "One Eye Red." His newest novel "Montecore: The Silence of the Tiger," which was awarded the Per Olov Enquist Prize, will be published in the U.S. this spring and will be his English-language debut.

FOR MORE information: www.playco.org.

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Adam Sharp Guest Speaker at SACC Washington DC Annual Meeting

Posted by Susanna at 2:52 PM, Jan 25, 2011 (Comments)

Category: Events

ADAM SHARP, first Twitter representative in Washington, D.C., was the guest speaker at SACC Washington, DC (the Washington Chapter of the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce) (www.sacc-dc.org) annual meeting at House of Sweden on Thursday evening, January 20, 2011. The topic of his remarks was "Diplomacy in the Age of Twitter."

MR. SHARP discussed how the global community is using Twitter to communicate in new ways, and what lessons can be learned - whether using the platform for diplomacy or business. He also pointed out that Twitter was a critical source of real-time information during recent disasters in Pakistan, Haiti and Chile, and following elections in Iran and Côte d'Ivoire.

SHARP, who is half-Swedish and a SACC-DC member, is newly appointed to the brand-new position as Twitter, Inc.'s Manager for Government and Political Partnerships in Washington, D.C. Previously he served a deputy chief of staff for Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and as an Executive Producer at C-SPAN.

The event was followed by a Champagne Networking Reception.

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Next Level Leadership Development Reception at House of Sweden in Washington

Posted by Susanna at 9:44 AM, Jan 24, 2011 (Comments)

Category: Events

Next Level founder Runar Sögaard; Gunilla Girardo, President, Next Level-USA; and Ola Östlund, Next Level-USA

CYNTHIA DELORENZI, Founder of Success in the City, was the guest speaker at a Next Level Leadership Development Reception on Sunday evening, January 23, 2011, at House of Sweden in Washington, D.C. Ms. deLorenzi has more than 20 years of experience in leadership, politics, sales, writing, technology innovation and new media, and over the last decade she has turned her talent toward speaking and motivating and addressed audiences across the United States. By throwing a one-time networking bash to meet new friends her "Success in the City" was born.

NEXT LEVEL offers a new approach to leadership development, with a highly personalized program designed to build and develop leaders and to create techniques for decision-making both professionally and personally. The U.S. headquarters opened at the House of Sweden in July of last year.

Pernilla Alex von Mettenheim and Kojenwa Moitt

NEXT LEVEL WAS established in Sweden over a decade ago by Runar Sögaard, who has been educating, training and developing people in more than 35 countries since 1990. Next Level's clients are CEOs and upper management from the private sector, government agencies, associations, nonprofits and NGO's. For more information: www.nextlevel-usa.com.

Penny McAlpin, Gunilla Girardo and Pernilla Alex von Mettenheim

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'Bound' - an exhibition with new works by Katherine Mann and Selin Balci - opens at Hamiltonian Gallery in Washington

Posted by Susanna at 11:09 AM, Jan 23, 2011 (Comments)

Category: Design & Art

Artist Katherine Mann, the founder of Hamiltonian Gallery Paul So and artist Selin Balci

AN EXHIBITION - "Bound" - with new works by Hamiltonian Fellows Katherine Mann (www.katherinemann.net) and Selin Balci opened on Saturday evening, January 22, 2011, at Hamiltonian Gallery in Washington, D.C. Both artists create vivid abstractions, ripe with notions of growth, wonder and subjugation. Within the context of aestheticism, both examine the limits of their medium, as well as notions of humanity within an expanded ecologic understanding of the living world.

KATHERINE MANN creates over-sized abstract works on paper, which consist of accumulations of sequins, paint and ink, and illustrate the potentiality of growth, as well as the peril of overabundance.

Hamiltonian Gallery Director Jacqueline Ionita and artist Katherine Mann

SELIN BALCI uses traditional lab procedures to create microenvironments by incorporating biological material as a new art media to explore the literal process of life. From sterile beginnings, the growth of microbes demonstrate a turbulent arc of life within a largely imperceptible world.

There will be an artist talkwith Katherine Mann and Selin Balci on Thursday, January 27th at 7 p.m. at the Hamiltonian Gallery. The exhibition will be presented through March 5, 2011. Hamiltonian Gallery is located at 1353 U Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., Tel. 202-332-1116. For more information: www.hamiltoniangallery.com.

Jamie Smith of Conner Contemporary Art, Hamiltonian Gallery founder Paul So, and Leigh Conner of Conner Contemporary Art

Artwork by Katherine Mann

Artwork by Selin Balci

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A joyous 'Capricorn Birthday Party' for Lolo Sarnoff

Posted by Susanna at 10:00 PM, Jan 21, 2011 (Comments)

Category: Events

Lisette Berry, AFTA founder Lolo Sarnoff and Mary Bird

ARTS FOR THE AGING (www.aftaarts.org) founder Lolo Sarnoff celebrated her birthday with a "Capricorn Birthday Party" to which she invited scores of her best friends at her spacious home in Bethesda earlier this week. Although she's a nonagenarian, she showed everybody she still knows how to throw a good party. The festivities included lots of delicacies, catching up with old friends and a personal serenade to Lolo sung in German by her friend Jerome Berry.

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Exhibition with photographs from Ernesto Santalla's collage series open at Long View Gallery in Washington

Posted by Susanna at 11:41 AM, Jan 21, 2011 (Comments)

Category: Events

Washington architect and photographer Ernesto Santalla

AN OPENING RECEPTION with architect and photographer Ernesto Santalla's photographs (www.ernestosantalla.com) from his collage series, which uniquely document Washington's record-breaking snows of 2010 was held at Long View Gallery in Washington, D.C. on Thursday evening, January 20, 2011. With his camera he captured monotonous images from the storm. According to Santalla, his otherwise "uneventful, uninspired and often mundane images evolve into fascinating kaleidoscopic photographs."

Ritu Maghera and Heather Neisworth

THE EXHIBITION will go on through February 13, 2011. Long View Gallery is located at 1234 Ninth St., N.W., Washington, D.C., Tel. 202-232-4788. Business hours Wednesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 12 noon-5 p.m., and by appointment. For more information: www.longviewgallery.com.

Tony Cord and artist Tina Palmer

Thomas Snowden and Christina Waddler

Architect and photographer Ernesto Santalla and Siobhan Gavagan of Long View Gallery

Timothy Foster and Trevor R. Brown, both of Eagle Bank

Siobhan Gavagan of Long View Gallery and Daniela Manna

"Third Impressions IV" ed. 1/25 by Ernesto Santalla

Ernesto Santalla

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Opening of "Double Exposure: African Americans Before and Behind the Camera" at University of Maryland

Posted by Susanna at 4:49 PM, Jan 20, 2011 (Comments)

Category: Design & Art

Dr. Robert E. Steele, Executive Director of the David C. Driskell Center, and Professor David C. Driskell, David C. Driskell Center

THE EXHIBITION "Double Exposure: African Americans Before and Behind the Camera" opened on Wednesday evening, January 19, 2011, at David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland.

Dr. Robert E. Steele, Executive Director of David C. Driskell Center, presented welcoming remarks and other speakers including James Harris, Dean of College of Arts and Humanities, University of Maryland; Greg Deavens, President of the Board, The Amistad Center for Art & Culture, Inc.; Reynald Thomas, Regional Director, Community Relations and Urban Marketing, Aetna; and Prof. David C. Driskell, David C. Driskell Center introduced visitors to the exhibition.

Amrita Kaur and photographer Sharon Farmer, who was director of photography in the White House during the President Bill Clinton administration.

THE EXHIBITION, which will run through March 11, 2011, was organized by The Amistad Center for Art & Culture, Inc., Hartford, Conn., and sponsored by Aetna.

Artist Joyce Wellman and photographer Jason Miccolo Johnson

Artwork "Legacy" (2008) by Maya Freelon Asante

Photo "Cousin Shirley (1986) by Albert Chong

Photo "Coronation of Black Queen" (1989) by Albert Chong

Work "Thick skinned" (2008) by Bridget Maria Goodman

"The Liberation of Lady J and U.B." (1998) by Renee Cox

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Antonia Ramis Miguel and Graciela Bernasconi show their artwork at the Embassy of Uruguay in Washington

Posted by Susanna at 12:34 PM, Jan 19, 2011 (Comments)

Category: Design & Art

Artist Antonia Ramis Miguel, Ambassador Carlos Gianelli of Uruguay, artist Graciela Bernasconi and Consul General of Uruguay Maria Barcelo

AN OPENING RECEPTION of the exhibit by Spanish artist Antonia Ramis Miguel and Uruguayan artist Graciela Bernasconi was held at the Sala de las Artes at the Embassy of Uruguay on Tuesday evening, January 18.

Consul General of Uruguay Maria Barelo and artist Antonia Ramis Miguel

ANTONIA Ramis Miguel (www.antoniaramismiguel.com) was born in Spain and has been painting since childhood. During seven years she studied with professors Edgardo and Alceu Ribeiro, who were students of the renowned constructionist Joaquín Torres-García. Ramis Miguel paints primarily in oil, on canvas and on wood, and her motives include street scenes, still lives, landscapes and figures. Her work has been shown in individual and collective exhibitions in Spain, the United Kingdom, Austria and the United States. She teaches at the Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, affiliated with the Art Institute of Boston, and also at the South Shore Art Center. Her work can be seen at the Julie Heller Gallery in Provincetown, MA and at the Watergate Gallery in Washington, D.C.

GRACIELA Bernasconi (www.gracielabernasconi.com) is originally from Montevideo, Uruguay, but is now living in Bethesda, MD. Since childhood she has been interested in art and painting, partly because of the influence of her family, which includes several excellent painters. Her formal training took place at the Smithsonian Institute, The Clara Barton Art School and the Art League of Alexandria. Her work is abstract with a high tone palette and use of finger and other mixed media. Her art can been seen at the Foundry Gallery (www.foundrygallery.org) in Washington, D.C.

THE EMBASSY OF URUGUAY, The Uruguay Cultural Foundation for the Arts and the Embassy of Spain supported the event.

Art opening at the Sala de las Artes at the Embassy of Uruguay in Washington, D.C.

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Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty gave a luncheon address at the National Press Club in Washington

Posted by Susanna at 1:56 PM, Jan 17, 2011 (Comments)

Category: Events

Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty

TIM PAWLENTY, the former Minnesota governor and probable candidate to become the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, came to the National Press Club last Thursday, Jan. 13, to give a luncheon address, ostensibly to tout his new book "Courage to Stand," but also testing the waters before making a decision on a run for the presidency.

IN FACT, he has been all over the political talk shows that last few weeks, making statements mostly criticizing the Obama administration from a conservative Republican perspective.

AT THE NATIONAL Press Club luncheon, Gov. Pawlenty came off as a nice guy, with some conservative points of view. In particular, he had some sharp criticism of the nation's unchecked borrowing to pay for budget deficits, as well as for some of President Obama's decisions on defense policy.

HE INDICATED HE would be making a decision on whether he is going to run for president in the coming months. What with all the effort he has been putting into getting himself and his views in front of the news cameras lately, with the tried-and-true campaign ploy of getting a book out touting his political views, and with plans to promote that book in New Hampshire and Iowa in the coming weeks, it's pretty likely he will make a bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

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First solo US exhibition of Jens Praet opens at Industry Gallery in Washington

Posted by Susanna at 11:00 AM, Jan 16, 2011 (Comments)

Category: Design & Art

Designer Jens Praet, Janine Durand and Craig Applebaum of Industry Gallery

"FOSSILIZED" - an exhibition featuring nine works - tables, consoles, benches and shelves, made from shredded magazines and documents by Belgium-born, Florence-based designer Jens Praet opened at Industry Gallery in Washington, D.C., on Saturday evening, January 15, 2011, and is continuing until February 26, 2011. This is Praet's first solo U.S. exhibition.

James Larkins and John Tobias

PRAET HAS shredded and recycled copies of Art in America, Capitol File, Details, Fast Company and Robb Report, and mixed with clear resin to create five different designs -- a console, bench, side table, large table and large shelf  -- with each design made from a specific title. Corresponding works for all the designs, except the large table, were also executed using shredded documents mixed with semi-transparent white resin to create the balance of the exhibition's nine works. "Fossilized" is part of the designer's "Shredded Collection." 

  Work by Jens Praet

JENS PRAET established Studio Jens Praet, a design studio in Panzano in Chianti, a small town near Florence, Italy, in 2007. Praet studied Industrial Design in Florence and attended Master classes at the Design Academy in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, under Droog Design's co-founder Gijs Baker. All "Fossilized" items are handcrafted by Wandschappen, Rotterdam, the Netherlands (www.wandschappen.nl).

INDUSTRY GALLERY is located at 1358 Florida Ave., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002, Tel. 202-399-1730. For more information: www.industrygallerydc.com.  

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Two concurrent solo exhibitions with Cordy Ryman and Brandon Morse open at Conner Contemporary Art in Washington

Posted by Susanna at 8:24 AM, Jan 16, 2011 (Comments)

Category: Design & Art

Mary Rivet, Leigh Conner of Conner Contemporary Art, Manuel De Santaren and Chris Meyer.

TWO CONCURRENT solo exhibitions featuring painted sculptural assemblages by Cordy Ryman and real-time generative digital work by Brandon Morse opened on Saturday evening, January 15, 2011, at Conner Contemporary Art in Washington, D.C.

Paul So, founder of Hamiltonian Gallery (www.hamiltoniangallery.com).

THIS IS Cordy Ryman's first solo exhibition with the gallery, and he presents a new series of playful works created with paint, wood, metal, Velcro and scraps recycled from his studio floor. Ryman, whose New York solo show was identified this fall as "one of the sleepers of the season" by Roberta Smith, is known for continuous experimentation in constructing, altering, and reconstruction painted geometric forms.

Artwork by Cordy Ryman

"HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM" is Brandon Morse's third solo exhibition with Conner Contemporary Art, and he presents a series of new real-time generative digital videos examining large-scale natural occurring phenomena. The chaos and complexity of climatic and geological events continually inspire Morse to apply sets of variables to create imagery-producing systems, which he considers as analogues to human sociological conditions.

CONNER Contemporary Art is located at 1358 Florida Ave., N.E., Washington, D.C., Tel. 202-588-8750. For more information: www.CONNERCONTEMPORARY.com.

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Swedish Political Counselor Mathias Otterstedt discussed stabilization efforts in Afghanistan at a SACU luncheon

Posted by Susanna at 9:28 AM, Jan 13, 2011 (Comments)

Category: Events

Carl Ek and Mathias Otterstedt, who serves as political counselor at the Embassy of Sweden in Washington, D.C.

THE RECENTLY appointed Swedish Political Counselor at the Swedish Embassy in Washington, D.C. Mathias Otterstedt gave interesting insights about Sweden's current role in Afghanistan during a SACU (Swedish American Cultural Union) luncheon in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, January 12, 2011.

MR. OTTERSTEDT discussed the stabilization efforts in that war-devastated country. Sweden has been an active contributor to military security as well as civilian development since 2002. Currently, the Scandinavian country has about 500 troops deployed near Mazar-e Sharif, and they have experienced increasingly frequent combat encounters in recent months.

MR. Otterstedt has served in Sweden's Foreign Ministry, where among other things he was responsible for NATO crisis management from 2003 to 2005 and for Afghanistan between 2005 and 2010.

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Exhibition with 17 Swedish designers opens at the House of Sweden in Washington on February 24

Posted by Susanna at 5:21 PM, Jan 12, 2011 (Comments)

Category:

AN EXHIBITION - 17 Swedish Designers (www.svenskform.se) - will open at the House of Sweden in Washington, D.C. on February 24th. This group of young and progressive female artists will showcase their work of ceramics, furniture and textiles - in black and white with some bright accents - with the flavors of good contemporary design for everyday use.

THE 17 designers - Pia Amsell, Carina Seth Andersson, Monica Förster, Lotta Kühlhorn, Pia Törnell, Eva Schildt, Ulrika Mårtensson, Lena Bergström, Camilla Diedrich, Sara Szyber, Anna von Schewen, Anna Lerinder, Nina Jobs, Barbro Wesslander, Anna Kraitz, Front and Anki Gneib - exhibited, early in their careers, at the small Gallery Pascale in Stockholm.

Gallery Pascale was founded in 1996 by Pascale Cottard-Olsson, a French woman who came to live in Sweden, where she felt passionately in love with Nordic design and opened the first gallery in design in Stockholm. She was the first to present young women designers in her gallery, and when the gallery celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2006, Ms. Cottard-Olsson did a book on these young female designers - 17 Swedish designers chez Pascale. The exhibit - based on the book - displays the various individual designers' recent work. For more information about Gallery Pascale: www.gallerypascale.com.

The exhibit will be on display at the House of Sweden until March 20th.

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Stockholm is more than Stieg Larsson.....

Posted by Susanna at 2:37 PM, Jan 11, 2011 (Comments)

Category: Food & Drink

Shrimp salad à la Lisa Elmqvist

FOR MANY travelers the Swedish capital is synonymous with the world famous author Stieg Larsson and his Millennium trilogy. Maybe Larsson is the most well-known Swede in the world right now - or ever. Even tours with visits to the Södermalm neighborhoods, south of the Old Town, where he lived and worked, are arranged and are covered in the international press. Check out a recent travel piece in The New York Times (June 20, 2010) (http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/travel/20surfacing.html?scp=2&sq=%22stieg+larsson%22%2Bsodermalm&st=nyt).

BUT STOCKHOLM - the sometimes gloomy but beautiful city situated in the outskirts of the European continent - has a lot more to offer. One "must visit" place is Östermalmshallen, in the heart of the city, in the neighborhood of Östermalm. This fabulous food market, with an extraordinary selection, is always worth a visit, not the least for its seafood. One favorite restaurant at the market is Lisa Elmqvist (www.lisaelmqvist.se), with its extraordinary menu filled with seafood delicacies from Scandinavia.

BE SURE TO stop by on your next visit to the elegant Swedish capital city. And if you can, sit at the bar. The service and the conversation with the barkeepers is lots of fun. And besides, sometimes you get to meet interesting people who happen to sit next to you.

A highlight of a visit to Östermalmshallen - the seafood restaurant Lisa Elmqvist

The Lisa Elmqvist seafood restaurant in Östermalmshallen

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