Gelid Squeels!

Snow on the roof tops.

Snowy Hair, Mario Merz.
As the snow continues to cause chaos on our badly equipped little Island, I am snugly cwtched* up in Crows Nest Towers (the new top floor flat), thinking icy thoughts in the warmest possible way. Bird in the house, gave a mention to one of the greatest artists, Mario Merz. I wrote about his piece, `Tavola a Spirale`, in my dissertation, and have been fortunate enough to see pieces of his work in galleries all over Europe.

A man with Pythagorian concepts , Einsteinian hair and an legendary temper, Mario Merz beautiful and unque work explores divisions and groups. His concerns with the changes in modern and post modern society, and political issues are expressed in his work by the investigation of natural orders and the use of numerical systems. As one of his recurrent forms, he uses the igloo, to visually describe a basic increment of increase, and the shape it naturally forms when applied materially.

I lived for a while in 1992-93, in a make shift dwelling called a bender. This is the same dome shape as a igloo, but made from woven hazel or willow poles and covered with tarpaulin. It was winter at the time , but inside the bender was kept warm with a wood burner. Its ergonomic shape withstood all the wind and rain fall that a Welsh hill side could lash out . It was a very earthy and spiritual experience to live so near to the ground. The definition of inside and out side becoming blurred as one entwined with the other in a viscous layer of mud. Luckilly I have no recollection of snow that year.

Complete the chill-o-rific theme while listening to a C.D. of a band called Paavoharju. They are from iceland, and its called Laulu Laakson Kukista, which means `a song about flowers of the valley`. It`s very evocative of their native lands , with a contemporary interpretation of traditional sounds and instruments. Love it.