Day 16 & 17

Very quiet day and I am physically slow today, I have come to realise that by Fridays my body begins to ache all over....!

I worked on the end wall all day today and I see so little progress and I really wonder if I will have it ready on time, but maybe it's just my tiredness speaking.

One thing I have noticed about this exhibition and it's placing here in Voimala is that I'm almost certain I get visitors here that would probably not go to an Art Gallery, this is a great bonus opening up art to a wider audience.

11 visitors

DAY 17

As I walk through the Turbine Hall on my way to my work I hear the flutter flutter of wings and a pigeon lands on a rail beside me...... I decide to leave the door connecting the 2 halls open in the hopes that he/she will follow me through.

Low and behold he/she does and before I have even got the main doors open there it is hovering above my head waiting.......as soon as I open the door out it goes. I feel like a good soul!

Ok! my working light bulb has blown so I shall have to wait till lunch to replace it, shame as not only does it really make a difference to the work when its lighted but it also provides a degree of warmth.

Task 1.

Set the lower level of the last wall.

10.10 77 puzzle pieces in place ready to be levelled.

10.30 Lower level done.

Now begins the hard labour of filling, an assistant would be really good right now!

11.45 The table for the faster system is set up, and although it takes time to set up it does save time in the long run.

No pictures today, I think I'll wait till I feel that I have made a bit more progress, shame I didn't get one of the pigeon.

Day 15

Getting there!

Well today I am determined to complete the second roof pitch and get as much of the wall under done as possible. Even if it means talking to my visitors from up the ladder.

I'm not really looking forward to the ladder work as after I had worked on the previous roof pitch I felt like a creaky 90 year old.

1.15 So far today it's been relatively quiet visitors wise, which is fine as I get more done that way.

Pilvi Uuttu from Aamuposti just popped in to see how I am progressing, she will be writing a follow up on the first artical reporting on the progress which is nice.

Just had a group visit from Työpaja ETAPPI.

3.45 The second roof pitch is done...........YEY!

The ladder work is a killer.

Now just a little bit of time left to do some filling and take some photos.

Day 14

Photographs by Ilona Romu

Well I guess I should try to get the things done today that I was unable to complete yesterday!

10.55 I have been all round the house and checked the levels, found a few areas that needed some adjustments which included one row too many on the facing wall, which means removing it and re-setting the rows, this has set me back a bit but at least it's done.

14.00 The facing wall is finished.....Yipee!

For the rest of the afternoon I will start the work on the second roof pitch.

I have had so many talkative visitors this afternoon which has been wonderful and engaging, exhausting also as my Finnish is still so appalling which I am ashamed of.

2 more children helped me today by adding puzzle pieces, their names are written on the back of their pieces....some how it makes it special knowing that someone's name is hidden somewhere in the house.

Very little achieved work wise....but a lot of socializing which is something I don't get when I'm working in my studio.

20 visitors

Day 13

Setting the levels on the second wall.

9.00 GOALS OF THE DAY!

1. Finish the facing wall

2. Set the levels for the adjacent wall.

3. Set the level for end wall top level.

I think this is too much for one day but it's good to have targets!

It's a seriously cold, dull and damp day today, back on with the hat and gloves!

9.30 The first 2 levels are set with string as markers.

10.30 Second window is in place.

Wonderful just as I was beginning to get seriously bored of looking at the same puzzle pieces a lady brought me a new 1000 piece puzzle (not brand new, just new to me!) It's of a chapel in Bavaria.

1.00 About 15 visitors so far.

3.15 Both level lines are done on the adjacent wall.

Time to do a bit of filling now!

20 visitors

Day 12

My Little helper Miro

14.06.2010

Where do I start today??? Do I attempt to complete the facing wall......or move to the wall opposite to the door...... Ok! so I decided to try and finish the facing wall, this is going to be slow as I have to keep on checking that they are as level as possible.

10.00 Visit from Heikki of YIT and 7 of his guests.

A wonderful little boy named Miro and his mother visited, Miro asked his mother if he could live in the Palapeli Talo - Jig-saw-puzzle house.... I replied that it might get a little bit cold in the winter time. I then asked if he would like to help me put some puzzle pieces on the threads, I showed him how,..... he then very carefully chose the pieces he wanted and with a little help from mum placed 2 pieces for me. I have written his name on the back of one of his pieces......Thank you Miro!

I had 2 ex-Voimala workers today, one who used to work in this very hall and the second who's father had also worked here, he told of how he would bring his children for sauna evenings and seemed very curious about the second level, I would loved to have taken him up there, but it's dangerous and any way there nothing up there as all the machines have been stripped out. He seemed deeply lost in his memories and I felt a little sad.

30+ visitors today and I didn't quite manage to finish the wall......nearly.

Day 10 & 11

Day 10
































Not much to write about today, I worked all day in one particular area and don't really feel like I made alot of progress, I'm sure I did but it was just filling work and so I done see what I have done.

There have been alot of visitors today which suprises me as it's been raining constantly and I would have thought that it would keep people in their homes, but as it's reasonably warm outside (not in here! I have my hat and gloves on again!) people are still happy to venture out.

My body really aches all over especially my back, it was probably from working balanced on the ladder all day yesterday!!!!



















Day 11

I came in an hour early today.......it's damp, windy and wet and as I felt I made so little progress yesterday I thought I would take the opportunity to see what its like towork with the doors closed.
I have a lone pigeon inside I hope he/she finds a way out today! ok now I hear another bird, I don't know what it is as I am no authority on bird song... well at least it's singing!

.....strangely lonely without the soundscape!

11.00 Doors Open

Lots of visitors... one of my regular visitors came to see how I am progressing, nice to have a follower!
Two ladies came in and asked where are the paintings if this is an exhibition??
Two curious young boys on their bikes hesitated at the door and called out "What are you doing in there!" to which I replied "Come in and see!" In they came and proceeded to ask about everything; the works....the building...What's this?....What's that? and Where does that go? Wonderful curiousity!

1.30 It must be my busiest day so far!

2.55 The second roof pitch is on its way and the position for the second window is marked!

At least 35 visitors

Day 8

Yesterday when I got home and checked my messages I discovered to my dismay that the Youth Theatre workshop had been cancelled..... I am really disappointed! It took alot of work to write and plan and I was looking forward to the experiance! Oh well it gives me more tine on the installation.

I also got a message from Tuomas telling me that he and Jukka would be at Voimala at 10.00 to meet the press, this is a second visit from Aamuposti which is great. They were with us for 2 hours, lots of photos and talk so I really look forward to seeing the results.

Todays plan for the work was to work out the pitch of the roof, this is slow and uncomfortable work as I have to be up the ladder. The pitch is a bit steeper than I had wished owing to the reduced width of the mesh from which the work is hanging.

I worked the full 8 hours today with no break as I really wanted to complete the roof pitch as it was slower work than I had thought, but I felt happy with the end result as it feels like it's taking form now.

Tomorrow I will continue with the window wall and see how much of that I can complete.































A day well spent!