New Herald

Early summer in Ladonia

On the 27th of April it was a summer day in Ladonia. The beeches are getting green. A perfect day for the National Anthem (watch it below)

Beeches in Ladonia

In the Biennial the Italian artist Rosa Barba’s work is dealing with ”the lost island”, Rockyland Weather Island/Hallands Väderö. She has earlier made a project in Sweden, Outwardly from Earth’s Center, 2006, a fictional documentary about the island Gotska Sandön. At this occasion it is a real event, a floating island that once was the major part of Ladonia. When the island floated north it stranded near the (at that time Danish) coast, the peninsula of Bjäre. When this part of Denmark was conquered by the Swedes they occupied the island and expelled the Ladonian population. The Ladonians want their island to be given back from the Swedes. Rosa Barba’s project, The Incidental and the Interstitial, is showing several possibilities for pulling the island back in its original place. During the exhibition all visitors can participate in this work by pulling the ropes.

Rockyland seen from Ladonia

How Rockyland Weather Island has moved.

Method 1: Pulling it back with ropes

Method 2: Pulling it back with a sailing ship

Old map of Rockyland Weather Island when the Ladonians still were living there.

Knud-Erik Fredfeldt, living in Denmark, has been appointed Minister for Common Sense. The minister describe his ministry:
“A side effect of cheap access to computing power is that there is an increasing number of rules and laws, and most must be checked and documented The number of rules is now so large that in practice they can not all be met. All sensible and active people will violate a law or a rule. This means that the most striking effect of the laws are placing of the monkey and mostly on an innocent shoulder.
Work:
The theme for the Ministry of common sense would be to eliminate as many as possible rules and laws and replace them with common sense. In practice this would mean that any monkey always will land on the right shoulder.”

David Wade, Prince of Ladonia.has become a member of the Ladonian Bar Association.

Today the Ladonia Biennial of contemporary art opened.

Many visitors enjoyed the fine weather at the opening

The New Ladonia Opera House (designed by James Hartman) celebrated the biennial with a performance of Hector Berlioz’ Les Troyens.

The Biennial will open on the 24th of April, already starting from 00.00. The Yona Friedman mobile architecture event will take place early in the morning. Visitors should be careful and should not go to close to the area west of Wotan’s Tower and the Tower of the Winds.

Seminar program
1. Anxiety of Creativity, Possible Worlds and Secrets of the Artworld. Discussions revolve around existential conditions of creativity and its possibilities, 25th- 26th April 2009.
2. Farewell to Hidden Agendas - Towards an Open Post-Western Society? Critical Reflection on the 1st Ladonia Biennial International conference presented together with the Goethe Institute, 15th-16th June 2009. This seminar will bring together artists, curators and experts to critically examine the 1st Ladonia Biennial, and to assess this year’s Biennial in Venice with in-depth and critical reflection.

For the seminars Massimo Bartolini has made a special place.

Massimo Bartolini b. 1962 Italy

Massimo Bartolini’s work embraces various materials and techniques, from sculpture and performance to photography. His works have included an elevated floor that created the impression of distorted space; an installation in which a device on the heel of a visitor’s shoes altered the light in the exhibition space; and rooms suffused with perfume and the sound of leaking water. These, often sensual, artworks induce in the viewer a meditative state that is still highly experiential, making us reflect on the relativity of what is stable and unchangeable.

For the Ladonia Biennial the artist has designed the seminar lecture space, Seminar Island.

Massimo Bartolini Seminar Island 2009

According to the legend of Ladonia prince Aeneas of Troy is the beginning of Ladonia. As is very well known he met with Queen Dido in Carthage. What has not been noticed is that Dido had a son with Aeneas. The child grew up in Carthage but when he had become old enough he travelled far north. When he came to the land of sunset (which means Scandinavia) he found the garden of the Hesperides with the three (or seven) nymphs. The golden apples in this garden were guarded by the dragon Ladon which he killed. He then took the name Ladon and became the first of many kings carrying this name. The garden of the Hesperides became a kingdom, the Land of Ladon, later Ladonia. Until this day you can still find the remains of the apple trees at various places in Ladonia. King Ladon proclaimed his country around the year 1 000 B.C. When Ladonia was founded the largest part of the country was an island close to the shore called Atlantis. The Ladonia flag was all green. It was much later and as a gesture to Christianity that a cross in the same colour was added.

It is therefore a symbolic performance that will take place in Ladonia when the first biennial will open on the 24th of April. Hector Bérlioz’ Les Troyens will be performed as a sublime beginning of this adventure of contemporary art.

Poster for the Biennial

Beeches in Ladonia on the 20th of April

A part of the border between Ladonia and Sweden

A new supporting structure for the tower AF

Ladonia welcomes new citizens from South Korea (and also a couple, secretly, from North Korea). Almost 200 of our citizens live in South Korea.

A part of the shore of Ladonia on the 11th of April

South Korea

Yesterday they came, Mr and Mrs Duck, a very nice type of duck. They confronted in a friendly way other visitors. Their message is not easy to tell but it was certainly positive.

Mrs and Mr Duck

A closer view

The Ladonia Biennial will soon open. A project about the war against Sweden which will start before the operning is arranged by the British artist Jeremy Deller. The project is presented in the video below.