The Cultural Centre

This is the library at the cultural centre at Poseidon's Square in Handen. The Cultural Centre celebrates ten years in December. The celebrations takes place on 12.12.12. You can expect to see and hear some local artists including R & B-star Mary N’diaye and watch air acrobatics from Cirkus Cirkör.

The Curators

The experimental art project at the cultural centre in Handen closed on Saturday.The final installation was the opening of a new mobile art centre, named Konsthall 323. The artists and curators are Frida Krohn and Ylva Trapp. Their showroom is a Mazda 323 from 1983. After the official opening ceremony, where the artists cut the blue tape, there was refreshments and a lot of photography. And then the first four visitors (plus a baby),entered the mobile art centre for the five minute experience. I was in the second group and sat in the back-seat where I listened to a taped conversation between the two artists, as they made their way to the cultural centre discussing the road ahead and commenting on what they saw during those five minutes. It was a different art experience, filled with humour. In the next few months the mobile showroom will travel across the country, but no one knows where it will turn up next. But to keep track on what might happen in the future you check out the projects website.

Me fifth element - supreme being. Me protect you

Haninge Fantasy Games took place recently. By chance I noticed a photographer taking photos of a very colorful model outside the cultural centre in Handen so in my usual style I interrupted the proceedings and asked if I could join the fun. The photographer was Ice of Tin and the model Grimalcin Cosplay. Real name Elvina Ejstes. Elvina comes from Hara in Jämtland but is today based in Stockholm. She's in to Science Fiction and today she was dressed as Leeloo from The Fifth Element, one of my favorite sci-fi movies of all time, starring Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich as Leeloo, the perfect being. I told Elvina that I was planning to watch Ghost in the Shell that night, and she told me that she was at the premier of that movie in Copenhagen, dressed then of course as Major Motoko Kusanagi, the role that Scarlett Johansson plays in that flick. I took a few quick photos with Elvina posing up against the wall at the cultural centre and then thanked both of them for letting me interrupt their photo session. Always great when you find someone like this by chance, the only reason I turned this way was that I spotted a friend at the Grillmaster, and when I turned around there was Elvina being photographed.

Books, books and more books

Theme day. Books. I read books all the time. Normally I have two or even three books going at the same time. In English and in Swedish. There are a few libraries close to where I live. This is the Cultural Centre in Handen, it opened back in 2002. This is the view looking into the library where you can see some of the 90.000 books, audio books (and CDs), in different languages that are on offer if you have a library card. There's an area for the kids, and a cafeteria where you can enjoy a cup of coffee and read one of the 70 different news papers that the library offers. If you are interested in local history this is the place for you. There's also an art gallery here with interesting exhibitions and they often have concerts and theatre plays. All in all a very popular building with the locals.



Earlier this year this 1000 year old rune stone was moved from it's previous location behind the library and can now be seen from Poseidon's Square, where you will find the big entrance to the Cultural Centre. So even back then the Vikings read if not books at least runic inscriptions on the rune stones. Press here to see what the inscription says.


Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Ararat, Australia by freefalling, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Aurora, South Africa by shelagh, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Bali, Indonesia by Anak Dokan, Bandung, Indonesia by Eki Akhwan, Bandung, Indonesia by Bunyamin, Bandung, Indonesia by Harry Makertia, Bangkok, Thailand by UberSand, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Birmingham (AL), USA by VJ, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Ilse, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boulder (CO), USA by A Sterling World, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cavite, Philippines by Steven Que, Chandler (AZ), USA by PattheAZRealtor, Chapel Hill (NC), USA by missleah, Château-Gontier, France by Laurent, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Chateaubriant, France by trieulet, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chennai, India by Ram N, City of the Blue Mountains, Australia by Richard, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Edinburgh, UK by Dido, Evry, France by Olivier, Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA by Gigi, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Gliwice, Poland by prado&fio, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Haninge, Sweden by Steffe, Helsinki, Finland by PPusa, Herne Bay, Great Britain by Han, Lil n Caz, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Honningsvag, Norway by J., Islip (NY), USA by Bettye, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jakarta, Indonesia by Santy, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia by Susie of Arabia, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Karwar, India by Yogesh, Knoxville (TN), USA by hope, Knoxville (TN), USA by Knoxville Girl, Lakewood (OH), USA by mouse, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lodz, Poland by wikiyu, London, UK by Ham, Madrid, Spain by Tr3nta, Mainz, Germany by JB, Manila, Philippines by Hilda, Manila, Philippines by Heyokity, Melbourne, Australia by John, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Middletown (MD), USA by Bernie, Milton, New Zealand by Milton Daily Photo, Milwaukee (WI), USA by karl, Minneapolis (MN), USA by snapshutter, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Molfetta, Italy by saretta, Monrovia (CA), USA by Keith, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Montréal, Canada by My Life in Montreal, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Moscow (ID), USA by Sherry, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Murcia, Spain by usuahia, Napa (CA), USA by katester, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Delhi, India by Delhi Photo Diary, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, New York City (NY), USA by Kitty, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Oklahoma City (OK), USA by ananda.tashie, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Palos Verdes (CA), USA by tash, Paris, France by Elsa, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pensacola (FL), USA by P J, Philadelphia (PA), USA by Stiffa, Phoenix (AZ), USA by Sharon, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Townsend (WA), USA by raf, Prague, Czech Republic by kakna, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by slim, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Reykjavik, Iceland by Vírgíll, Riga, Latvia by Riga Photos, Roanoke (VA), USA by Tanya, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Rouen, France by Bbsato, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, Salem (OR), USA by pearls, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Francisco (CA), USA by Burd Zel Krai, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, Santa Fe (NM), USA by Randem, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Seoul, South Korea by Phil, Seoul, Korea South by SeoulSnapper, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Singapore, Singapore by Zannnie, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, Springfield (IL), USA by Aubrey, Stanwood (WA), USA by MaryBeth, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Sydney, Australia by Ann, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Tamarindo, Costa Rica by David, Tauranga, New Zealand by Lisa Sarsfield, Telluride (CO), USA by mtsrool, Tempe (AZ), USA by angie, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Torino, Italy by Fabrizio, Torun, Poland by Glenn, Toulouse, France by Julia, Trieste, Italy by Rob&Piero, Turin, Italy by Livio, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Verona, Italy by Valeria in Verona, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by D.C. Confidential, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Woerden, Netherlands by Marcel, Yakima (WA), USA by katney, Yellowknife, Canada by Arctic Dreamer, York, UK by Ruby in York,

At the Cultural Centre

There was a lot of different activities to see hear and try during Haninge Day on Saturday. Here are a few snaps from inside the Cultural Centre . On the top photo you can see local girl Johanna Martell, a young and talented opera singer preparing for her performance at the cafe. The pianist is Jacob Moscowic. More about Johanna on her web site. Or have a look at her blog.
Second photo shows a sculpture by Natalie Sutinen. It can be seen in the art room and Sutinen's exhibition opened on Saturday. The artwork has no name. It is made of wax, paper, books and feathers. Sutinen often works with wax dolls, and says that she wants to visualise death with her art. And I do think that really shows here.
On the third and last photo you can see the band Loud 'n' Proud playing some loud music in the theatre room. Surprisingly the audience were mostly pensioners, at least that was the case when I shot this. More photos from this fun day to come.

Kids Wall

I spent three years as a student at the Jordbromalmsskolan back in the late 1970s. The school sits next to the shopping centre where we spent a lot of time. Both will be gone soon. The school was a cultural centre for the last decade, but closed a couple of years ago. These murals can be found on a wall at the shopping centre, they were made with the help of the Jordbro World Orchestra two years ago. A new school opened nearby a few years ago, I remember snapping a few shots when that construction started a decade ago now. A new mall will be built closer to the commuter station in Jordbro, and a number of apartment buildings will be built where the shopping centre and school buildings stands today.

Petra

The cultural collective Levande Zon arranges theatre productions and musical events at Gula Villan (The Yellow House), in Haninge. This year they got a cultural scholarship from the municipality. It was presented during the Haninge Day celebrations last Saturday. This is one of the two women from the collective that were at hand to receive the award. Meet Petra. She is an art student at Ågesta folk high school. She is from Haninge, but will now move in to a collective apartment in Tyresö. I had hoped to photograph Petra and her friend Sanna during Haninge Day, but missed them when two of my friends arrived, so when I spotted Petra outside the cultural centre on a few days later I decided to ask her for a portrait.

Memory Hole

I had a sneak preview at an upcoming art exhibition yesterday. This is Arvid Wretman and Jenny Palén. Their exhibition is called Memory Hole and it will open at the Haninge Cultural Centre on Friday. I was having coffee at the cafe and started talking to Åsa Mårtensson who is the Master of Arts at the centre. She told me about the exhibition and we walked into the showroom where Arvid and Jenny were busy working. I wasn't allowed to take any photos inside the showroom so I asked them if we could go outside for a quick portrait. Arvid and Jenny are students at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm. The Memory Hole exhibition will run from this Friday until the 22th of August. If you visit on Friday you will also see a performance by Arvid and hear a musical performance by David Giese aka Joxaren. Later in the summer there will be an open workshop for students between seventh grade and ninth grade.

Entrance

I'm sure you could get a few culturals to praise this work of art at the cultural centre in Handen. They would talk about it's importance in this day and age, and how they liked the way the glass, stone and the wood interacted. And how the sound inside really surprised them. And then they would all use their smartphones to document this very significant work of art. At least until one of the workers walked in and continued the work of the replacing the revolving door that has been the entrance to the centre for the last 15 years.

Architecture and Lifestyle

How do you like these buildings? Funky is what I call them. The top one is a hotel, the second one a shop and a (closed), cafe at Ytterjärna. The architect was danish, Erik Asmussen. He got his inspiration from Goetheanum. These buildings are part of the Anthroposophy Centre at Ytterjärna. I don't do religion, but I do like my coffee and my architecture.

Free Cake Anyone?

The cultural centre in Handen celebrated ten years earlier this week. When I popped in for a visit, a group of people working at the centre were making their way towards the library where they presented a couple of surprised visitors with free cake and a a number of Christmas carols.

A man and a woman

Two recent candid snaps. The guy in the top photo is a local musician, as well as a new dad, and possibly a fan of Björn Borg. I have seen his band perform once or twice. Snapped that photo while at the cafe. I don't know the woman in the second photo but I found her photogenic in that orange top. I snapped that one outside the cultural centre at Poseidon's square.

An AcQuire (d) taste

AcQuire performing at the cultural centre, (Haninge kulturhus). I had coffee with a few of the guys that usually sits around complaining about whatever at Malmens kondirori as the choir sang a Coldplay song from the stage next to the cafeteria. Totally sure that the complainers didn't pick up on that. Because on this occasion they complained about the singing, before leaving and walking past the outdoor stage where another concert was under way, and while walking past me one of the guys told me that the music from that stage was horrible. It was not, it was in fact the highlight of the day so photos from that performance by Linda Pira and her dancers to come later.

Meet the architect

I was shooting a panorama photo at Stora Arken in Handen the other day, when a man walks by, turns around and asks if I'm Steffe, that guy with all the photos on the web. That's me I said, and that's how Rikard Lundin became my Stranger #14 for the 100 Strangers project. Rikard is an architect. And for the last thirty years he has been working as a landscape architect with Housing and Urban Development in Haninge. He told me that he was responsible for Stora Arken, (behind him) and a number of big projects around Haninge. including Kryddgården in Ålsta, Ribby Ängar in Västerhaninge and Ros-Anders gård, a retirement home in Tungelsta. At the moment he was working on Vega City, or Vegastaden, one of the biggest project in Haninge for many years. Rikard lives in Tungelsta and is a member of Folk och Trädgård, an association that I'm actually helping at the moment! I'm designing a few postcards for them, using some of my flickr photos. Rikard told me that his wife designed their web site, and he asked if they could possibly use some of my photos on their site, which is fine by me. We had time to discuss a few other thing as well. For instance how the rune stone behind the cultural centre at Poseidon's Square all of a sudden disappeared. Rikard told me (smiling as he said it) It's because the council 'just discovered the original location' and it's exactly at the stairs at the big entrance. Isn't that funny!

Different dress codes

Earlier in the week when I could still move around I shot a few candid photos of people coming and going at the big square outside the cultural centre in Handen.

Can you dig it?

Stopped at the cafe for coffee and a chat with the usual suspects. Asked one of them, Jim, if we should check out the latest exhibition at the Cultural Centre. As the art wasn't much to write home about we took a short walk in the area, checking out the atrium of a newish apartment building, that's the white building to the right. The atrium was snow filled so we walked down the stairs and found a digger. Finally something worth shooting! The background for this mirror photo is City Hall.

Please, be seated

One of my favorite motives when out with the Canon, doing street photography, is people sitting on benches. So here are a few recent examples. A girl at Norrmalmstorg, the square that gave us the term The Stockholm Syndrome back in the 1970s. Next, a nearly naked guy looking towards the Cultural Centre. And in the third snap a photo of Sergels torg, the most famous square in the city. In the fourth photo a curved bench near a water feature at Brunkebergstorg where you will find Sveriges Riksbank, a few restaurants and the entrance to the oldest mall, Gallerian. Lastly, One sock on, one sock of guy at Sergelgatan.

The Poseidon Building

More testing of the Viltrox C-AF 2x Magnification Teleconverter Extender. Shot this handheld at 400mm from the Upper Lake at the Rudan nature reserve. Aiming the camera at the top of the ugly 15-storey, (49m), high-rise at Poseidons Torg, a central square that you walk through if you are going to and from the commuter station, the mall and the cultural centre in Handen. The monstrosity known as the Poseidon Building, (Poseidonhuset, was built back in the mid 1980s. In the foreground the top of the building that I showed you a detail of yesterday.

A Cowboy

Saturday was Haninge Day. Which was celebrated around Poseidon's Square and in the Cultural Centre at Handen. The theme this year was Country & Western, so I went looking for a suitable stranger. And found one close to the big stage. This is Kent Olofsson. He is my second stranger from Värmland, the first one was Spik-Anders. Kent was here to perform with a group of friends. They call themselfes Åldtimers (Oldtimers). A bit of a word pun. They do all sorts of western things with lasso's, axes and CAS shooting. They have been touring Värmland and Sweden for 7 years. He told me that they normally visit High Chaparral six times every year.In his professional life Kent is a plåtslagare (something for you to translate). At the moment his working on a construction site in Oslo, Norway, so he spends 5 days of the week in Norway, living in an apartment paid for by the company he works for. On weekends he enjoyes western riding with his mates.

This is my 75th photo for the 100 Strangers project. You can see the rest of my strangers in my Set.

Time to turn on the lights again

Fifty or so lamps like these lights up the path to the cultural centre in Handen for the second year running. An Installation by Olsson & Linder.