The space of possibilities opens when I least expect it

and the result is almost always something I could not have imagined by myself.

The photoshoot titled " Trash the Dress", a collaboration project with Askepot & Duedahl (Wedding dress shop), Lena Matzen (photographer), Karsten Dannerfjord (graffiti and handyman), Taneli Törmä (dance) is an example on how seemingly not related situations create a space of possibilities.

Out of my comfort zone

In 2013 I had the possibility to volunteer in the dance performance “Behind my Skin” lead by choreographer and dance artist Taneli Törmä. I was, to be honest, quite nervous doing so with no dance experience whatsoever.

To prepare for the show we had several workshops. As it often is, it turned out that there was nothing to fear. Taneli Törma created a safe space for all of us volunteers to lean into to explore/ learn what was needed for the performance. Working with and being part of Taneli’s performance was so much fun and a huge inspiration. And I knew instantlyI wanted to get to know him better and do art with him after the last show. But I didn’t have a clear idea on what to do or how to make it happen.

In between rehearsals and the opening we had a short break which I spend staying at a spa hotel in Germany with my husband. This might seem as a completely irrelevant info but as you are about to find out it is very essential for the title of this blog post.

In the sauna

If you have ever been in a sauna in Germany you will know that there is one big difference between the danish way of doing sauna and the German one. Danes keep their bikinis and shorts on!

Being in Germany we did like the locals.

So here we are: me and my husband sharing a butt-naked moment when an obvious danish couple (beautiful bikini by the way) enters the sauna.

Having a conversation with a fully dressed person when you are the naked one is frankly quite awkward and intense eye contact is definitely preferable.

But that didn’t seem to distract the, yet unknown, woman from starting a conversation in a very straightforward manner.

She sits down, reaches out, shakes my hand and says “hey I am Jannie, nice to meet you - can I ask what you do ( for a living )?

.. Ehmmm I’m artist.. I replied, still embarrassingly aware of my own nakedness.

And instantly she laughed “I just knew it!”. She had a very sweet and kind laughter and that sort of broke the ice - if you can put it that way in a hot sauna.

We ended up sharing dinner with them and it turned out she owned a wedding dress shop.

The idea to have an artist paint on one of her dresses for advertising purpose had been on her mind for a while, and she asked me if I could see myself in doing that. Of course I could!

We agreed to speak more about it when I was done with the dance performance.

After the performance

with the wedding dress back in mind, I realized that I shouldn’t just paint on it as if it were a canvas.

I should color it while dancing in it and it should not only be the bride dress but also the grooms clothes.

Now I had an idea to share with Taneli

He liked the idea and the week after we meet in my studio to unfold the idea and planning the practicalities on how to do it.

This was the beginning of the project "Trash the Dress"

And it became a beginning of a beautiful friendship with Jannie Duedahl

( She no longer works with beautiful fashion for weddings - but love is still the core of her business as a mentor-coach supporting people after the divorce. )

And an inspiring and fruitful, creative partnership with Taneli, with whom I have made several cross disciplinary projects ever since.

See more projects

or read more about Taneli Törma

The point is: you never know when and how new possibilities show up - but putting yourself out there no matter how much a beginner you are or how awkward it may seem sure helps possibilities to the surface.