First Island Thoughts

by Maria Windschüttel

Meeting a new island is meeting a new potential friend. So I try to be attentive and curious with every step, being open to the views and atmospheres which are crossing my paths. My further island stays taught me, that every oddity may hide beauty. And this is what I am searching for.

I arrived on Kyrklandet four days ago. The view from my window already feels quite like home. Probably also because what I see appears familar, like the sweet Finnish dream I’ve been dreaming since I first set foot on a real Finnish island, 22 km from Helsinki – oh dear memories. Through the trees I see the sea, which ends in the view of another island. The ground is covered with moss and blueberries. From time to time there is a rabbit hopping by, and I saw tiny puffy birds playing in the birches. Sounds calming? Only until you know that there is the ferry just around the corner. You can hear it, you can feel it. It takes you away every now and then, out of that silence of nature and mindfulness, back to society. It feels like it makes me get to know this place better, faster. Because Kyrklandet is obviously not a remote lonesome island and there would be no good reason to claim so. But what do you do with your own space, how much do you let the outside interfere anyways?

I am now, after arriving, quite interested in figuring out the differences between these three islands participating in the project. They seem close, yet far. But my main mission for now is to find one interesting little spot I can freely work at, to make a first real connection to the raw island.

A spontaneous temporary sand work at the nearby beach, which I am actually not allowed to stay at, as I learned afterwards. Anteeksi, dear owners, and kiitos you dear beach, for this beautiful first impression.