BP Introduction

Why, Hello there.  Glad you were able to make it today.  Initially I asked Kim to interview Jussi. I knew that they would be perfect together as their personalities are just straight AWESOME.  Their art is both unique and amazing and they both have each others mutual respect = GREAT chance for an interview.  The first draft came and it TOTALLY seemed like a conversation.  So I shot them back an email and asked them if they be interested in an idea i had.  Would they be ok if I played around a bit with the interview and also have Kim fill out the same questions that she asked Jussi.  They both agreed. I wanted to have fun with it and made sure it was ok. This was also inspired by Ale’s Chloe series.

The scene:  Seattle, January 5, 2012 (HAHA shameless plug for the “Darkroom Series v.1” Gallery Opening.)  Jussi and Kim are guests at the event as well as an event in collaboration with it, Bumbershoot In The Winter (no such thing, but work with me…Bumbershoot is in the summer).  They are sitting on a panel that I put together to talk about Mobile Arts and the BLOW-UP-ABILITY (that’s right…I made that up – enter patent) within the International Arts.

So…enter the “Story of Two Friends: Jussi and Kim in Seattle”

(Winter Day – Seattle/ Café Zeitgeist on 2^nd and Jackson)

An iPhone sits on a table next to a very large cup of joe.  The drinker of said cup of joe, Jussi from Oulu, Finland who now lives in Helsinki.  He is here at Café Zeitgeist meeting for the first time his “imaginary” friend, Kim.  Kim is from Switzerland and has been traveling the world.  The both of them are photographers who use mobile devices.  Enter Kim.  Doors blow open, wind blows cold air through the café and everyone notices this bubbly personality.  It’s like the café knew she was coming as The Beatles plays in the background.

Kim:  “Jussi? Hi, I’m Kim”

Jussi:  “Kim? Hello my friend!”

(He is a handsome and imposing figure, magnetic in his personality.  Charismatic, yes, but also very mysterious. For some reason, he has a couple of post-its on his face. One reading “Like” and the other reading “comment.)

(She is a happy soul.  Beautiful in how she walks through the café.  Almost fairy tale like.  Her dog follows her with a smile on his face.  No one even asks her for her animal service paperwork, because she and her pup looks just so happy, that they too have caught the happiness bug.)

(Jussi signals the café barista for another cup of joe.  He’s only been in Seattle for 3 hours and his aura demands respect. The barista brings out a Chai Latte.  Jussi reminds everyone of the “World’s Most interesting Man”.  He carries his artwork it seems on his sleeves.)

Kim: Jussi, tell me all about yourself?

Jussi:  I’m a boy from a far away land called Finland. I live in a small city called Oulu, but right now I’m located in Helsinki. I live every day with passion and an urge to express myself. But you can call me SKWII!

Kim:  SKWII? I love it.  What does it mean?

Jussi:  Ermm… Early nerd times, that nickname was something me and my brother used on online games :Y  –  one computer, one nick, we’re twins 🙂 …Eh so the meaning… It’s a sound of a hamster squeeking, as it translates to Finnish. Skwiik=squeek

Jussi:  And Kim, what can I know about you my friend?

Kim:  My name is Kim and my parents chose it cause it was short and hard to make shorter so my friends made it longer to find me a nickname! You have to say it with a French accent, it’s not Kim-O but more like Kim-OOH haha! You can call me Kimou or Mik or Mikmik.  I’m from Switzerland.  I was born and raised in a village where the population was mostly composed of cows, sheeps, and horses.  Soon I’m moving to the land of Goblins, gold pots, and cloverleafs.  I shall call Dublin home for at least the next 6 months.

Jussi:  That is awesome my friend. (He reaches for his trusty iPhone to snap a picture)

(At that same moment, Kim has done the same.  They point the phone slash camera at each other.)

Jussi:  I see you have an iPhone too my dear.

Kim:  Yes my friend, Skwii. I love it so dearly. I hope that you aren’t offended if I show you what is on my camera roll.

Jussi:  Of COURSE not.  I was going to do the same.

(The both of them thumb play on their devices. Each of them almost trying to beat the other to their camera rolls. Alas, they both reach their rolls the same time and flash each other their favorite shot in a FBI agent showing their badges.)

Kim/Jussi:  Look at what I’ve got.

(They both show them a photograph of the others.) Jussi’s UP, Kim’s Down.

Kim/Jussi:  This is my most favorite shot of yours.  I have the utmost respect for you. (They look at each other, in awe.)  JINX, BUY ME A COKE.  (They both must have read online somewhere some of the stupid, crazy games that Americans play.  This is a game when 2 or more people say the same thing at the same time, they say JINX, and the first to say it must buy a coke.  Again a real stupid game and this narrator must now digress)

(Bumbershoot In The Winter – Seattle Center – Under the shadow of the Space Needle)

(Flash forward to a panel – This panel consists of the two of them that Brad Puet has put together.  The panel is a discussion on mobile device artistry and how this has affected/effected the world of photography.  Jussi and Kim have gained international accolades for their work as mobile photographers.  Jussi is asked the first set of questions.)

Jussi:  Esteemed colleagues, ever since touching an iPhone, the photography possibilities were and have been my highest interest. I was so excited about my first paid app TiltShiftGen that I took hundreds of photos and some photo walks even before the Instagram community had adopted it. And yes, I always did every art course project as photographs if I had a chance.

Moderator:  What inspires you, Jussi?

Jussi:  I love instagram so much.  I go there to learn and get inspired. There are many sources of inspiration with the people I follow on Instagram, and more.  Street art, Japanese Manga to name a few.

It gives me the feeling of dancing and strange films which also inspire me greatly.

(He  looks over and sees Brad dancing a jig.  Almost as if they planned it.  Looks over to Kim and says, “that is for you my friend, I know you will see some jigs in Dublin.)

Jussi:  I’ve said this like a thousand times to anyone asking and I’ll say it again (He bellows a laugh.) I LOVE Juxtaposer- Don’t even wanna start about why this app BLOOOWS MY MIND. Any photo on my stream that looks or feels imaginary has been through Juxtaposer.

(He then looks at Brad.  “Brad, this is for you and the rest of the Juxters.” And he gives a raised fist)

Jussi:  I create while I go. Sometimes if there’s no inspiration, I take a lot of simplified shots to use later and mix mash and blend. Ideas come as bursts, many at a time and you just have to start creating them as soon as possible. Never doubt even the silliest ideas or the progress will stop. Don’t trust yourself? Then do it sarcastically 😀

(Jussi then passes the microphone to Kim.  As the moderator turns her questions towards her)

Kim:  Hello everyone! I always been crazy about photography, always has been a great passion for me… I started to do mobile photography with my first iPhone the 3Gs, I actually found out about instagram because of my passion, but it was late in February 2011.. I remember that I could spend whole weekends out in the cities of Switzerland, taking pictures of candid.. I had a passion for shadows and redscale when I started! Now my style evolved and since a week I’m in love with my 4S.

Moderator:  You have a very unique style.  It’s very vibrant and the miniature vehicles are an added touch.  How did this come about?

Kim:  I’m quite an hippy in heart kind of person. I need colors in my life, they make me feel alive! It’s quite impossible for me to turn a colored picture into b&w HAHAHA.  I’ve received my first miniature vehicle 4 years ago while we were in holidays in Spain. It was the blue hippy minivan! Then one sunny Sunday of April, I was alone at home with my camera. I took all my favorite toys in my room and went outside for taking pictures, since that day I started to put the minivan in every situations I could, took it in holidays with me.. And I started to buy others, even if a lot of them are presents! I received a yellow new yorker taxi for Christmas! Can’t wait to find the perfect situation for him!

Moderator to both Jussi and Kim:  How do you picture yourself in 20 years?

Jussi:  An hour ago I imagined I’d still be sitting here, trying to write this interview… But then I thought “Whatever, the people I like and love will still not hate me no matter how dull or shockingly I write” and been enjoying it ever since 🙂 … 20 years… Maybe our galaxy has been destroyed by a giant supernova? At least I won’t be a physicist HAHAHA

Kim: Haha in 20 years?!?… That is a long time! I didn’t even live as many years yet HAHAHA! Maybe I’ll have my own photography shop, or maybe I’ll have to live in the forest and eat mushrooms for surviving!

Moderator to both Jussi and Kim:  Tell us 3 more random facts about you that you didn’t already say?

Kim:

1.  I’m not a morning person,
2. I can’t spend more then 5 minutes without hearing music,
3. and I have a phobia of everything that doesn’t have legs (fish, snakes,…)

Jussi:

1. Ginger and garlic are my favourite,
2. I have no idea how to pay back everything our parents have done for us,
3. Email me at jussi.ulkuniemi@gmail.com if you wanna buy my 3GS with my own background design attached. :)) or just wanna chat

(Flash forward to the Seattle/Tacoma International Airport:  Both Kim and Jussi await their flights back to their respective homeland)

Kim:  We have a few more moments together my friend.  It has been an honor and I look forward to our next mobile device arts conference sponsored by Juxt and this isn’t a shamless plug, I’m just saying that Brad Puet is an awesome man with awesome artwork and is great at being a friend, and on top of that he is funny as hell…”etc etc…blah blah blah, whatever whatever”…

(Kim talks for another 7 minutes about how Brad is really cool as Jussi nods his head in COMPLETE agreement and even a couple times in talking about Brad they HI5’d each other, gave pounds, shed a tear, sighs…and then she asks Jussi)

Kim:  What is the most craziest thing you’ve ever done?

Jussi:  Tough one. Revisiting memory lane… Beep beep. Filtering family-friendly and socially acceptable solutions… Beep beep…Hmm… How’s eating ice cream out of a public trash can during the summer? Just for the thrill of it, with another crazy friend….Also just laying on the middle of a busy walking street just to see how the crowd reacted. None of this would have never happened if I hadn’t had my friends backing me up though.

Kim:  Oh Jussi, you so CRAZY!!! Is your sense of humor a family thing? Or a typical Finnish thing?

Jussi:  My father is a very humorous guy so I guess that’s where I’m getting the need for all the meaningless fun blabber. (He smiles) Can’t say this is anything traditional, I’m not that good with any “traditional Finns” or anything. For starters I haven’t met many Finns who’d ever take mobile photography seriously.

(Jussi hears his flight number called but looks to Kim)

Jussi:  Now your turn before I leave.  What is the most craziest thing you’ve ever done my friend?

Kim:  Nothing as crazy as you Jussi! I don’t do craziness on purpose, just like to enjoy life and do whatever makes me feel happy! Just like jump in a boat going I don’t know where even if I’m sick as hell and supposed to go somewhere later.. I finally lost myself in the middle of the lake.. I often lay on the ground for taking pictures, people must think I’m crazy! I’m more clumsy over crazy too…don’t forget we have to try the bungee jumping together someday!!!

(Jussi hears his flight calling for the last time.  Kim then hears The Beatles on her iPhone.)

Kim/Jussi:  WAIT…what is our last word to each other before we go home? (Again another JINX, BUY ME A COKE MOMENT)

Jussi:  SKWIII

Kim:  KIM-OOH

(The two of them walk away from each other.  One walking away with his Finnish swagger.  The other walking away with her pup at her side making airport staff smile.  They both look at each other one last time and throw up a big thumbs – EMOJI style, and hand their flight attendants their tickets and disappear into the tarmac)

 

THE END.