Welcome, reality

Ok, so here it comes – the hangover to all the good changes that are in motion right now. I’m freaking out a little. My world has been so small for such a long period of time –  it’s just been me and my own inner Universe – and now it’s expanding, so fast and with so much intensity and I feel like it’s being invaded by reality. It’s healthy but it makes me feel vulnerable and anxious. I’ve been spoiled with clean hours – hours free from any expectations or pressure from the outside. Those hours used to pass with a slow movement, almost like they never existed inside my apartment, like it was only an illusion just to keep up with the world outside it. Now they feel manipulated and distorted. Cut in half. Speeded up. Attacked. I need to get used to this. It’s just a matter of adjustment. But it still feels strange. I feel a little stressed by it. I haven’t had the time to create anything this week. Hopefully I will find some time tomorrow.

Life has changed its rhythm and I have to accept it. I will even try to embrace it.

10 minutes

IMG_20160502_222728

Life is really kind to me right now.  Doors are beginning to open up for me and I am finding new opportunities, possibilities and a chance to grow all the time. It looks like I’m getting an internship at a local gallery – what a dream! I know this opportunity will give me a lot of new knowledge and experience and it’s just the perfect workplace for me at this point. I feel really connected to the concept of the gallery and its purpose. I’m so excited!

And my painting “The Core” will be finished soon. I can’t wait to share it with you. I am already planning my next painting. And the next. And the next…

In 10 minutes, Johnny will call me from California. I wish my phone could swallow me whole and transport me and my body all the way to the States, because I miss him so much. I want to smell his face. Be forehead to forehead and feel our thoughts blending in an invisible stream of sensual energy and love. Some days are cruel. The days when the missing turns into a disease. Other days, like today, I just feel so happy to know that there is a home for me out there. I used to feel homeless for such a long time. Possibly all my life. Even though I’ve always had a home, an actual apartment or a house and people around me who claim they love me. But I’ve been so lonely. There is no other emotional torture worse than feeling lonely in a relationship. To have someone but not having any access to them. To be spooned at night, but feeling like you are replaceable. To share a romantic dinner with someone who never looks into your eyes. To feel like a guest in your own house. To long for silence and solitude instead of togetherness and company. So I am very grateful for what I share with Johnny, even if he’s half a world away. I’d rather share a geographical distance with someone than an emotional one.

5 minutes now…

Hello spring!

13101370_10153582548052654_232527781_n

The view from my window right now; the cemetery and the Valborg celebration in the park behind it, with a bonfire (to the left of the chapel) and fireworks

I am out of sync with this day, like I never really woke up at all today. It’s the evening of Valborg – the last day of April and as a European tradition, it’s time to officially welcome spring. I can hear a choir singing traditional Swedish songs of spring and hope, all the way from the park behind the cemetery outside my window. I’m still very allergic but I welcome spring, in many ways this year. I am anticipating so many wonderful things to come. A new collection of artworks. Art shows. Writing projects. A new job. Johnny coming back to Sweden to visit me again. More happiness. More creativity. More of everything that is good. But first, I have to survive the pollen season before I can celebrate all the good things to come without any distractions.

Now, I can hear a brass orchestra making a salute. I guess it’s officially spring now. Time for growth. Optimism. Hope. Colors. Creative explosions. More light. Butterflies. Love. I told you – everything good is just around the corner.

Painting childhood memories

Before I even got to celebrate my very first birthday, I had developed a serious case of atopic eczema and a lot of different allergies that would make my skin break out in violent rashes that would itch and make me scratch myself until I was without any skin on my hands, and I had to wear bandages. My parents treated it with alcohol and strong cortisone ointment, twice a day, every day for years and years. I was always visiting hospitals and doctors, one doctor even used me as a research object because of my serious illness. 


This was a very painful experience, both for me and my parents who would hear me scream and cry because of the itching, the bleeding sores and wounds, and the excruciatingly painful alcohol treatments. I couldn’t stop myself from itching and my fingers, hands, became my worst enemies. The same hands that loved to create and make beautiful art. The same hands that were my best friends. My body had urges and desires to hurt myself, to cause myself pain and torments, and I was helpless and could not resist these urges. 

And this is only the physical experience of my childhood physical trauma. Of course I felt awkward about the red spots and rashes, the constant itching, all the allergies and the way it became a social handicap for me. 

Some kids where disgusted with me because I was always scratching myself and my body was full of bleeding wounds, scabs, with pus and my eyes were puffy and swollen because of all the allergies. Most of my classmates accepted me, but some kids were bullying me and teasing me because of my physical appearance.


I remember one kid told me he was not allowed to touch me because his mother had told him I might be contagious. That one REALLY hurt. And it was completely untrue. Even so, I felt so disgusted by my own body – and even though I was a victim of this disease, I felt like a perpetrator – to myself and others, by just being me. 

Untitled-3

In first grade, when I was 7 years old, the entire class got a children’s version of The Bible. And our teacher was reading it out loud, I guess it was the basic ‘stories’ from the Bible and it took us some months to study it while she was reading the biblical stories. After she finished reading from it and we had all the basic biblical dramas alive in our heads, she asked us to paint something from it, that had made a big impression on us. Most kids made drawings of angels, the crucifixion or the virgin Mary.

But I made a drawing of a poor leper (with sores all over his body) in a monk’s robe, visiting Christ.

According to the Gospels, when Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A very sick leper came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

 

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. I am sure I felt a connection to this poor, sick man who just wanted to feel clean and accepted for his physical existence.

A ‘near-life’ experience

IMG_8408

How can I explain this to you? I’m not sure that I completely understand it myself. Ok, so you know that feeling when you’ve had too much coffee – your hands are trembling, your heart is beating really fast and you feel sort of hyper? And you know that feeling of being really, really in love – it’s like you’ve swallowed the whole Universe and it’s overwhelming and wonderful at the same time?  OK, so add the feeling of being deeply inspired (like after a day at the Louvre) and intensely horny (after the best foreplay ever) – that’s how I am feeling right now. All of that – mixed into a very strange sensation of having a ‘near-life’ experience.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’ve been posting a lot of poems written in Swedish lately- I wish I could translate them but it’s impossible because I play with words a lot. I had no idea that I would be writing poetry like this. In Swedish. I have been planning this year to the last little detail:

1. self-empowerment process
2. go back to painting again
3. find a way to make more money
4. write a short story

Writing poetry was not part of the plan, but I guess that’s the nature of plans – life will change them without asking for your permission. Thank God. And now, I just can’t stop writing. I was so focused on reconnecting with my paintings again that I didn’t see how anything else could ever be even a bigger release. But that’s exactly what my poetry is to me. A big. Fucking. Release.

I’ve done so many changes in my life lately and I feel so liberated. And with that comes a sense of innocence. Like I returned to innocence after my traumas. And like anything is possible. Like I can do anything I want. Be whatever I want to be. Say whatever I feel like saying. I’ve never been this private in my creative expressions before. They are all self-portraits. Diary notes. My core beliefs. It feels really powerful. Explosive.

As I am writing these poems, I feel lighter in my heart. Like my blood has been clogged by such deep pain – and now it’s rushing through my veins without any resistance. The pain is fading into the past. Into a void beyond my reach. It used to be sharp as a blade. Infinite. Swirling into itself and out again. For the first time I can see what has been hidden underneath it.  It’s me. Life. Love. Light. Poetry. Art. Passion. Sex. Humility. Gratitude. Peace. Freedom.

It makes me feel high, even on foggy days like yesterday.

My blood is rushing. Fast. My mind reigning. I feel clean. But so filled with stories. Colors. I’m deep into my own thoughts but still extremely present in the world outside myself. I’m absorbing everything and I let myself get absorb by external elements.

I wish everyone could feel awakened like this. We all deserve it. We are all capable. We just have to let go of all the layers of crap that other people and society have forced on us. It’s hard to do. But possible. Just look at me. Look inside me.

It’s the only way I know how to explain what I’m going through right now.

HUSET

huset

Vassa flisor
herrgårdsgult
sticks
under huden
fläker ut
träsmak
i munhålan

Det är allt
som finns
kvar
våra årsringar
alldeles ruttna
torrt
utkarvade
i minnet:

Jag försvinner
i dina väggar
in i putsen
bakom bjälkar
under isolering
långt bortom
din tystnad
jag försvinner
längre in

Trånga samtal
alltid en möbel
i mitten
kanske en pall
på alla fyra
en sticka under
varje ord
jag får smisk
sedan mat

Nyårsklockorna
dånar
i en hel timme
min kropp
full av spån
och chips
sväller
i takt med
din likgiltighet

Finns jag?
liknar mönstret
i parketten
eller vinden
som drar in
när du går ut
tomma spegelglas
putsar
bort
mig själv
nu finns
jag inte

På verandan
bor koltrasten
I källaren
sitter spindlar
som svarta 
stjärnor
i fukten
under dina naglar
bor min längtan
mitt huvud svullnar
saknar kropp
dinglar bara nerver
under
jag är bläckfisken
som bor i ditt hus

Vaknar av att
du
knullar mig
du
bökar
som en gris
i mörkret
rummet äter
alla tankar
pärlsponten
trycker undan
min röst
du
Somnar om

Längtar
efter
att få
slänga
ut
mig själv
genom
fönstret
har tappat
nyckeln
förståndet
längtar
efter
att känna
marken
mot ryggen
efter
att känna
nåt
vad
som
helst

Dagsljuset bränner
sig fast i mitt skinn
brännpunkter överallt
jag är så ensam
överallt
tystnad
över
allt
vi köper
kommer
med batteri
även middagar
serveras med sladd
och plasma

Jag når knappt dig
sitter fast i tapeten
klister på baksidan
av min dröm
om oss
doften av tunnhet
tidlösa timmar
en stillhet som
är overklig

Jag flagnar bort
lite mer
varje morgon
tappar hår
färg
år
skrapar bort
mig själv
i ditt hus

Bara några
flagor
kvar nu
slutar inte
falla sönder
jag hör huset
viska
där tapeten
krusar sig
sorgskuggor
utdragna
kan inte andas

vänder mig
ut och in
det knakar
trästommen
slår sig
jag kvävs
i den unkna
känslan
av min egen
död
rör upp damm
i varje försök
att återuppstå

Bänder loss
min själ
från dina grova
spikar
sliter ut
min rädsla
korsfäst
i våra sprickor
jag lämnar dig
huset
och tomheten

Bryter mig loss
strängar av klister
som sega
navelsträngar
mellan mig
och huset
gör motständ
när jag rasar
ut
ur
ditt hjärta

tillbaka in
i mig själv
tränger
ända in
i livet igen

Rådjuret

Jag är ett rådjur
inte på riktigt
men jag är rå
som hjärtat
vrålar
i ett djur

Rå som naturen
bladen på träden
blicken i bäcken
som saften
djupt
bakom barken

Jag lever i åskan
river sönder
himlens kropp
med mitt ljus
som blinkar tätt
nu
inte nu
men nu

Vilda fåglar
Sjunger
med min röst
flyger mina ord
ekar mellan
yta och kärna
glänta och slätt

Min tid samlas
i vartenda bär
i regnets tyngd
i kråkans sorg
under den mull
som längtar
efter mig
och allt som är
rått

– Mia Mäkilä – 16

En röd liten kärleksdikt

tumblr_o539bjWN1D1uqnf3ho1_400

Ögonblick
av
kontaktannons
i varje öga

Din hud
mjukt varm
och
när-het

Röstbrevlådan
där inne
ekar mellan
låren

Andetag mig
härifrån
ett efter ett
mot väggen

Att välta
verkligheten
blottar
röda rötter
som kittlas
på tungan

– Mia Makila -16

A goldfish metaphor

IMG_20160427_134043

My mind is a little foggy today. There are so many processes in motion right now, it’s a bit overwhelming. I never knew how much hard work it would take to get my life back in order. I knew it would be hard work – but it’s been two years since the break up where my life completely fell apart. Two years. So many small steps, slow and subtle changes, drastic changes and painful wake up calls. But two years is nothing compared to how many years I lived in the ruins of my own life. I have to accept that some days I have to take a break so I can catch my breath. It’s perfectly normal. I’ve come so far, but I know this is just the beginning of a new journey. I feel excited. There are so many possibilities – so many stars to catch.

It’s like I’ve been a goldfish trapped in a tiny bowl for all my life and now I’ve been set free into the ocean. Where should I go? I’ll let the waves carry me. And my goldfish instincts.

My academic demons

rsz_img_20160426_115458

My work “In the bush” (2007, mixed media on antique postcard) is featured in this intriguing academic research, published and written by PhD candidate Line Henriksen, at the Department of Gender Studies, Linköping University, where she’s been working on a research project on digital monsters called “IN THE COMPANY OF GHOSTS – HAUNTOLOGY, ETHICS, DIGITAL MONSTERS”!

Girl

Törst

Trots en
trogen
törst
efter tröst
törs jag
törsta
efter mer
nu

för första
gången
förstår jag
står jag
utan
en enda
tår

mitt i världen
inser värdet
att just jag
är värd det
här är det
väldigt
skönt

jag vecklas
ut
växer ur
väcker
rus
växlar
ljus
mörker
och mjuka
“I love you’s”

är den tröst
som först
inte hade
någon röst

– Mia Makila 2016