Residency Period:
1 October 2013 - 31 October 2015
Bio
Milena Kosec was born in January 1947 in Ljubljana (Slovenia, EU), where she has lived and worked her entire life. In 1974 she graduated in technical mathematics at Ljubljana University. In 1971 she started her first job at the Jožef Stefan Institute. She planned and led the elaboration of new applications for different fields in different companies, usually by means of the most current computer technology. By the end of year 2002 she was retired. In the years between1975 to 1983 she primarily devoted herself to her family.
Her artistic work began spontaneously with her first work “Državica PtiÄjestrašilna” (The Pocket-size State of Scarecrows) in 1992. After that, she performed several public actions which commented on events in Slovenia intertwined with her own intimate stories. In 2007 she decided that she would no longer produce anything material-based nor document her work. In 2008 she was invited to the European Contemporary Art Biennial MANIFESTA7, with one of her immaterial projects Random Private Conversations.
After her last art action in 2012, Milena read a lot about the situation in her country and the world in general. Bewildered by the vast and contradictory information available and the number of the contemporary artists with similar practice, she became unsure if her critical approach to art was still relevant. This has made her stop her art practice and return to the question: “what are the basic needs for life?” Having “water and food” as her answer to this question, she decided to improve her knowledge on them through manual work and organic gardening. Her first attempt at gardening this past year made her realize that she needed more education about various aspects of organic gardening.
During her 2nd year at RFAOH, she will continue to educate herself on this front while she may report some other related on-hiatus activities throughout the year. She feels that this on-hiatus activity may be helpful for her art practice in the future.
Final Report
To be an honorary resident was even more liberating than to be a normal resident. I enjoyed in gardening without thinking what would be important to write for residence page. I am grateful to Shinobu and Matt for opportunity in which I was connected with other residents one year more. To be without any obligation was wonderful feeling.
The last year of the residency I improved my knowledge about gardening through every day practice. It was important that I have enough time for working in garden and cooking fresh vegetable every day. As I had enough different vegetables I ate much healthier. The final consequence of all together is strong improvement of my health (much less problems with chronic diseases).
In two years of residency I completely broke with routine of making art. As I had enough time for looking around and thinking I saw or better I felt how quick society is changing. Contemporary art can't adequately follow this changes caused by technology on one hand and hegemonic states on another hand. We as society are not aware at all what is going on. In front of us I see total unknown world which is completely indescribable, which I hardly can even think about. How than can I make comments on it?
My plan for future is gardening and different other activities. As artist I will probably stay on hiatus.
On Nov 2 2015, shinobu commented on Autumnal Pampering: In Japan, too, and my mother told me that when she was little, on the day of full moon in September [...]
On Nov 1 2015, milena kosec commented on Autumnal Pampering: With globalisation we also got the Halloween.I am not happy with this at all because we have another[...]
On Nov 1 2015, shinobu commented on Autumnal Pampering: Thanks for the report, Milena -- what kinds of pumpkins you get ?! There are lots of orange pumpkins[...]
On Oct 4 2015, enrique commented on The Beauties Of The Garden: aah hahaha shinobu ! be prepare if you ever visit mexico, specially oaxaca, but not only there! http[...]
On Oct 4 2015, enrique commented on Summer Holidays (Break and Rest): something like 30 or 40 different plants !! wonderful work (and enjoyment)... un abrazo !![...]
Winter Is Coming
Happy New Year to all!
December Garden Report
In the beginning of the month sunrise is at 7.42 am and sundown at 16.18 pm. At the end of the month a day is about 8.40 hours long. December was cold in first half with temperature about zero or less. In the second half it was warmer. In the last part of December we used to have some snow in the past years but this time we had similar weather as in November with temperatures from 4C to 10C. Too warm.
In the garden I didn’t do anything. I just gathered radicchio from the bed for every day salad. Instead of practical gardening I worked hard on theoretical field. The most interesting book I red was Holzer Permaculture by Sepp Holzer. Author is Austrian mountainous farmer on farm KRAMETERHOF (1100m – 1500m high) with forty years of praxis. In the book I really find a lot of important practical advices for better and easier gardening, for healthier food.Two other books which I read: Misa Pusenjak: Moj ekovrt (My Ecogarden) and Kornelija Benyovsky Sostaric: Zeleni kvadrat –zdravje iz organskega vrta (Green square – health from organic garden) are very good manuals for everyday use. But Holzer is more radical. He would never buy something which he can produce by himself.
I also look on internet about some actual health problems with GMOs food. So I find out my residency work as very important and good decision. Follow SCIENCE.naturalnews.com and you will agree with me.
I cook as simple as it is possible. Any green salad I eat with olive oil (sometimes with pumpkin oil), citron juice or apple vinegar, small amount of yogurt, a clove of garlic and salt. Sometimes I add cooked eggs or potatoes or beans and green spices. In spring and summer time I usually add eating flowers: violet, primrose...
Maciej wrote on Jan 5:
I am sucker for good food and I cook a lot. How do you like to prepare your radicchio salad?
milena wrote on Jan 12:
I cook as simple as it is possible. Any green salad I eat with olive oil (sometimes with pumpkin oil), citron juice or apple vinegar, small amount of yogurt, a clove of garlic and salt. Sometimes I add cooked eggs or potatoes or beans and green spices. In spring and summer time I usually add eating flowers: violet, primrose...
Maciej wrote on Jan 5:
I am sucker for good food and I cook a lot. How do you like to prepare your radicchio salad?