Sleight of Tree

A poem by J.P. Sipilä

-- scroll down to read the poem --

 
 
 

 

About

Sleight of Tree is a poem installation on the web. You’ll get most out of this with any modern browser with any modern desktop/laptop computer. Things just aren’t the same with mobiles.

 

Text, video, desing: J.P. Sipilä
Music: Machinefabriek, Samuli Sailo, Kai Engel

 

J.P. Sipilä (b.1981) is a Finnish video artist and poet. LINK


“It is beautiful, pure, and, as with every good book or record, it invites your return.”

– Awkword Paper Cut: Swoon’s View.

#1 (the childhood propaganda)

nothin_in_it_white

Sometimes I see good colours and experience nice things.

Sometimes I see good colours and experience nice things.

Sometimes I see good colours and experience nice things.

I hear voices but they never say anything constructive.

They were kind to me when no one else was.

Maybe it’s a feeling you are being saved.

childhood_blur_white

I need to
become me
again

Maybe
it’s
a feeling
you
are
being
saved
by
this
person
and
without
them
to
save
you,
you’d
struggle
to
go
on?

Maybe
I have nothing to say.
I need the right thing said at the right time.
I am left with the propaganda that destroyed my childhood.

#2 (the flock)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Is this going up?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

30

 

 

 

Why do people always look up in here? We’re going down. I am looking down.

 

 

 

 

29

 

It’s a wish. Don’t they realise tha…
“Excuse me.”
“Yeah.”

 

 

 

 

 

28

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

26

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

25

 

 

The silence. This is a long ride.
They don’t know who they are. This is a long ride. Nobody is looking down.
I am not afraid

 

 

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

23

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21

 

 

I think we all know by now.

 

 

 

 

20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

keep breathing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16

 

 

If I close my eyes they all disappear.
It feels weird.

 

 

 

15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14

 

 

 

“Fourteen, please.”
Now they’re back. Everybody is here again. This is how it goes.
That girl is looking down. She knows where we are going.
She’s beautiful.

 

 

 

13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

09

 

 

“Did you hear the news?”
No small talk now, please. I have enough hard time breathing.
Should I say something? Something about our destination? About space? About astronauts? How they cannot breathe outside?

 

 

 

08

 

 

Nobody is interested about the news.
I think we all know by now. Know where this is going.
Everybody should know. The light is on. The number shines on the wall.
It’s not even a number, it’s a letter.

 

 

 

keep breathing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

07

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

06

 

 

I was not expecting this. We are going up. We are climbing. Is this what happens when we reach the bottom?

 

 

 

05

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

04

 

 

All is upside down. It’s a mirror. Looking at us. Seeing us here.
In beautiful details.

 

 

 

03

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

02

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

01

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0

 

 

I am the only one here. They all left when we reached the bottom.
I don’t blame a whole generation for their actions.
They didn’t want to join this ride with me.

 

 

 

 

–

 

 

 

It’s a reflection. I am at the bottom.

 

 

keep breathing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

?

 

 

I am going to stop breathing.
I get where I feel like.

 

 

 

?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

?

 

 

I always smile. I always make others laugh and happy.

 

 

 

?

 

 

 

But then again, that’s just the way I see it.

 

 

 

“Is this going up?”

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#3 (the snow)

She
gave me
a handshake.

Full of laughter.

Every time I take a look at the clock

I see an hour has gone by.

They are all kind to me.

When they want me to smile.

My reality and thinking

get distorted.

The propaganda

that destroyed my childhood.

iknow

I am not to blame.

I do that again and again.

I just need to become me again.

Please…

Protect me.

… and then I did.
But it didn’t change anything.
A tourist.
… but I didn’t.
And it didn’t change anything.
A tourist.


It’s snowing in Athína.

#4 (shut down)


This is going up.
We’re still doing the same things.
All this will grow on you.

Nature will do it for us.
something_good

 

 

 


Those people who think are wrong. Everything is worse and we’re still doing the same things
You know nothing about it unless it is taught to you.
I believed because I didn’t realize that not believing was even possible.

Even thought I still find myself kind of talking about it. Even thought I still find myself kind of talking about it. Even thought stll fnd myself knd of talkng about t. Even thought stll fnd mself knd of talkng about t. Even thoght stll fnd mself knd of talkng abot t. Even thoght stll fnd mself knd of tlkng bot t. Even thght stll fnd mself knd f tlkng bt t. vn thght stll fnd mslf knd f tlkng bt t.

hand2



Self will is probably an illusion.
I’d call it multiple choice will rather than free will.


Everything is worse and we’re still doing the same things.
They don’t exact immediate punishment on the stupid.


This is my childhood.
Will you let me grow old?


This is all in your head.
This is all your propaganda.


after_gone1

gow_again



This is a total shut down.
Just to save us.


grow_old

again

#5 (plastic)

since_everything

I think this is the primal survival instinct.
This evokes memories of better times
and makes me feel like I want to go on.
clock

Every
time
I
take
a
look
at
the
clock
I
see

an
hour
has
gone
by.

panic

this_is

This is a disaster.
A constant loop.

A clock.

A feeling.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A feeling
I am being
saved.

 
 
 
 

It’s your propaganda.

 
 
 
 

To make me smile

 

To make me grow

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

under your feet
and all around you.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

This is a disaster

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


And
it
may
in
fact
mean
something
after
all.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

–––
 
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Credits

Sleight of Tree

a poem installation by J.P. Sipilä
 
 
Video #1

“Out of the Forest”
a filmpoem
duration 2’56
video & poem by J.P. Sipilä
music by Machinefabriek
 
 
Video #2

”The Tourist”
a filmpoem
duration 2’50
video & poem by J.P. Sipilä
music by Samuli Sailo
 
 
Video #3
“Lost”
a filmpoem
duration 1’25
video&poem by J.P. Sipilä
music by Kai Engel
 
 
2014
www.jpsipila.com