Friday
This tenth incarnation of the now world renowned Oslo Suscon welcomes practitioners and participants from fifteen countries around the world.
It is the intention of creators Christiane and Havve to see a hundred suspensions take place over the weekend; an ambitious but attainable goal. While I don’t want to go into too much detail about this, I would like to mention that no-one involved in the suscon has been hurt in any way from the explosions that are currently in the news worldwide.
Much like last year or the year before that, there are many familiar faces present, and the atmosphere is vibrating with anticipation and happiness.
Allen Falkner is with us again, and will give a lecture on rigging this year. From Russia we have, among others, Stanislav, Elena, and Max from The Sinner Team – known for their controversial free fall suspensions; which can roughly be described as a combination of suspension and bungee jumping. They will show the premiere of their documentary Free Fall Suspension – The Birth. After watching the trailer, I can see why a lot of people are excited to learn more about these crazy Russians!
Wings of Desire’s own Marte is also giving us a talk entitled „Pain as Medication“, and finally Matt is organizing another movie showing of CoRE’s Journey to Enlightenment – their 10 year anniversary movie.
As part of the introduction to this suscon, Havve & Christiane gave a talk on it’s now decade-long history. From it’s inception in 2002 as a suspension festival held alongside freaky fashion shows and several bands, it has since been held on a boat, before taking roots in it’s current venue; Månefisken. I couldn’t help but reminisce back to my own first attendance back in 2003, when everyone was crew, or at the very least crew in training. Since then there has been a steady and reassuring progression. Gradual evolution of every aspect. The equipment and techniques used this year are more refined than ever, and as well as being filled with fantastic people, I always find it interesting to see what innovations various groups have come up with from year to year.
For example, this year has seen the interlocking rigs that steel fetish produce – real clever stuff!
Guest speakers also help create an environment that’s very helpful for learning, and have been a welcome tradition since 2004. Attendance by people from the most prestigious and respected suspension groups is typical, and perhaps because of this, I can say with no hesitation that there are no inflated egos here. In its place, the convention seems to organically turn to laid back discussions and a willingness and desire to learn.
On questions of what were the most rewarding and interesting aspects of the event from an organizer’s viewpoint we were given a straightforward answer; the opportunity to see friends, and share new knowledge. This attitude is, I’m sure, why most people I speak to aren’t shy in saying this is their favourite suspension convention.
A live feed from the suscon can be found here!
I don’t have any pictures to post yet, but will do my utmost to link to some later on this evening.
On behalf of Oslo Suscon, thanks for reading.
– Alex
BME/News and Modblog highlight only a small fraction of what
I’m surprised they’re still arranging it after all the shit that’s happend here in the last 24 hours…
I’m surprised they’re still arranging it after all the shit that’s happend here in the last 24 hours…
Can you confirm everyone is safe and accounted for please.
Can you confirm everyone is safe and accounted for please.
If you read the top part of the article, I have confirmed this already. 🙂
As for keeping the event live; our location is outside the city centre, in an area with no plausible targets for the kind of bombings that took place. In my opinion, this was the right move, no doubt.
If you read the top part of the article, I have confirmed this already. 🙂
As for keeping the event live; our location is outside the city centre, in an area with no plausible targets for the kind of bombings that took place. In my opinion, this was the right move, no doubt.
Why wouldn’t they? The world can’t stop just because a right-wing nut job decides to go apeshit.
Don’t get me wrong. I have Norwegian family and I feel sad for my northern neighbours, this is indeed a tragedy. But no matter what we do today those people will still be dead tomorrow.
Why wouldn’t they? The world can’t stop just because a right-wing nut job decides to go apeshit.
Don’t get me wrong. I have Norwegian family and I feel sad for my northern neighbours, this is indeed a tragedy. But no matter what we do today those people will still be dead tomorrow.
Wow, thanks to some right-wing Christian nut-job, the international community’s just going to see the death and violence instead of a wicked suscon.
Wow, thanks to some right-wing Christian nut-job, the international community’s just going to see the death and violence instead of a wicked suscon.
I’m surprised as well, I would’ve thought most people would still be in shock and/or mourning. The fact you can so easily disregard 90 deaths is worrying.
I’m surprised as well, I would’ve thought most people would still be in shock and/or mourning. The fact you can so easily disregard 90 deaths is worrying.
Wow. I really don’t see it as disregarding. The world can’t stop turning because people have died. It’s tragic and sad, but if we stopped for every tragedy (even local) we’d never do anything. Living in a state of mourning gets nobody nowhere real fast.
Wow. I really don’t see it as disregarding. The world can’t stop turning because people have died. It’s tragic and sad, but if we stopped for every tragedy (even local) we’d never do anything. Living in a state of mourning gets nobody nowhere real fast.
Who said anything about disregarding? And anywho, following that strain of thought, we all disregard a whole lot more that 90 deaths per day. Does that make us all cold and heartless? You tell me.
Who said anything about disregarding? And anywho, following that strain of thought, we all disregard a whole lot more that 90 deaths per day. Does that make us all cold and heartless? You tell me.
On second thought, please don’t tell me.
On second thought, please don’t tell me.
Allot of people have died and it is sad… But surely that should be good motivation for going out and living while you can! Hope you all have a great suscon 🙂
Allot of people have died and it is sad… But surely that should be good motivation for going out and living while you can! Hope you all have a great suscon 🙂
Again, i’m of the absolute opinion that stopping this Event because of what happned would Not really achieve anything. Life goes on, and it is Not a sign of disrespect to not do so. But this is of course only One opinion, and others are free to have theirs. Peace.
Again, i’m of the absolute opinion that stopping this Event because of what happned would Not really achieve anything. Life goes on, and it is Not a sign of disrespect to not do so. But this is of course only One opinion, and others are free to have theirs. Peace.
#10: Thanks. I was on a street about 300 m away from the blast site on my way to the event when the bomb went off and the glass facades from the surrounding buildings shattered, showering everything with glass and injuring people. That experience – albeit scary, and my hearing is still impacted – did not keep me from enjoying the event I came here for.
#10: Thanks. I was on a street about 300 m away from the blast site on my way to the event when the bomb went off and the glass facades from the surrounding buildings shattered, showering everything with glass and injuring people. That experience – albeit scary, and my hearing is still impacted – did not keep me from enjoying the event I came here for.
The terror that happened was not disregarded, nor where the fatalities ignored. Cancelling the event would not make any difference to the injured and dead. The SusCon was already happening and at no point did we ever even consider to call it off. For many of the attendants it was of great help to be with friends and take a time out from the real world.
There are places in this world, were bombs go off and people are killed on a daily basis. In these places folks go about their daily life as best they can, so do we. I think the terrorist (a Norwegian right wing christian fanatic, no less!) destroyed enough with his attacks, and we would not let him destroy our event as well.
I’m definitively sure we made the right choice to go ahead as planned, as at least those present at the SusCon could find strength and joy and share lots of love and caring at the event.
The best way to fight evil is to make good things happen!
The terror that happened was not disregarded, nor where the fatalities ignored. Cancelling the event would not make any difference to the injured and dead. The SusCon was already happening and at no point did we ever even consider to call it off. For many of the attendants it was of great help to be with friends and take a time out from the real world.
There are places in this world, were bombs go off and people are killed on a daily basis. In these places folks go about their daily life as best they can, so do we. I think the terrorist (a Norwegian right wing christian fanatic, no less!) destroyed enough with his attacks, and we would not let him destroy our event as well.
I’m definitively sure we made the right choice to go ahead as planned, as at least those present at the SusCon could find strength and joy and share lots of love and caring at the event.
The best way to fight evil is to make good things happen!