In conjunction with Fabien Guillermont's installation of The New Idol at KSM-lab Freddie Ross has written an experimental critique of the work and that reflects on their mutual travels to Kiruna and northern Sweden. We invite you to a journey....
Prologue
I did not expect that just offering someone a seat at a bar would lead all the way to the polar circle. It did not take many beers that night for us to realize that we were, in a lot of ways, kindred spirits even though we came from different backgrounds. He with a bachelor degree in law from a country which has mastered the art of making snails taste good. I, on the other hand, have a bachelor degree in cultural studies from a country which greatest achievement is perfecting queuing and making it a national sport. These differences are, however, only superficial. We are both part of the same generation, a generation that has been told from an early age that we could grow up to become whatever we want. This is an encouraging way of parenting, with the heart in the right place, so to speak. Sadly, the world does look a little bit different these days and a lot of people get their dreams crushed on a daily bases. Hell, they have even made it into a subplot in numerous TV shows. The good news is that this has not given rise to a generation of megalomaniacs who's greatest desire is to become a king or a queen. Then again, who the fuck would!? No, this has given rise to entire generations of people who wish to become artists, actors, bloggers, writers, singers, dancers, directors, designers, game developers, reality-TV stars and, of course, real estate agents. We are no exception to the rule.
