I was told I chop wood like a ballet dancer (On Circles) is the vinyl record of artist Freja Bäckman, which is part of a body of work with the same title.
The work follows the origin of the word concert: to contest, question, dispute (with) as well as agreement in action. I was told I chop wood like a ballet dancer has grown as a collective effort through workshops and improvisation sessions with bass and wood chopping groups. The record cites both sentences and form from Gertrude Stein's 'A Circular Play' as well as stealing as a form of appreciation from a number of sources.
The live recordings were made at District in Berlin in April 2018 in curatorial collaboration with Suza Husse as part of Freja Bäckman's I was told I chop wood like a ballet dancer series.
Supported by Kulturrådet, Norske Billedkunstnere, Bergen Kommune, Kone Foundation, AVEK, Svenska kulturfonden, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, Bergen Center for Electronic Arts, District Berlin.