Enighet aikido

Aikido drawings by Gisela Döhler.

Drawings Gisela Döhler With a humble request through one of my students, the artist Gisela Döhler commenced her hard work at Aikido Enighet dojo - the complicated task of capturing the evasive movements of aikido with pen on paper. I counted on her trying once and quickly finding the mission overwhelming, sneaking away never to be heard from again, but I could not be more wrong.     From the first session it was evident that Gisela is more stubborn than that. Silent and concentrated she sat through the full hour and a half class, drawing in her sketch pad and watching with attentive eyes everything taking place on the tatami. And soon enough she was back for an equally long sitting.     This must now have been going on for about half a year, with her as a regular guest on the hard wooden bench by the side of our training mat, sketching with at least as much energy and dedication as the students show in their aikido training. Only after several months did she feel that the lines on the paper were beginning to find their way to picturing what is the nature of aikido - and I must agree with her, wholeheartedly.     These dancing lines in modest pencil do really feel like aikido - rarely have I seen its techniques and dynamics pictured with such accord, such accuracy in the essentials. One could say that she has found a sort of stenography for aikido, but mostly her perseverance and talent has reached the ability of creating - with the movement art of aikido as a source - sweet, somewhat singing pictures.     Therefore it is with both delight and pride we present a number of her drawings - a total of 43 - in this exhibition. Unfortunately the image solution and technique of the Internet is still so coarse, something of the fineness and delicacy of the drawings has been lost here - but not the vigorous dance in them. Stefan Stenudd To the exhibition "Thumbnails"

GISELA DÖHLER email: gisela.dohler @telia.com