The making off the
TROUBADOUR CAR
What started as a visual metaphor,
became metaphorical visual.
THE STORY IN SHORT
2023
What started as a visual metaphor; A portable storytelling artifact representing the heart and center point of all my creative practices and enabling me to navigate through a wide variety of context, somehow became reality with a little bit of luck, a lot of trust, a lot of devotion and a dream team, found a gateway to our magical world.
To me TROUBADOUR CAR represents what it means to do what we love, follow our heart, embody our authentic self and bring it in to the world to share.
prototype exhibiton Minor; context and situatedness WDKA 2023
2024
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Concept art;
Dimitri Merkoulov 2023-nov
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2025
For more literature on the Troubadour car as a visual metaphor to 'realize our DREAM' you are welcome to read my essay; YOUR TROUBADOUR CAR.
February.
gluren bij de buren livingroom consert
march
troubadouring at sarphatie park
march
troubadouring at noorder park amsterdam.
april
pull a string! win a price!
vondelpark amsterdam
april
storytelling, jamsessions, and performance at DOK Bakkum spring festifal
A short video preparing my TROUBADOUR CAR in September 2024. Singing about traveling. Hoping to find 'torch carriers' sparking fire in the hearts of strangers. Collaboratively melting our inner LIQUID GOLD to flow in to the world.' I've seen through my own heart and eyes how the world is filled with luck and coincidence. Its the guiding language of the universe guiding to create a ' with shared complimentary dreams'. Yet, the luck and coincidence we encounter in life is not arbitrary! It came to being because of someone else their action and presents. Its the ripple effect of a (sometimes) invisible and mysterious action of a stranger. As a street musician I became very aware of the fact that we are strangers to most people in the city we encounter on a daily basis. Therefor we have the opportunity to be coincidental and create lucky moments of shared joy anywhere we go! We have the chance (and responsibility I believe) to live and act in this 'love language of the universe' by being lucky and coincidental with our embodied participatory presents. In my life I have found and gathered tools, that help me to create joy, love and connection within myself. When I connect to my self, I am more able to connect to others. In creative interaction we have the opportunity to spread sparks of my inner fire and love for life. The TROUBADOUR CAR helps me to travel locally amplifying my ability to be present brining the things I love to the streets and beyond. Navigating to places outside of my personal contextual bubble and increase the chance to create luck and coincidence with my presents as a human that happens to be most happy embodying the character of the artist. Your presents and active participation in the creation of luck and coincidence is worth gold in this hyper individualizing city society. What I like to share as last with you is that I build the TROUBADOUR CAR because it makes me happy and helps me share my inner LIQUID GOLD. All of us can share our inner LIQUID GOLD bringing it anywhere we go. Just through small (or big) gestures of kindness; A nod, smile, compliment or helping hand. Your smile is worth gold in this world. It might mean more than we can imagen. You just might end up representing luck and coincidence lighting the fire in a dimming heart, altering the course of a 'strangers day' if not even life... Thank you for all the luck, coincidence and the sunshine in the world all the love all the essence Ian Merkoulov