First Monday in May 2022. A blonde girl dressed in bright colors, and carrying a strange shopping cart, walks down the Paseo de Cartuja. The cart is a military green color with denim on the bottom and the Swedish flag embossed on one side. The front pockets hold a few paintbrushes and brushes. The lid features a hand-painted compass, map of Europe and the legend “Temps Nomades” Nomad times. She carries her clothes, books, and her belongings in her car, but not fruits or vegetables.
The young woman arrives at Cafe Maria Dolores at the top of the Provincial Traffic Headquarters. A dirty, long, and smudged wall grabs her attention. She stops to carefully observe the scene. A few minutes later she enters the bar to greet Lola, the proprietor. She asks Lola, “Could she paint that wall?” and she responds in forced Spanish. Lola is puzzled and visualizes the wall. She responds quickly: “Of course>>.” The foreigner is happy to have 20 meters to tell the story, and colors the ending of the masks. Lola, leaning against the bar, wonders if this girl is real. “My name’s Alice. Alisa Host smiles.
Alisa Host was 33 years old when she was born in Geneva. Her life changed quickly after she published several novels and worked as an artist and designer. Alisa lived in Switzerland, but had the office in France. The pandemic erupted and the borders were closed. She was unable to return home so she decided she would become a nomad. This dream was a dream she had been contemplating for years. Years ago, she walked the Camino de Santiago, and she imagined her life as if she were walking it. A friend told her about Trapnas, north Sweden. It was a farm that she didn’t close the roads or confine her neighbors in, so it was easy to get there. She loaded her stuff into the car and began the adventure.
Lola and Alisa in the mural. / PM
Alisa was used to painting on canvases and showing in galleries so she decided to put art aside. One of the tenants suggested she paint a wall. He told her that she didn’t have to stop creating art just because she doesn’t own a home. It’s possible to do it on the walls. She began to paint murals every day. She rented a shopping cart and began to travel across Europe with her materials and luggage.
Alisa Host arrives at Lola’s bar two months later after her walk through Cartuja. She will be leaving Granada as soon as she has completed the interview, perhaps to Valencia. However, she will still allow herself to be amazed. She says, “I let myself be surprised.” According to the painting, the 20 meters of wall represent a journey “from Stockholm Granada without masks”. The bridge connects Granada with Stockholm and covers the 4,000 km that separate us. It is 20 meters long. 20 meters that begin with a smiling girl removing her mask and end with Nils Anders Tgnel, an epidemiologist who developed the Swedish pandemic model. These 20 meters are Alisa’s story.
The mural is not anti-mask. It is not. The importance of masks is well-known. The mural is a hymn to joy and freedom. It’s a tribute to the ending of the worst pandemic that we all have experienced. To emphasize the global message, I end it with flags from Europe.
Alisa, along with a few friends, has been living in Albaicin for the last few weeks. Grenada is stunning. It is my favorite city. I was struck by the street art, the guitars, and the music. I quickly made international friends and they have been a great help throughout my journey. I know I will be back.” Of course, the nomadic artist doesn’t live on air. She has murals she is commissioned for and teaches English and French online. “I am good at writing and languages. Two of my books have been published in French. The first book is about the Camino De Santiago, and the second is about Nepal. Both are about living on the move. It was a great time when I signed books all over Sweden. She giggles as she recalls her.
P. M.
Lola smiles at the mural and is happy. “She has been working on the mural for two months now and has asked only for water and Nestea every so often. She is amazing.” Alisa is proud and ready to go. I always travel by bus or car. She laughs and says, “I can’t put him aboard a plane.” This car is more than just my luggage. It’s my home.”
