Alumni interview: international contacts and inspiration at Villa San Michele

"The weeks were filled with total socializing, work, freedom, inspiration, nature experiences, excursions, food, swimming and many, long conversations and new experiences. It was like living in a luxurious adult school, in a unique environment in a magical place," says Lisa.

The purpose of the scholarship is to offer a stay abroad for work on an artistic project and at the same time have the opportunity for a network of contacts in various artistic disciplines, both in Sweden and internationally. And it in a magical place that offers a real form of inspiration; Villa San Michele on the island of Capri in southern Italy. The villa, built by the Swedish doctor and author Axel Munthe, has been a guest residence for researchers and cultural workers since the 1950s. Often, several scholarship holders live and work there at the same time. 

1. Tell us about your stay! 

- Oh, it can't be summed up. My three weeks on the island felt both like a long weekend and like a months long stay. On the plane down I happened to end up next to one of the other fellows and his wife, the composer Jan and the pianist Pia Yngwe. When my luggage never showed up at Naples Spartan Airport, I got off to a rough start but the best start to the trip. After paperwork and a pizza in the heat, we came to carpool across the Bay of Naples, all the way to Anacapri and Villa San Michele, which is an experience in itself. There arose the first friendship and love in the island. We arrived sweaty and late but once there our shoulders landed, a calmness appeared where all the expectations and musts just disappeared.

"Villa San Michele is located at the top of Capri, in the quieter municipality of Anacapri," he said. The villa is a museum with a well-visited garden, restaurant, stage for theatre and music, art, antiques and architecture. Kristina Kappelin is a curator at Villa San Michele and she welcomed us together with the other scholarship recipients for a welcome drink during the pergola. Then the weeks came to be filled with total socializing, work, freedom, inspiration, nature experiences, excursions, food, bathing and many, long conversations and new experiences. I had an incredible luck where me and the other scholarship recipients got very close and liked to experience the island together. In batches, families and friends were relieved, which constantly expanded the interaction. It was like living in a luxurious adult school, in a unique setting in a magical place.

2. What was it like to work in that environment? 

- Very permissive. I had the privilege of living in the large studio, Bougainvillea, which became both my free zone and a meeting place. It felt privileged to be there and at the same time completely unrestrained. Nature, people, the architectural and creative environment had a calming impact. The days had a mood and rhythm in which I became safe to just be and that work could arise at any time, anyway, without stress. All of us fellows chose to spend a lot of time together so we set aside time for active work. At the same time, there might as well be ideas on the way to the market, bath, café, during the talks, in the garden or boat trip. Inspiration was everywhere.

3. How was it inspiring to be there? 

"The environment and the people, it was a special atmosphere. Living in a unique place for three weeks with people you don't know but who are all in a creative process is inspiring. Everyone was very open and generous with themselves which made it easy to find touchpoints. There was a dynamic during the conversations with the scholarship holders, those who work at the villa and the musicians who temporarily lived in the area. The sea, nature, light, sounds, colors and smells meant that all senses were inevitably activated. Capri is not a huge island so you have time to get around everywhere and find your own places and haunts. If you want to see more, it is easy to get into the mainland or the islands around you. If you want to isolate yourself and sit on your terrace for three weeks, it is perfectly reasonable.

4. How was the meeting with the other scholarship holders? 

Wonderful, I've made friends for life. We were six scholarship holders, all with different professions and processes. It was an actress, doctor and former architect, artist, composer and historian, all very generous, interested and social . We lived in different apartments but several apartments were put together as in a large villa. It made it easy to communicate through windows and doors, while making it easy to understand when someone was busy. We still have a joint sms group where we all hear and I meet those who live in Stockholm continuously.

5. Do you have any tips for those applying for the scholarship this year? 

Be curious, interested and open. Don't think too much about what you're going to accomplish or accomplish without letting go of external demands. If you want to go to a magical place you otherwise do not have the opportunity to visit, you should apply for this scholarship. There are all the possibilities exploring the island and meeting new people, or isolating yourself completely if you want. Regardless, the environment and the history of Axel Munthe's Villa San Michele will be inspiring. I encourage everyone to apply for this scholarship.

6. How has your work and the contacts you made influenced your artistic work and direction? 

"My stay at Villa San Michele is constantly in the back of my mind and because I still meet the others, the work continues all the time," he said. I spend time with my family and friends, which has allowed me to get into completely new creative spaces. It's an extended network of contacts thanks to the scholarship recipients, with names I never thought I'd get to know. Here, absolutely new insights, artistic ideas, methods and collaborations have emerged. The journey is fresh in my mind and it is reflected in much of what I do now afterwards. It's very exciting.

7. Your best Capri tips? 

• Sit down and listen to the surroundings. 
• Get up early to see the sunrise below the sphinx and chapel. 
• Rent a boat with a gang and go on a day trip around the island. Then you get to see the island from the sea, snorkel into caves, get close to all boats and see otherwise hard-to-reach villas like Villa Malaparte. 
• See the performances and concerts organized by Villa San Michele. 
• Walk. Then you get away from tourism and discover your own gems. 
• Go down Scala Fenicia and swim at bagni di Tiberio. There are many, many, many steps but the way down is strikingly beautiful. It is good training and great to swim from the stones off the beach. 
• Jog along the Via Migliara to the lookout point at Belvedere della Migliara. Before you reach the lookout point, there is a restaurant called Da Gelsomina. Here you can take a dip in the pool before dinner any evening, good location for sunset. 
• Eat lemon risotto at Da Paolino Restaurant. Celebrity-dense without being in the middle of Capri. 
• Walk up to Monte Solaro and on to Cetrella. There you have views of the other side of the island and Marina Piccola. Then take the cable car back down the mountain. 
• Take a taxi and feel the wind in your hair. 
• Go to Grotta Azzurra and swim beyond the restaurant. Swim into the cave after 6 p.m., with company. 
• Rent a sun lounger and swim in Faro. 
• Go to Hotel San Michele and borrow the pool if you can't go swimming. 
• Shop for fruit and veg at the market in Anacapri. 
• Visit Villa Lysis