k members #2
Kolgruvan Members, Robin Ahlqvist: “We don’t just come here to sit with our computers and go home, it is way more than that”
Robin Ahlqvist is a freelance actor who runs his own company where he produces film and music. We sat down to chat about his experience in the coworking and his professional journey.
We found Robin for our interview playing on his guitar in the office. He became a member of Kolgruvan one year ago and now is an integral part of our daily life. He is usually the “bard” of our community, strumming some tunes on the rooftop. In the past he mostly played in comedies because, as he says, he has a funny bone in his body (yet when asked to make a joke on the spot, he couldn’t). Now it is often musicals or opera with a more dramatic turn at Goteborg Stadsteater that he participates in.
Robin: I’m also very interested in horror. At Liseberg I have to play monsters quite a lot, sometimes I have to scare around 2000 people per day. Since I was a child, I scared my family often in a very creative way so applying to be part of Haunted House felt like a natural progression of that.
Kolgruvan: Do you have a favourite monster to play?
R: Well, I’ve been developing this ghostly demonic character for a while now. He does not see you because he is in a different dimension but if he does notice you, there is no escape.
K: So how do you feel about traumatising children?
R: It’s so much fun! (laughs) I love it. And not only children, I love scaring the cocky dads who act like they know everything but then you can get under their skin as well. You just have to act crazy enough. It becomes very psychological.
Robin started acting thanks to his mother. His father tried every possible sport with him but the competitiveness was just too pressuring mentally so Robin’s mother took charge and signed up the son for drama classes. “And I found myself for the first time. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life”
R: Now in my work I try to reflect on my childhood. I started a VHS rerecording business, for example, as a way to reconnect to my family as we all live in different cities now. And it was so insightful to look at some of the moments of love that I have already forgotten about.
“Our minds for some reason tend to focus on the bad stuff but this rerecording process showed me that there was so much joy as well”
Now Robin is developing his acting career and hopes to land a part that he could really dig into.
R: Being at Kolgruvan helped me so much to really focus on that. I was a bedroom producer for many years and it is a huge difference coming here, into the space that I pay for. I’m investing in myself basically.
K: How did you find us?
R: A friend of mine told me about this space. We met in Berlin where this culture of collective creativity is very common, so when we found Kolgruvan we felt like we discovered a cool secret in Ringon. I saw so many opportunities in how I can use this space and I really wanted to work here. I work on my music, record audition tapes, organise photoshoots, film. Besides, I can set my mind on working on all the background administration tasks that go into running a company as well. It also inspired me to get into new projects like this VHS rerecording and, soon, cooking for the whole community here. I want to bring great Swedish food for the members of Kolgruvan instead of their usual frozen lunches. (laughs) Maybe some Friday buffets.
K: It seems like you are on a creative roll!
R: Definitely. I think a place like Kolgruvan really encourages you to explore your craft in quite unusual ways, think outside of the box. Being surrounded by people with different creative professions made me wonder what else I can do. But also it just keeps me alive. Magnus Carlsen, a Norwegian chess player, once said: “If you only play chess then you will only get good at playing chess”. So that’s what I feel like Kolgruvan encourages as well: exploration, communication, collaboration. Life! We don’t just come here to sit with our computers and go home, it is way more than that.
