Zac Whittenburg

@trailerpilot

Stockholmer, cyclist, grantmaker, shutterbug, writer, and a few other things. Posts are mine alone, he / him, reskeet ≠ “I think”

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Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· 22d

Spotting two 2CVs in one week feels like finding a penny on the sidewalk, heads up

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· 25d

I’m transfixed by this photo from a friend visiting Indiana

The sky above an empty parking lot is hazy and pale orange; haze due to wildfire smoke dims the sun. At center and left are a few trees; at right is a decommissioned and windowless JC Penney store

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· 29d

If I told you how beautiful it’s been here in Stockholm the past few days, you wouldn’t believe me

A view across a small valley near Lake Mälaren in central Stockholm shows the bright colors and lush foliage of Vintervikens Trädgård in the late afternoon, summer sun

A view up a short, cobblestone street on the island of Riddarholmen in central Stockholm shows the warm colors of its well-preserved, brick buildings and, in the distance, one domed turret of Wrangel Palace, now home to Svea hovrätt, a court of appeals

A view from Kronobergsparken, a hilly green space on the island of Kungsholmen, shows two large hares and, behind and between them, a short evergreen tree

There is a cloudless, blue sky behind the openwork, cast iron spire of Riddarholmskyrkan, a medieval church in central Stockholm, partially covered in scaffolding

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Jul 6

Recent curtain calls: Akademiska kapellet after Respighi’s “Pines of Rome” at Uppsala universitet; ensemble members after the inaugural Midsommardans festival on Grinda; ensemble members after Chekhov’s “Måsen” at Slipvillan; and Norrdans after Forsberg’s “Pianofavoriter” at Fatbursparken

A stage full of musicians, seen from a house-left balcony, bow with their instruments at the end of a performance at Uppsala universitet in Sweden. The auditorium is an elaborate work of classical architecture; gold leaf highlights many sculptural elements and two chandeliers shine brightly. A heavy curtain at right is pulled back to reveal the view.

Five dancers at the front edge of a temporary stage, built outdoors, hold hands while they bow at the end of a performance. In the foreground, two people applaud while standing and a photographer captures the moment from stage left. In the background are various bushes and trees. The sky is blue with wispy clouds.

At left, seated audience members applaud while six actors bow following their performance of a play based on Chekhov’s “Måsen” on a stage outside an old, red house on the island of Långholmen in Stockholm. A large, horizontal painting of a seagull hangs on the wall behind the stage. In front of the actors, on the stage, is a fake bird.

Eight dancers on an outdoor stage in a city park bow after their free performance. Each wears a unique costume in various shades of pink. Behind them are an upright piano painted deep purple and a ruched curtain of the same color. There are two trees and a large building in the background. One bird flies above.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Jul 1

Three years ago today, while walking through Chartres toward its famed cathedral, my friend and I happened upon the Black and White Brass Band, whose mascot is a panda bear named Elvis 🎺 🇫🇷 🐼

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Jul 1

More photos from the Svenska flygvapnet 100 år flyover

One large plane with four propeller engines, followed by four jets, fly together through a cloudy sky in a V-shaped formation

Nine military helicopters fly through cloudy skies over Stockholm, Sweden; the open spire of Riddarholmskyrkan is visible between the forward group of five aircraft and the trailing group of four

Four military jets fly in a tight, diamond-shaped formation through cloudy skies over Stockholm, Sweden

One large military aircraft with four jet engines on its wings flies through cloudy skies over Stockholm, Sweden

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Jul 1

Against a dramatic backdrop of clouds over Stockholm, the Swedish Air Force celebrated its first century today with a flyover of more than 50 aircraft, including 22 jets in formation as the number 100.

Six military aircraft fly in formation over Stockholm, Sweden — five in a V-shape and one behind. There is dramatic, dynamic cloud cover over the city center. Visible in the foreground at right is the open spire of Riddarholmskyrkan, partially covered in scaffolding for its renovation; in the background at left is the newer spire of St:a Clara kyrka.

Five military aircraft fly in a V-shaped formation over Stockholm, Sweden.

One large military aircraft with a body of polished, reflective steel flies through a cloudy sky over Stockholm, Sweden.

Twenty-two military jets fly in formation over the open spire of Riddarholmskyrkan in central Stockholm. Together, the aircraft form the number 100, in recognition of the Swedish Air Force’s first century.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Jun 24

Precursor to the Infiniti Q45, the CUE-X is still among the best, most timeless shapes from the heyday of the Nissan Design Studio, like an updated Ferrari Pinin or a better-proportioned Aston Martin Lagonda. Nissan’s affordable elegance period didn’t last long, but it sure gave us some pretty cars.

A scanned page from a brochure featuring the Nissan CUE-X concept car shows the vehicle in silver paint from the back, front, and side.

A scanned page from a brochure about the Nissan CUE-X concept car includes a photograph of the vehicle painted silver and annotated with text describing its aerodynamic features.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Jun 13

Beautiful dancing last night in Stockholm by guest artist and Paris Opéra Ballet étoile Guillaume Diop, in GUSTAVIA by Amir Chamdin and Pär Isberg 💐

Downstage center, an individual dancer gestures with one arm toward the applauding audience while taking a bow after a performance at Kungliga Operan in Stockholm, Sweden. Visible in the foreground are musicians in the orchestra pit, and a large chandelier. The stage surface is covered in a checkered pattern, making it look like a chess board.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Jun 9

My husband wasn’t kidding when he said the rooftop terrace at his new office has nice views

A view to the southeast from the rooftop of a mid-rise office building on Kungsholmen in Stockholm includes Stadshuset, Riddarholmskyrkan, the white apartments clustered on Kungsklippan and, in the foreground, the historic buildings along Fleminggatan.

A view to the southwest from the rooftop of a mid-rise office building on Kungsholmen includes Stockholms tingsrätt and polishus, Högalidskyrkan and, in the foreground, the colorful, historic buildings along Fleminggatan and Scheelegatan.

A view to the east from the rooftop of a mid-rise office building on Kungsholmen includes the parallel towers of Hötorgsskraporna, the tall spire of S:ta Clara kyrka, the World Trade Center, and the cylindrical building inside Kungsbrokopplet.

A view to the southeast from the rooftop of a mid-rise office building on Kungsholmen in Stockholm includes Stadshuset, Riddarholmskyrkan and, in the background, Katarina and Sofia kyrka on Södermalm.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Jun 3

What a treat to see Chicago musicians perform here in Stockholm. Glad I was able to catch the Whitney Johnson–Lia Kohl–Macie Stewart Trio tonight at storied jazz club Fasching. bit.ly/4dWU9GI @intlanthem.bsky.social

Three musicians perform in an intimate nightclub, seated onstage under warm lights in front of a dark curtain.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· May 18

Four photos by Ashik Zaman from my second performance of FÅ MIG at Konsttillfälle 2026 in Stockholm. It was a lot of fun. I am also very sore today 🛎️

A man wearing black pants, a sleeveless black T-shirt, and black sneakers dances in a decommissioned school in Stockholm. On the wall behind him is a large box housing electrical equipment, and a closed door with no window. The floor is concrete painted brick red and somewhat distressed.

A man wearing black pants, a sleeveless black T-shirt, and black sneakers dances in a decommissioned school in Stockholm. In the corner behind him is a large vent with a metal mesh cover painted white. The floor is concrete painted brick red and somewhat distressed.

A man wearing black pants, a sleeveless black T-shirt, and black sneakers dances in a decommissioned school in Stockholm. Set into the wall behind him is a horizontal window. Below the window is a box painted blue with black capital letters on it that read FÅ MIG. A chrome reception desk bell sits atop the blue box. The floor is concrete painted brick red and somewhat distressed.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· May 17

Recent curtain calls: Simone De Giovanni, Phex, and Petra Audrey Mangoua Youaleu in Jacopo Jenna’s MANIFESTUS; Marcus Baldemar, Joaquín Collado, and Pär Andersson in Björn Safsten’s HEMSÖKT ÅTRÅ; Lilian Steiner in Steiner’s DANCE BECOMES HER; and Courtney May Robertson in Robertson’s HUNTER

Three performers wearing streetwear take a bow after a dance performance at Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Stoccolma. They hold hands and bend at the waist while, in the background, seated people applaud. The ceiling of the auditorium is coffered in large diamond shapes with rounded corners. A black, metal, portable boom stands behind the performers and holds two theatrical lights.

Three male dancers bend at the waist to take a bow after their performance in a black box theater at Dansens Hus. Each dancer wears only a small, bright pink thong and each is covered in white liquid, like thin yogurt.

One dancer bends at the waist to take a bow after a performance in a large art gallery at Konstnärshuset. She wears denim jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a white baseball cap. Audience members are seated on chairs and floor cushions around the perimeter of the space. They applaud her.

One dancer bends at the waist to bow after a performance at Dansens Hus. She stands barefoot in a triangular pool of red liquid. Behind her is a grey, brick-shaped platform like a dais. Above the platform is a black chandelier which holds lit candles.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· May 16

My first-ever performance in Sweden was today (and repeats tomorrow). I’m grateful to everyone who came to see FÅ MIG at Konsttillfälle, to Lill-Marit Bugge and Örjan Wallert for the invitation, and to Kasia Syty for the photos 🛎️

At right, a man wears a sleeveless black shirt with black pants and shoes and begins a dance performance in a fairly raw space in a decommissioned school in Stockholm, Sweden. The room behind him is bathed in red light and, at left, there is a blue box with black capital letters on it that read FÅ MIG. A chrome reception bell sits on top of the box.

A man crouches behind a small window wearing a sleeveless black shirt with black pants and shoes. The room he is in is bathed in red light and, in the foreground below the window, there is a blue box with black capital letters on it that read FÅ MIG. A chrome reception bell sits on top of the box.

At right, a man wears a sleeveless black shirt with black pants and shoes and dances in a fairly raw space in a decommissioned school in Stockholm, Sweden. The room behind him is bathed in red light and, at left, there is a blue box with black capital letters on it that read FÅ MIG. A chrome reception bell sits on top of the box.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· May 9

Paul Goldberger is “not unhappy that the normally prim world of traditionalist architecture is squirming right now.” bit.ly/4tuoSRl

Screenshot of text from an article by Paul Goldberger, published 9 May 2026 at airmail.news, which reads:

“It all puts the National Civic Art Society in a somewhat awkward position. It seemed at first like the society had found in Trump its ultimate patron, a president whose claim that he would give traditional architecture more prominence would turn this small, little-known nonprofit group into the administration’s de facto architectural adviser. But Trump’s idea of classicism is not dignity and order but over-the-top gaudiness and excess—not Jeffersonian decorum but super-size Las Vegas vulgarity. Trump does not join movements; he hijacks them and remakes them in his own image. That two of the most respected classical advocates are trying to distance themselves from the architectural projects of this administration is not exactly the kind of resistance that makes headlines, but it is good news for those who believe that classical architecture can stand for democracy, modesty, and reason, and that it should not be allowed to become a symbol of dictatorial overreach.“

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· May 3

A screenshot from the classic Sega video game Zaxxon, released in 1981. At the end of the second fortress is a boss in the form of the Zaxxon robot.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· May 3

“Nordbor” at Nordiska museet inventively organizes 500 years of history in three overlapping ways — by century, by season, and along three parallel tracks: family, nature, and thought. It is a rich experience and was extremely helpful as an orientation to my new home. bit.ly/4n7HYeu #WPFD2026

A composite image pairs a snapshot of exhibition text with a map of the exhibition itself, titled “Nordbor.” The text reads: “Heavy Thunder Heralds the Arrival of the Free Press: As thunder roars in the Stockholm night, Peter Forsskål challenges the censors’ authority, and publishes his pamphlet ‘Tankar om borgerliga friheten’ (‘Thoughts on Civil Liberty’). His book, which argues for freedom of the press and freedom of expression, is immediately banned. Embittered by Swedish narrow-mindedness, he leaves the country. Seven years later, Sweden is the first country to enshrine freedom of the press into law.”

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Apr 30

Last night at Konstnärshuset I caught a performance by Jordana Loeb and Anders af Klintberg of “Wooden Feedback – Nine Boards,” now available from independent, nonprofit record label and book publisher ɪʀlɪçt t.ly/1NCOR

A woman dressed all in black manipulates a long, flat board of wood with live edges, one of which rests on two stands. Two more boards with carved surfaces lean against the wall behind her, next to six seated audience members and one who is standing.

A woman dressed all in black manipulates one of three wooden boards hanging side by side from a steel frame. A long cable that rests on the hardwood floor of the room is attached to a small instrument in her left hand. Three more boards with carved surfaces lean against the wall behind her.

A woman dressed all in black reaches as high as she can while supporting one end of a long, flat board. One corner of the opposite end of the board rests on the floor. An instrument is attached to the underside of the board and a long cable is attached to the instrument. Two more boards with carved surfaces lean against the wall behind her.

A woman dressed all in black and a man wearing black pants and a patterned shirt stand and smile at one another before taking a bow following their performance. Behind them are three large, wooden panels with carved surfaces that lean against a grey wall. To their left is a steel frame from which three more wooden boards hang, attached to the top of the frame with three pairs of steel-cable loops.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Apr 30

Beetles of Mexico City, 2025 🇲🇽

A deep blue, vintage Volkswagen Beetle is parked on a side street in Mexico City. Its round headlights have been replaced with clusters of small lamps, making them look like spiders’ eyes. It has a white license plate that reads RESCATE HERUMO in tall, red, capital letters.

A lime green, vintage Volkswagen Beetle is parked on a side street in Mexico City, in front of two contemporary, mid-rise buildings. There are lush trees between the car and the buildings’ windows.

A light turquoise, vintage Volkswagen Beetle is parked facing downhill on a steep side street in Mexico City. Its front end is customized with short fenders and a large, tall bumper made of unpainted steel. An incredibly handsome man — the photographer’s husband — stands next to the car and is wearing multicolored shorts with a black tank top and a green sun hat.

A deep blue-green, vintage Volkswagen Beetle is parked on a side street in Mexico City. It is in good condition and appears to be unmodified. Behind the car is a parked motorcycle underneath a black cover. Between the car and a large, contemporary house is a big, beautiful tree.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Apr 30

The vibe today in Stockholm is festive, as it is both Valborg and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden’s 80th birthday. Jet formations flew over the Royal Palace this afternoon 🇸🇪👑🔥🥳

Four military aircraft fly in formation through a blue sky with wispy clouds above two buildings, as seen from below.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Apr 26

Recent curtain calls: Louise Dahl and Sam Huczkowski in LA RONDE at Moderna Dansteatern, Norrdans in KNOCKING at Dieselverkstaden, Nina Jeppsson and Josephine Kylén Collins in NORMA JEANE BAKER OF TROY at Turteatern, and GöteborgsOperans Danskompani in HAMMER at Dansens Hus

Two dancers take a bow following a performance of choreography by Philip Berlin. They stand barefoot on a white stage, white curtains behind them, bent at the waist while holding hands. Audience members in the foreground applaud.

Seven barefoot dancers take a bow onstage, bent at the waist with their arms around each other’s shoulders, after a performance of choreography by Horácio Macuacua. The stage behind them is decorated with various lighting instruments and structural elements.

Two actors take a bow, bent at the waist while holding hands, after performing a play by Anne Carson. The actor on the left wears a blonde wig. Behind them is a fabric setpiece designed also to look like a blonde wig. Also behind them is a partially deflated tank made of camouflage-patterned fabric.

Twenty-eight dancers stand onstage following a performance of choreography by Alexander Ekman. The stage surface is highly reflective, almost mirrored, and the dancers’ costumes are brightly colored. Above them to the left hangs a large, grey tray that holds an orange hammer. The stage behind them is undecorated besides a large drop of black fabric.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Apr 23

🌸 Postcard from Kungsträdgården 🌸

A bird flies in front of a row of cherry trees in full bloom, in Stockholm’s Kungsträdgården, originally the private garden behind a palace called Makalös. Various contemporary and historic, mid-rise buildings are partially visible behind the trees.

Seen from below, two rows of cherry trees in Stockholm’s Kungsträdgården form an almost solid ceiling of pink blossoms. Various trunks and branches criss-cross the image.

Two parallel rows of cherry trees in full bloom frame a shallow pool in Stockholm’s Kungsträdgården, around which many people of all ages gather and take photos. Various contemporary and historic, mid-rise buildings are partially visible in the background. A few scattered, puffy clouds hang in an otherwise vividly blue sky.

Birds fly in front of a row of cherry trees in full bloom, in Stockholm’s Kungsträdgården, above a shallow pool. Various contemporary and historic, mid-rise buildings are partially visible behind the trees.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Apr 15

Highlights from the Contemporary Art and Design auction at Bukowskis: an Andy Warhol creepshot of Pope John Paul II (1975), Bert Stern’s silhouette of JFK Jr. (1996), Max Modén’s capture of Greta Thunberg with Barack Obama (2019), and Terry O’Neill’s portrait of Isabella Rossellini in London (1984)

A photo from 1975 shows artist Andy Warhol in the foreground and, in the background, Pope John Paul II with others in a Vatican City courtyard.

A photo from 2019 shows Greta Thunberg, her arms crossed, with President Barack Obama at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden.

A photo from 1984 shows Isabella Rossellini holding the collar of her black sweater. Reflections in the glass protecting the framed print mostly obscure her two eyes.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Apr 11

As proof, here’s yours truly racing one-dog juniors in or around 1987

A young boy wearing mostly blue winter clothing, including a snowsuit and a knit cap, pilots a small dogsled on a sunny winter’s day in the Rocky Mountains. The pale wooden sled’s runners rest on a mostly flat, snow-covered surface; in the background are steep slopes covered with evergreen trees, rock outcroppings, and more snow.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Apr 11

Fairly trivial, personal milestone: As of today, I have more connections on LinkedIn (2,306) than I had followers the day I quit The Other Place (2,305), more than two and a half years ago. (I quit Instagram, too, last summer.)

Cropped screenshot of LinkedIn’s desktop site, showing personal network metrics including 2,306 connections

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Apr 7

Amidst everything, I couldn’t be more grateful for today’s presentation by French-Algerian designer Walid Bouchouchi for students at Beckmans Designhögskola. He covered a ton of history while summarizing numerous projects, many of which can be simply described as “decolonialist typography.”

A young man wearing jeans, a black sweater, and hiking boots points at a wall-mounted television that displays graphics he designed. A lectern behind him, made of pale wood, holds a water bottle, a mug, and a laptop computer.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Apr 6

Achievement unlocked: I have now been published in Swedish. Two essays by me are in the program book for the Royal Swedish Ballet’s spring mixed bill, LIFAR / FORSYTHE, through April 29 at Kungliga Operan. All gratitude to Nicholas Ringskog Ferrada-Noli for the opportunity and translation!

Close-up photo of the last paragraph and byline of an article in Swedish, about a ballet choreographed in 1987.

Close-up image of the cover of a program book for Stockholm’s Kungliga Baletten, with the words LIFAR / FORSYTHE in capital letters and a photo of dancers in black tights and blue-green leotards.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Apr 4

Home from a lovely overnight in Uppsala for an early Påsk with the in-laws. The old capital’s cathedral — the tallest in Scandinavia — looked great against some weather coming in.

In a black and white photograph, the twin spires of Uppsala domkyrka are nearly silhouetted against a cloudy sky. The tip of the tower closer to the camera is aligned almost perfectly with the afternoon sun.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Apr 1

One enters the church complex from one side directly into a cylindrical space with a water feature and an enormous, circular skylight. It sits high on a stone ridge you can walk right up from the sidewalk and it apparently has a deep basement which contains its columbarium.

Spring sunshine pours into a low-ceilinged, cylindrical room through a very large, circular skylight with radial mullions like wheel spokes. In the center of the space is a circular railing around a slightly sunken pool of water.

A set of tall, mostly blue and yellow glass windows is visible down a wide aisle between two sets of simple chairs.

Centered at the bottom of this photo are the shiny, steel upper pipes of a large church organ, which reflect the light that hits them through narrow bands of multicolored glass.

The east front of Uppenbarelsekyrkan rises from a hill of mossy stone and low grass. The façade is perfectly symmetrical, with one central, narrow window flanked by three more on each side, beyond which are matching wings with no windows, built of light-colored brick.

Zac Whittenburg@trailerpilot· Apr 1

Since first visiting my new neighborhood in Stockholm last spring, I’ve been curious about its Uppenbarelsekyrkan (Church of the Epiphany), designed by Johannes Olivegren and built from 1959 to 1961. Today was sunny and I had time so I ducked in to check it out and wow, just wow bit.ly/47z6Ghe