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EPIC FAILING

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Epic Failing is a series of duets by choreographer Maija Hirvanen and a number of collaborating artists. The artistic substrate for the duets is the concept of failure.
I took the photos for Maija. AN EPIC FAIL!!!!!! Why? Because I really truly tried to fail with the photos, as the title suggest but look at this one for example. Isn’t it just perfect?!?
XOXO, Peki

MAKING OF: WÖYH! – IKKILLYK

“The starting point was that I had several visual ideas and I needed a good photographer. I got several recommendations for Aki-Pekka Sinikoski. When I contacted him I thought that he is “just a great photographer” but in the end I got even so much more than just killer photos! Peki listened carefully to all my ideas, selected the good ones and made them great. He really understood who we are and what we do. He also recommended a perfect graphic designer for us and together they crystalized the whole visual identity to our band (and for our IKKILLYK album, promotional photos, posters, ads, merchandise…) They also designed our webpage and helped with social media, PR and other communicational stuff. Some of these ideas even turned out to be performance concepts to our forthcoming concerts; including steam punk instruments, ballerinas and other pretty avantgardish stuff.
–Brilliant, brilliant stuff done with a great passion!”

/Jussi Hyyrynen, WÖYH!

“I have been working with really interesting stuff lately, but creating a visual wonderland for Finnish band WÖYH! has definetly been one of my favorites. Both members in WÖYH! are pretty well known in Finland as musicians (Jussi Hyyrynen as a lead guitarist in YUP and Antti Hyyrynen aka Hyrde as a lead singer and guitarist in Stam1na) but for WÖYH!’s debut album IKKILLYK they decided to start their own record label Kaskelotti Records.

At the beginning of this project we had long discussions so that I would know excatly what these guys wanted and what they didn’t want: Jussi gave me basically full artistic freedom to do what ever I felt was right. All the time during the project I could strongly feel they trusted me in my vision. Jussi always listened to my thoughts carefully and replied that let’s do this, I trust you. –When I said that I needed ballerinas for these photos he told me he trusted me. Same thing when I said that we absolutely need to have an instrument that looks like Doctor Snuggles (Tohtori Sykerö) has lost his old transmitter in the world of Mad Max – he trusted me. My response to this freedom was these pretty twisted visuals that have got incredible good feedback everywhere. For example based on Nuorgam’s album review WÖYH!’s CD package is not only gorgeus but also an example on why CD as a music format should exist also in the future.

Once again I was happy to work with (yet another Jussi) graphic designer Jussi Karjalainen. There were several reasons why I asked him to be a part of this project. The first one is that he is a hell of a graphic designer. The second one is that we work at the same Super 8 Studio and with projects like this, it really gives an advantage to have several fast micro meetings during the day to share the vision and to be sure we are building the same visual world. Co-operating we are really working with each other, creating ideas, stuff, and content together to be sure that photos and graphic design are based on the consept we created.

Yep, and I can promise that there are even more of our shared visions to come! And for the all you WÖYH! fans I can promise that we are already building some new spectacular stuff.”

/Aki-Pekka Sinikoski

Check out WÖYH! website coded by Sensei Törönen himself.

The website is designed by Aki-Pekka Sinikoski and Jussi Karjalainen.

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TIME

Choreographer Maija Hirvanen is known for her thought-provoking and deliciously quirky works.

Hirvanen’s latest creation For those who have time examines habits formed by the rhythm of contemporary life. Imperfection, ardor, and beauty through sweat and emotions; these are the elements that the audience will encounter.

Aki-Pekka Sinikoski took the promotional photos for For those who have time. “I was basically asked to visualise the play in a photographic way. At that point there was only some parts of the choreography ready but we went through a lot of Maija’s ideas, thoughts, and the consept. After that I created the set design and lights for my photos.” explains Peki about the creative process behind these photos that run over Helsinki in November.

“I really enjoyed working with Maija – once again. She gave me a lot of artistic freedom and basically asked me to be part of their dance production crew at a early stage of the play. After I finished my part of the job, Maija continued the process with her main crew. You never know about the future but maybe there is even more to come with this artistic collaboration with her…”

More photos in the Portfolio.

For those who have time: Zodiak