Just wanted to log in to say hi! This month I have been writing my forthcoming book at an artist residency located in a magical village called Ii. I truly believe time is different here. Different than anywhere else I have ever been. Kind of kinder, or something ❤️ Thank you KulttuuriKauppila for showing me so much love during all these years, and treating me like one of your own. It has always been good to be here. ⭐️
/peki
P.S. What you can see from image 2 onwards, are spreads from the German magazine Eltern. They published a six-page portfolio story of me and Astrid 🥳
Hello fellows! Spring is here, and I have some exhibition news to share. We haven’t had any shows in Finland yet this year, but three exhibitions abroad. After our long exhibition at the Latvian Museum of Photography in Riga, our New Ghosts photos were exhibited as part of the Kuala Lumpur Photo Awards in Kuala Lumpur, Malesia.
Now it’s time for our second New Ghosts exhibition in Israel. The Meitar Award Finalists -exhibition is organized by Photo Is:rael, taking place in Nahariya, located in north Israel.
I’m super happy and proud that my debut book has been released in Estonia by a big local publishing house. I haven’t got my copy yet, but it feels amazing to see these photos from some bloggers & the publisher. I’m also happy about how they have used my art photos to promote this book. First I was kind of wondering why, but after a short moment, I realized that maybe there are some similarities between the characters in the story and my photos. It’s kind of funny how long it took for me to notice that. 😀
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kuun valossa (S&S) Under månen (Schildts & Söderströms) Kuu valgus (Rahva Raamat) Other credits like always: Author (FI/SWE): me, myself & IIllustration: Ilja
There are those super brief moments when you are proud of something you have done. (Moments just before you usually find yourself stepping on dog💩 or something similar 🥳)
To celebrate this short moment of gratitude, I wish to share with you some exhibition news I’m happy and proud of. Something that makes me smile. Something both me and Astrid have worked hard for, for many years.
First of all, at the moment I have three international exhibitions at the same time. Two of them together with my daughter Astrid✌️😃✌️
In Israel, we are also one of the finalists for the Meitar Award. 🏆 In Sydney, I’m exhibiting next to fantastic Roger Ballen, and one of my photos is also a nominee for the Best Portrait Photo.
The last years haven’t been only sunshine, but still we have managed to have more than 20 exhibitions in Australia, Israel, Italy, Spain, Russia (Moscow & Yekaterinburg), Malesia, Latvia, Georgia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Slovakia, Germany, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Inari, Orivesi, Oulu, Tampere, Turku, and Helsinki.
I want to thank each and everyone who has helped Astrid and me during our journey. You know who you are. Thank you ⭐️ And still: This is just the beginning! I have even more good news waiting just around the corner. More about that soon❤️
My debut book Under the Moon (Kuun valossa/Under månen) is going to be published in Estonia! The book is illustrated by Ilja Karsikas And guess what – the saga will continue as we are working on the follower for the first book. I hope it’s going to be published at the end of next year.
We love the magical light summer nights here in Finland. That’s why we wanted to turn them even more magical.
We are celebrating momentariness with a series of screenings with our latest video work: LAST SONG. Screening performances take place at late night in carefully selected, but totally random locations all around Finland and without any notice in advance.
We are looking forward to meet, serve and celebrate with people we’ve never meet before. (And let’s see, maybe we will even meet somebody we already know 😊) These screening performances are always dedicated to all of you whose path crosses ours totally accidentally. Let’s celebrate those magical moments and encounters. Let’s celebrate wonderful summer nights. Let’s celebrate life.
Ilja Karsikas has illustrated my first children’s book, and yesterday he was visiting a brand new culture program, Kulttuuri Cocktail; YLE is broadcasting in prime time.
Award-winning culture journalist Paavo Häikiö described our book Kuun valossa (Under månen) as the best children’s book he has read for many years. He adds that he still got chills just by thinking about it. Whole comment in Finnish here below:
Ylen kulttuuritoimittaja Paavo Häikiö:
”Kuun valossa -lastenkirja on paras lastenkirja mitä mä oon lukenut siis vuosikausiin. -Siis aivan mielettömän hyvä! — — Tämä kosketti. Olin aivan tippa linssissä. Suosittelen! Olen omien lapsien kanssa käynyt kymmeniä lastenkirjoja läpi, niin tämä nousi ihan sinne kärkeen. Kylmät väreet tulee vieläkin.”
I Love Dogs at VB Photo Centre, 4.12.2020–28.2.2021.
Why have I photographed Finnish men whose identities include pup play?
After my best friend died the people around me reacted in different ways to our common loss. The coping of this sudden and unwanted reminder of how limited also our own lives are, took different shapes for all of us. For one of my friends these existential questions strengthened the idea of not only being a father, but also a dog.
I often photograph things I want to learn more about or get to know better. This series was born from the need to understand my friend better, because at least from my perspective, the transformation from a father with seemingly traditional values to a dog was quite big.
My friend has been incredibly brave and I’m proud and happy that he doesn’t need to hide or be ashamed of this part of his life anymore when he is with me. Photographing this series has been a great adventure and I have learned a lot not only about people, but also dogs and myself. It is actually unbelievably relaxing to drive on the parking lot of the local supermarket with a rubber dog in the backseat that puffs to the mailman passing by. At that moment you don’t think about life or death, you just feel pure joy.” Aki-Pekka Sinikoski, Photographer
🐩
”It has been great that Peki (Aki-Pekka) wanted to get to know this part of life which is important to me. We have been driving around Finland, talked a lot and photographed doggies in the gay scene. Many have felt that it is remarkable and important to be able to be part of this photo series and exhibition. There is still a lot of stigma connected to the fetishes and many in the gay fetish scene has needed to come out twice; first as a sexual minority person and then as a fetishist.
Fetish and BDSM lifestyle has followed me from my childhood, but the road to self- acceptance has been long. After our common friend passed away, I realized how limited life is and how important it is to live as ourselves. It has felt liberating that I have finally been able to be my own kind of me also with Peki. The fact that I haven’t needed to hide one part of my life from him, has also deepened our friendship.”
