työpaja

COMMUNITY ART IN II

July 21, 2015

rantapohja

Stylistically many of my photographies are located somewhere on the borderline between documentary and art. This summer 18.7.–20.9. I will present a series called Endless Summer in public spaces here in Ii. The series was created by objectively following the lives of some of the personalities but also by actively discussing with others of them.

Here in Ii some of the elderly that I have shot has prepared masks to wear in the pictures. With these masks they are able to hide or highlight their wishes, dreams, or fears. The idea to the masks came from some of the old men I shot in more traditional documentary way. They had made themselves masks and other objects to strongly mediate their feelings. In this final series these situations, feelings, and persons documented in a more traditional way are mixed with photos that were created by using more community based working methods. Together I think these images create an honest and multifaceted picture of the post-war generation.

For my Finnish speaking friends: Here is an article released in the the local newspaper Rantapohja. Text and photos by Leena Takaluoma

MY PEOPLE

July 21, 2015
workshop, Sinikoski

This wonderful gentleman came to today’s workshop in his own car. Because the workshop was limited to people over 65 years he wanted to show me his driver’s licence to prove that he will turn 90 in just a couple of months. –So I let him in 😉 And oh boy what a great day we had! Handicrafts, spontaneous singing, coffee, ice cream, lots of talking and great photos. There are those people who really make the difference and as I told to this old man, he really made this day special for many of us. I know that this time of the year it’s more trendy to post holiday photos than work related stuff, but I don’t do that simply because I’m working. And I’m not sorry about it because I can honestly say that I’m super happy to be right here, right now working with these people.

Peace & Love, Peki

PS. More information about this project here on YLE’s webpage: http://yle.fi/uutiset/kunpa_omat_siivet_kantaisivat_pitkaan__suomalainen_ikamies_ikuistetaan_yhteisotaiteessa/8101706
The only thing that I should probably correct in the article is that there will be plenty of more photos than ten. There can’t be just ten. This is the new Iijoki-sarja, goddamit 😀

II

July 21, 2015

studio

Around 650 kilometers up north from Helsinki is a town called Ii. The place is not only blessed with the shortest place name in Finland but also with a amazingly active cultural life with for example an environmental art biennale. At the moment I’m working here as a guest artist together with another artist in residence from Japan and a bunch of local artists. It’s going to be an extremely busy month up here but I can already now say that I’m super happy to work here with all these people.

BTW, today I met a lady who told me that the origin of the name Ii comes from the North Sami word “idja” that means night… Hmmm… If you describe night as the time between sunset and sunrise then at this time of the year here in Ii there so much light that the idja lasts only for 1 hour and 31 minutes. –Sounds like the Sami people had a good sense of irony wink emoticon

I will try to be active here during this month so you will have a chance to follow my adventures here. Next time I will tell you more about my forthcoming project here.
Take care!

XXX, Peki