Social Gallery, Kankaanpää April 2019

Art, storytelling and  handcrafts visiting and participating people at Kankaanpää Fine Art and Taitokeskus

Hands in clay. This has been the utmost reality for three artist working in Kankaanpää Art School Gallery in April 2019.

The social gallery -event received visitors from France, Sylviane Donon Rambeau, from Italy and nowadays from Rauma, Enrico Mazzone and Finnish art student Saara Nurmi, from Kankaanpää Fine Art.

Participant artists all represent traditional and artisan like techniques, which all require hand and eye co-operation and craft skills and knowledge of traditions.

Mazzone is currently drawing a 97-meter solid, one-piece massive artwork with a pencil technique, mainly in dots. Mazzone’s work tells several overlapping stories about Kalevala, Dante and different places and encounters around Finland.

The massive drawing is expected to be complete in two years; it is currently in 45 meters and locates in Rauma.

Rambeau is an artist and artisan who paints by weaving. Rambeau prefers to use recycled textiles and wool and sometimes combine various natural elements.

Nurmi is an art student who communicates with plants,ceramics and installations.

Planting and creating artwork out of ceramics can be seen as a post humanistic therapy, both for the plant and the artists and other participants involved.

The Social gallery –event organized open workshops from three different angle for the local public. Mazzone’s drawing and storytelling was targeted for the Kankaanpää 4H children’s club and groups from rehabilitation center Tähti.

Rambeau also worked at Kankaanpää Taitokeskus, which is an educational artisan and textile center.

At the Taitokeskus, Rambeau also opened her personal and professional history. Rambeau has previously been a ballet dancer in Bordeaux Opera. After retiring, weaving art became the new profession. Rambeau has also been involved in developing Women’s Weaving and Crafts Center in Africa, Niger.

-Saija Mustaniemi

 

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The International Peat Sculpture Festival, Jelgava, Latvia

 

The International Peat Sculpture Festival, organized in the framework of theRural Art (He-A.R.T) project implemented by the Rural Partnership “Lielupe” from 16-19 May, has been finished with positive feedback from visitors and the artists involved.

 

All the day long in the picturesque Eleja Manor park, by the tent where 12 sculptures where placed, there were people gathering making shorter or longer queue.

Such kind of festival took place for the first time in Jelgava Local Municipality, and it is a unique event throughout Latvia, since the last time peat sculptures were formed there 10 years ago.

Artists from Finland, France and Italy arrived in Latvia on 16 May, when artists from Jelgava and Ozolnieku municipalities joined them on a trip to the Drabinu and Kaigu peat swamps, run by “Laflora” Ltd.

On May 17, there were sculptures` preparation works taking place at Eleja Manor Park, where artists, none of whom had previously worked with peat material, with the guidance of artist Edgars Ameriks, immersed in their fantasies and allowed the delicate material to be transformed into a variety of artworks. The artists appreciated the process of work organisation, which allowed the work to be fully committed throughout the day. At the same time, a Monitoring Group meeting was also held for all project partners from local action groups.

On the next day, 18 May during the festival of Jelgava Local Municipality it was possible to admire the peat sculpture works displayed in a separate tent. Besides, the visitors had the opportunity to participate in the peat sculpture workshop themselves and to make their own small peat products.

Special thanks go to Laflora Ltd, which provided peat blocks for the creation of a peat labyrinth next to a peat sculpture tent, which attracted additional visitor interest and allowed visitors, especially the smaller ones, to find their way out of it! The labyrinth, in collaboration with the pupils of Music and Art of school Jelgava Local Municipality, was formed by “Otas brīnumdārzs”.

Artists who took part in the Peat art festival:

Finland: Saara Nurmi, Petri Haavisto

France: Laure Neumann, Do Delaunay

Italy: Francesca Amendola

Latvia: Liene Āboma, Elita Šmēdiņa, Ilze Launaga, Atis Luguzs, Nellija Skujeniece, Mārtiņš Zajankovskis, Gita Straustiņa, Igo Fomins, Evija Rubīna, Otas brīnumdārzs: Sanda Lakutijevska and Madara Buškevica, Pupils of Music and Art of school Jelgava Local Municipality: Kristīne Švalbe, Raivo Ziemiņš, Amanda Bula, Gabriela Raģe, Anna Ruskule.

Information prepared by Anita Škutāne, project Rural Art (He-A.R.T)” manager in Rural partnership “Lielupe”

Images: Edgars Pogozelskis & Atis Luguzs

Emergence. Marmande (France) les 3, 4 et 5 mai 2019

Indars Markots et Karīna Švānberga (LV)

Marco del Mistro et Francesco Beltrame (IT)

Jere Kilpinen (FI)

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Francesco Beltrame et Marco Del Mistro sont deux lycéens de Maniago en Italie. Respectivement batteur et saxophoniste dans l’orchestre de leur lycée ils ont été sélectionnés pour participer à un échange d’artistes amateurs. Leurs influences musicales sont plutôt pop rock mais dans le cadre de leur apprentissage ils travaillent majoritairement des morceaux classiques et jazz.

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Indars Markots et Karina Švānberga vivent à Jelgava en Lettonie. Il est guitariste et ils débutent ensemble un duo guitare voix. En acoustique, ils instaurent une ambiance intimiste sur des airs folk.

Jere Kilpinen est étudiant à l’Université d’Arts Appliqués de Kankaanpää. Après une dizaine d’années dans le circuit musical, il a entrepris un nouveau cursus pour étudier les arts plastiques. Respectueux de l’environnement et conscient de l’impact des activités humaines sur la nature il travaille sur des concepts créatifs qui permettent le recyclage grâce au détournement d’objets. Il définit sa musique comme « un mélange entre la musique méditative et le bruit » quant à son approche artistique elle est « junk dadaïste et avant-gardiste ».

Emergence est un évènement qui permet à de jeunes artistes amateurs de présenter leur travail à un groupe de professionnels du monde artistique. Les jeunes sont accueillis dans un théâtre et travaillent dans un environnement professionnel avec des moyens techniques identiques à ceux réservés aux artistes programmés dans une structure culturelle.

Au théâtre Comoedia, le matin, les jeunes artistes ont fait les repérages sur scène, avec les techniciens son et lumière. Les jeunes italiens découvrent les instruments prêtés par le conservatoire, ils prennent leurs marques. Pourtant les vingt minutes de préparation ne suffiront pas à les mettre à l’aise. Le stress les a engloutis…

Indars et Karina ont eu, eux aussi, à se familiariser avec un instrument de prêt. Plus expérimenté, Indars choisit la guitare avec laquelle il enchaînera les accords pour accompagner la voix de Karina. Il s’exerce, égrène les premières notes et donne à Karina l’impulsion nécessaire à leur duo. Les échanges avec les techniciens sont efficaces, le son est calé, les micros préparés, les pistes prêtes.

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jere2

Quant à Jere, il traîne sur la scène une drôle de valise ornée d’un logo « junkyard Chaman », d’où il sort des fils, une pédale, des ressors métalliques, des canettes en alu, des engrenages, encore des fils, des baguettes… Les techniciens attendent, curieux. Jere demande s’il peut utiliser une guitare, elle est là, elle est prête, il est prêt et les techniciens aussi. Jere commence alors à jouer, pieds nus, recroquevillé au milieu de ses outils, il gratte une plaque de métal rouillé, tout doucement, il recommence. Puis il choisit un autre objet qu’il frotte sur le coin de sa valise avant de tapoter plusieurs fois sur les ressorts métalliques. Il enregistre chaque élément et ajoute les pistes les unes aux autres pour former un son harmonieux et répétitif : la musique est là, douce, reposante et introspective. Il règne dans le théâtre une quiétude impossible à imaginer un quart d’heure plus tôt où l’effervescence et le stress se partageaient les esprits. Jere remet ses chaussures et demande s’il pourra avoir un jeu de lumière différent pour sa prestation, il voudrait être dans une ambiance plus sombre. C’est la première fois qu’il joue sur scène dans un théâtre. Habituellement ses interventions sont plus proches des happenings, elles sont réalisées dans des lieux intimistes. Les techniciens lui préparent une jolie lumière bleue qui participera au voyage.

L’après-midi débute avec des jeunes rockeurs énervés qui mettent une ambiance de fin de soirée alors qu’il est 13h30, on est juste sur la digestion, installés dans les fauteuils confortables d’un théâtre tout en velours rouge. Des amateurs ? Oui mais depuis longtemps, ils se connaissent bien, ils ont répété, ils jouent leur musique, celle qu’ils ont composée ensemble. En attendant leur tour, ceux qui le souhaitaient ont pris possession des loges… d’autres ont préféré l’anonymat de la salle, pas encore tout à fait prêt à endosser le statut d’artiste.

Les jeunes artistes se succèdent, ils proposent des ambiances très différentes. Certains maîtrisent parfaitement le jeu avec le public, ils l’embarquent dans leur univers. D’autres combattent leur panique et surmontent le trac avec peine. Les émotions sont vives, multiples et communicatives.

A la fin des prestations les échanges avec les professionnels sont proposés. Chaque groupe a l’opportunité de se présenter, d’expliquer ses choix créatifs. Des questions permettent de préciser les conditions de répétitions, comment sont répartis les rôles au sein des groupes, qui fait quoi, quel est l’enjeu de cette expérience… Les artistes sont confrontés à des questions sur leur pratique, leur technique, sur la discipline, sur les processus créatifs. Puis des conseils arrivent, bienveillants et pertinents. Ils confortent certains jeunes dans des postures qu’ils n’osaient pas assumer, ils déclenchent des questions sur la pertinence de leurs choix de mise en scène, ils confirment un ressenti difficile à verbaliser. Les échanges sont riches, honnêtes.

Des propositions sont faites, en plus des précieux conseils plusieurs jeunes pourront compter sur un relais. Emergence a tenu ses promesses : la rencontre a eu lieu, le réseau s’enrichit de jeunes talents qui vont pouvoir continuer à grandir sur le territoire.

http://www.emergence-marmande.fr/

yleisö

Translation

Indars Markots and Karīna Švānberga (LV)

Marco del Mistro and Francesco Beltrame (IT)

Jere Kilpinen (FI)

Emergence

Marmande (France) 3rd, 4th and 5th May 2019

Francesco Beltrame and Marco Del Mistro are two students from Maniago in Italy. Respectively drummer and saxophonist in the orchestra of their high school they were selected to participate in an exchange of amateur artists. Their musical influences are rather pop rock but for this event they mainly worked on classical and jazz songs.

Indars Markots and Karina Švānberga live in Jelgava, Latvia. He plays guitar and they start a vocal guitar duo together. In acoustics, they create an intimate atmosphere on folk tunes.

Jere Kilpinen is student at Kankaanpää University of Applied Arts. After about ten years in the musical circuit, he undertook a new curriculum to study art. Respectful of the environment and aware of the impact of human activities on nature he works on creative concepts that allow recycling with the diversion of objects. He defines his music as «a mixture of meditative music and noise» and his artistic approach is « junk dadaist and avant-gardiste».

Emergence is an event that allows young amateur artists to present their work to a group of professionals from the artistic world. Young people are welcomed in a theatre and they can work in a professional environment with technical means identical to those reserved for artists programmed in a cultural structure.

At the Comoedia theatre, in the morning, young artists made their rehearsal on stage, with sound and light technicians. The two young Italians discovered the instruments lent by the conservatory and they tried to take their marks. Nevertheless, 20 minutes of preparation were not enough to make them feel comfortable. The stress has engulfed them…

Indars and Karina also had to familiarize themselves with a lending instrument. More experienced, Indars chooses the guitar with which he will play the chords to accompany Karina’s voice. He exercises himself, singles out the first notes and gives Karina the impetus needed for their duo. The exchanges with the technicians are efficient: the sound is adjusted, the microphones prepared, the tracks ready.

As for Jere, he drags on the stage a strange suitcase decorated with a “Junkyard shaman” logo, from where he takes out threads, a pedal, metal springs, aluminium cans, gears, more threads, rods… Technicians are waiting, curious. Jere asks if he can use a guitar. Here it is, ready for use. Jere is ready and so are the technicians. Jere then starts playing, barefoot, curled up in the middle of his tools, he scrapes a rusty metal plate, very slowly, and he starts again. Then he chooses another object to rub on the corner of his suitcase before tapping several times on the metal springs. He records each element and adds the tracks to each other to form a harmonious and repetitive sound: the music is there, soft, restful and introspective. There is a peace of mind in the theatre that cannot be imagine a quarter of an hour earlier when excitement and stress were shared. Jere puts back his shoes and asks if he can have a different play of light for his performance, he would like to be in a darker atmosphere. It is the first time that he plays on stage in a theater. Usually his interventions are closer to happenings; he performes in intimate places. The technicians prepare him a blue light that will participate in the trip.

The afternoon begins with young edgy rockers who put a late-night atmosphere when it is 13:30, we are just on the digestion, installed in the comfortable chairs of a red velvet theater. Fans? Yes but for a long time, they know each other well, they have repeated, they play their music, the one they composed together. While waiting for their turn, those who wished took possession of the boxes … others preferred the anonymity of the room, not quite ready to endorse the status of artist.

Young artists succeed one another, they offer very different atmospheres. Some people have perfect control of the game with the public, they take it into their universe. Others fight their panic and overcome stage fright with pain. Emotions are vivid, multiple and communicative.

At the end exchanges with professionals are coming on. Each group has the opportunity to introduce themselves, to explain their creative choices. Questions can be asked to clarify the conditions of repetition, how roles are divided among the groups, who does what, what is the purpose of this experiment… Artists are confronted with questions about their practice, their technique, their discipline, their creative processes. Then advice arrives, benevolent and relevant. They comfort some young people in positions they did not dare assume, they trigger questions about the relevance of their choice of staging, they confirm a feeling difficult to verbalize. The exchanges are rich, honest.

Proposals are made, in addition to valuable advice several young people will be able to count on a relay. Emergence has kept its promises: the meeting took place, the network is enriched with young talents who will be able to continue to grow on the territory.

– Catie Sarnel

 

 

Creative workshop and exchange experiences from Kankaanpää, Finland

From August 19 to 22, representatives of the Rural Partnership Lielupe, Music and Arts Schools of Jelgava Local Municipality and Salgale in Ozolnieki Municipality (Latvia) participated in the events of the Art Week within LEADER International Cooperation Project “Rural Art (He-A.R.T)” and the experience exchange trip to Kankaanpää, Finland.

The “Buzz and happenings in Kankaanpää” event is organized by the local action group Pohjois-Satakunta in cooperation with Satakunta University of Applied Sciences.

During the visit the participants had an opportunity to get acquainted with the activities of the partnership Pohjois-Satakunta, which covers 11 municipalities’ territories (including 3 cities) with 41 733 inhabitants. We visited Satakunta University of Applied Sciences and the Art School Gallery, a recreation place in Karvia created by the famous Finnish singer Anne Mattila, where there is a cafe, a concert venue and a nature trail with various attractions and where there are singer`s paintings exhibited. We were also introduced with the various village community projects, fishing places created by municipalities, active recreation and sports facilities, as well as the Unesco Geopark project https://www.lauhanvuoriregion.fi/ and the Sandbox educational game in geography.

Teachers Anda Silgaile and Anita Antoņeviča organized and managed a creative workshop for children and young people from schools in Kankaanpää.


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Even a small rural town needs its social sculpture

Finnish community artist and project researcher, Saija Mustaniemi from Satakunta University of applied sciences visited in June 2018 He-art partners in northern Italy.

Mustaniemi executed applied public art workshops for children, elderly people and for special groups. Mustaniemi also lectured about public and participatory art and its best practices from the region of Kankaanpää, especially themes connected the collection of public art in Kankaanpää, the Circle of art, Taidekehä.

The community artist also gathered material and information for to execute an installation later on in the theme of social sculpture.

Social sculpture is a term of Joseph Beuys, which means of expanding the notion of sculpture to the whole community, for example, the city’s activities. Social sculpture can also refer to a work of art that determines meeting place and brings people together.

A good example of such a work is city well or a fountain. For the original purpose, city well has offered a lifeline to citizens, by handing out clean water. Later, city wells have gained aesthetic and position-definable meanings. From the very beginning, city well has been a notion of urbanism, social comfort, and a symbol of wellbeing.

Within the framework of International Circle of art (he-art) -Leader project, Saija Mustaniemi traveled to Italy in early June 2018, to visit this promised land of city wells and fountains. Also, to explore the best practices of Italian project partners and to explore more deeply symbols and locations of social art.

In the Italian small, rural towns, the Finnish community artist realized repeatedly that Kankaanpää is truly a city of rural art. In Kankaanpää there are a school of art, an art museum, an art gallery, more than 100 public work of art. There are development for participatory art, guiding art, well-being art, art education going on, but a social sculpture, people gathering city well or fountain is missing.

Can a city be a true art city without such a clear and historic monument of urban culture?  Where do people gather, and what can they announce as a common meeting place? Can the city be a true art city without its socially bubbling centerpiece?

Rome has the Fontana di Trevi, Havis Amanda is in Helsinki, the world’s highest fountain can be found in Saudi Arabia, and it sprays water over the Red Sea.

Fountains have always had and still have the potential to bring people together, exert political power and astonish people with new technological innovations.

The story of more social, public art will exceed and continue in rural Kankaanpää…

  • Saija Mustaniemi, community artist, project researcher, SAMK, Fine Art Kankaanpää

Ilona Tala and Santa Jankovska at Emergence Marmande (France) 4th, 5th and 6th may 2018

Ilona Tala, is a young artist just graduated from the Kankaanpää University of Applied Arts (SAMK). She came to Marmande to participate with Emergence and to present her work. For her it was an adventure : the first time she had travelled alone and the first time she participated as a professional artist and not like a student. And it’s probably just a beginning because she’s an emerging artist. During her stay two buyers were interested in pieces exhibited in a gallery in Helsinki.

Santa Jankovska is from Jelgava in Latvia and she is a choreographer. Dancer and choreographer. She manages a group of dancers that performs in Latvia but also in the whole world, so she travels often. She has danced in Italy, France, Germany and even in China. As she is semiprofessional she devotes another part of her time to her work of physiotherapist. It was her first visit to Marmande and she presented a research work to Emergence’s professionals, a choreography in the process of being created.

The group who organize Emergence is constituded by professionals and local cultural actors. They want to share their passion with young amateurs and help them to find their way. The purpose of this action is to allow young people to present their work on stage in optimal conditions and to have advice, criticism and encouragement of professionals from the artistic world.

For this first edition, a dozen young people presented performances of theatre, singing, music and dance. They prepared their presentation, identified the place, they made a rehearsal or balances with the theatre technicians, then, they waited their turn in the backstage as professional artists would have done before a show. They came on stage with apprehension or enthusiasm, some of them with stage fright. Then they revealed their personal universe, through a theater scene, some songs or a choreography. After the show, professionals kindly gave some advice, criticism or encouragement.

It was Ilona Tala who opened the afternoon presenting her work about the place of art in public places at a digital time and how she divert the 3D representation in her sculptures. Her work and her consideration were appreciated. To the question about the use of technology and digital technology in her preparatory approach, she answers that she is at the very beginning of this process, for the moment she represents 3D and modelism physically and figuratively in her sculptures (the lines and points form triangles that join together represent a subject). The next step of her approach is to integrate a 3D software from the start of her research work.

When Santa Jankovska a showed her choreography, the mood was calm, deep and peaceful. She presented a series of movements, a preparatory research of her future show. The professional choreographer noticed immediately the peculiarity of her performance and he entered in a technical discussion with Santa. This contribution was very enriching for the young artist.

In the end of the presentations a discussion was organized, the young artists expressed themselves on this new experience. Santa and Ilona shared their opinions with other young people and professionals. Even if as guests they had a place a little apart, with different pressure and purpose as the other participants, but like all the actors of this first edition of Emergence they were happy to participate and to share around their discipline.

The next edition is already in preparation, and it will always be open to young people from the territory but also to the partner territories of the LEADER He-art cooperation project.

http://www.emergence-marmande.fr/

In french…..

Ilona Tala, jeune artiste tout juste diplômée de l’Université d’arts appliqués de Kankaanpää (SAMK) est venue à Marmande pour présenter son travail dans le cadre d’Emergence. C’était la première fois qu’elle voyageait seule et la première fois qu’elle intervenait en tant que professionnelle. Et ce n’est probablement qu’un début car c’est une artiste émergente. Lors de ce séjour elle a eu la surprise de répondre à des sollicitations de deux acquéreurs pour deux de ses pièces exposées dans une galerie d’Helsinki.

Santa Kanceviča, elle, est originaire de Jelgava en Lettonie, elle est chorégraphe. Danseuse et chorégraphe. Elle a l’habitude de voyager car elle est à la tête d’une troupe de danse qui se produit en Lettonie mais aussi dans le monde entier. Elle a notamment dansé en Italie, en France, en Allemagne et même en Chine. Semi professionnelle, elle consacre une autre partie de son temps à son activité de physiothérapeute. C’était sa première visite à Marmande et elle a présenté un travail de recherche aux professionnels d’Emergence, une chorégraphie en cours de création.

Emergence a été organisée à Marmande par un collectif de professionnels et d’acteurs culturels locaux désireux de partager leur passion avec de jeunes amateurs et de les aider à trouver leur voie. Permettre à des jeunes de venir présenter leur travail sur scène dans des conditions optimales et de repartir avec les conseils, les critiques et les encouragements des professionnels du monde artistique était le but de cette action.

Pour cette première édition, une dizaine de jeunes a présenté des prestations de théâtre, chant, musique et danse. Ils ont préparé leur passage, repéré les lieux, ils ont fait un filage ou les balances avec les techniciens du théâtre puis ils ont attendu leur tour dans les loges, comme l’auraient fait des artistes professionnels avant un spectacle. Ils sont montés sur scène avec appréhension ou enthousiasme, certains avec le trac. Ensuite ils ont révélé leur univers personnel, à travers une scène de théâtre, une série de chansons ou encore une chorégraphie. Puis c’est avec bienveillance que les professionnels ont dispensé quelques conseils, critiques ou encouragements.

C’est Ilona Tala qui a ouvert l’après-midi en présentant son travail sur la place de l’art dans les lieux publics à l’heure du tout numérique et comment elle détourne la représentation 3D dans ses sculptures. Son travail et sa réflexion ont été appréciés. A la question sur l’utilisation de la technologie et du numérique dans son approche préparatoire, elle répond qu’elle est au tout début de cette démarche, pour l’instant elle représente la 3D et le modélisme de manière physique et figurative dans ses sculptures (les lignes et les points forment des triangles qui réunis entre eux représentent un sujet). La prochaine étape de sa démarche est d’intégrer l’utilisation d’un logiciel 3D dès le démarrage de ses travaux de recherches.

Lorsque Santa Jankovska propose sa chorégraphie, l’ambiance est posée : calme, profonde et sereine. Elle a présenté une suite de mouvements, une recherche préparatoire à son futur spectacle. La particularité de sa prestation a été remarquée immédiatement par le chorégraphe et un échange assez technique s’est engagé entre eux. Cet apport est très enrichissant pour la jeune artiste.

A la fin des présentations un bord de scène s’organise, les jeunes s’expriment sur cette expérience. Santa et Ilona partagent leurs avis avec les autres jeunes et les professionnels. Même si en tant qu’invitées elles avaient une place un peu à part, avec une pression et un but différent, mais comme tous les acteurs de la première édition d’Emergence elles ont été heureuses de participer et d’échanger autour de leur discipline de prédilection.

Le collectif organisateur prépare d’ores et déjà la prochaine édition, elle sera toujours ouverte aux jeunes du territoire mais également aux territoires partenaires du projet de coopération LEADER He-art.

http://www.emergence-marmande.fr/

  • Catie Sarnel, Val de Garonne Agglomeration
     

 

  • emerge2SantaIlonaTalaEmerge

Peat and encounterings in Kankaanpää

The first Art Week of the Kankaanpää was held in May 2018. The Art Week was produced in cooperation with the city of Kankaanpää, the Circle of art -project (HEART) and Kortteeri project (SAMK).

There was a common interest for all actors to increase the multifunctional use of urban space and participatory art.

Feelings from the event week are remaining positive. The program was plentiful and reached a large number of citizens in different age groups, in different situations and locations.

The idea for the week was born in Kankaanpää’s Fine Art projects and in the city’s cooperation. New Kankaanpää Art Week consisted of Fine Art students projects, Satakunta University of applied sciences teaching, research and development activities and projects and of course visiting, foreign artists.

This time one visiting artist from the Circle of art -project was Mickaelle Delame from France. Mickaelle stayed two weeks in Kankaanpää, exploring public art and the rural, near by surroundings. Mickaelle participated to the Peat symposium, which was held during the week of art. Mickaelle was in touch with peat for the first time as a material for art. She had also the chance to explore peat in its real natural surroundings in a swamp sauna, Lauhavuori region.

Totally, during the art week a little bit more than ten peat sculpting were made. A Finnish company Kekkilä was willing to support the symposium with materials.

Also during the Art Week, it was possible to test, among other things, a virtual art gallery, experiment and participate to performances and hear music at the Fine Art premises. An open lecture and a peat workshop was held for the public.

This was a fresh new opening where event of art students, citizens and international visitors became visible.  It was fine event, which emphasized equality.  All events were free of charge and open to all public.

The event got a positive publicity also. For example, the editor of YLE made a straight radio interview with an art student directly from the peat igloo.

  • Saija Mustaniemi, project researcher, SAMK, Kankaanpää Fine Art

Heli Ryhänen in Pays Val de Garonne Guyenne Gascogne 2017 September 19th, 20th, 21th and 22th

The Finnish artist Heli Ryhänen was invited to France, by Pays Val de Garonne Guyenne Gascogne, within the framework of a European cooperation project of the Leader program. Professor at the University of Applied Arts in Kankaanpää (SAMK), she was chosen by the partner territory of Pohjois-Satakunta in Finland to take part in this exchange of artists.

She came to Lot-et-Garonne in September 2017 to discover our territory and to provide art workshops. The exhibition « ARTERE… Circulez ! Tout est à voir ! » (an artistic road with 11 outdoor pieces of art in 11 municipalities) brought her to discover the meaning of the project in which she was involved.

She visited several municipalities and discovered the architecture of our villages, so different to the wooden villages of the Satakunta area. She also met the mayors who administer these municipalities and who are involved in this project even if usually art is far from local concerns.

Heli works in La Taillade, a care unit for disabled people. During a two days period she suggested to a group of residents to take inspiration from nature so as to awaken their creativity. Their place of life being located in the heart of the forest, the theme was almost inevitable. It started with a long walk and a collection of leaves, branches and pebbles. Then, with advices and some technical demonstrations by the artist, the participants tried to paint, draw and model. Residents enjoyed these two days of activity with Heli Ryhänen and were able to keep a material memory thanks to the small clay subjects they modeled.

The artist also presented her own work, she showed them the importance of nature in her research and her creations, whether by the representation of the subject itself or by the colors that she uses or even in the details of the effects and the materials. She shared with them the music she listens to, that produces an atmosphere conducive to creation and inspiration. More than just an artist workshop, this experience was a privileged meeting between an artist and this small group.

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Heli Ryhänen en Pays Val de Garonne Guyenne Gascogne

Les 19, 20, 21 et 22 septembre 2017

L’artiste Finlandaise Heli Ryhänen a été invitée par le Pays Val de Garonne Guyenne Gascogne (France) dans le cadre du projet de coopération européenne du programme Leader. Professeur à l’Université d’arts appliqués de Kankaanpää (SAMK), elle a été choisie pour participer à cet échange d’artistes avec le territoire partenaire de Pohjois-Satakunta en Finlande.

Elle est donc venue en Lot et Garonne en septembre 2017 avec comme programme la découverte du territoire et l’animation d’ateliers arts plastiques. Grâce à l’exposition « ARTERE… Circulez ! Tout est à voir ! » (un parcours artistique de 11 œuvres d’arts exposées en extérieur dans 11 communes du territoire)* elle a pu saisir le sens profond du projet dans lequel son intervention s’inscrivait. Elle a visité plusieurs communes et découvert l’architecture de nos villages incomparables avec les villages en bois de la région de Satakunta. Elle a également rencontré des élus qui administrent ces villages et se sont investis dans le projet artistique bien que les arts plastiques soient habituellement loin des préoccupations locales.

Heli est intervenue au foyer de vie de La Taillade, un établissement qui accueille des personnes adultes handicapées. Durant deux jours elle a proposé à un groupe de résidents de s’inspirer de la nature pour éveiller leur créativité. Leur lieu de vie étant situé au cœur de la forêt, la thématique était presque inévitable. Tout a commencé avec une grande promenade et une collecte de feuilles, de branches et de cailloux. Ensuite, avec les conseils de l’artiste et quelques démonstrations techniques, les participants se sont essayés à peindre, dessiner et modeler. Les résidents ont beaucoup apprécié ces deux jours d’activité avec Heli Ryhänen et ont pu en conserver un souvenir matériel grâce aux petits sujets en argile qu’ils ont modelés.

L’artiste a également présenté son travail personnel, elle leur a montré l’importance de la nature dans ses recherches et dans ses créations, que ce soit par la représentation du sujet en lui-même ou bien par les couleurs qu’elle utilise ou encore le détail des matières et des effets. Elle a partagé avec eux la musique qu’elle écoute pour se mettre dans une ambiance propice à la création et à l’inspiration. Plus qu’un simple atelier arts plastiques, cette expérience a été une rencontre privilégiée entre une artiste et ce petit groupe.

* intégrer le catalogue de l’exposition

-Catie Sarnel

Mechanical art

Frech artist, Olivier Louloum visited Kankaanpää Finland last fall 2017. Here’s an interview about Oliviers experiences.

Olivier Louloum is interested in the naturally produced energy. Wind and water are the natural elements in his artwork that produces movement and voices.  Natural energy gives you different kind of variation, apart from mechanical sound environments, says French artist who is exploring Satakunta region for one week.

Louloum is in Kankaanpää because attending a artist exchance project Sphere of art-that is run by Satakunta University of applied sciences, The Kankaanpää Art Association and the Kankaanpää museum. Sphere of Art is funded by Northern –Satakunta Leader, and it is aiming to increase participatory and collaborative art in rural areas. Sphere of art is part of an international project, which have partners from France, Italy and Latvia.

Louloum arrived to Finland last Monday and from Kankaanpää Fine art, Heli Ryhänen lecturer in sculpture left to explore French environmental art at the Garonne region. Ryhänen will stay in France a little less than a week and is bringing new ideas and models from very wide environmental art exhibition.

Louloum is a self-taught sculptor. In his art, he uses recycled material. His material is not random,  it has to have a certain connection to the area or a knowledge of the former user, says Louloum. – I always try to create something new, but paying attention and respect to the history. My sculptures are often water mills and own kind of moving theatre, my sculpture they breathe, sweek and scratch.

I often mix elements with contrast, for example old and new, explains Louloum.

The creator of these humoristic water-and wind installations is a carpenter from his early professional. The wood is still a part of his installations, in many works you can see poetical windows and doors, but those are also a reminder form the artists past. – I see art as a positive and communal element. With art, you can rise up themes from the present society, for example over consumption, explains Louloum.

–       I have travelled with my installations in Morocco, Burkina Faso, Israel and Kazakhstan, but I never thought that I’d come to this North.  Oliver half joked, that coming to this North would mean seeing Inuit and polar bears, but the reality was different from the imagination In Finland there was a lot of forest and quietness. – When the plane took off from Helsinki, all that I saw until Pori was woods and woods, laughs Louloum. I enjoyed greatly this big calm country, nice people and sense of space. – I find very amusing that in Finland, between villages, even between houses and people, there’s always a lot of space.

–       While his stay in Kankaanpää Louloum has already to get to know the art school, the circle of art the Art Assosiation  and the Kankaanpää museum. For Louloum it was very inspiring to see the exhibition at Kankaanpää museum, which was about immigration. As an artist, I am interested in the global themes, pounders Louloum.

–       During this week, in front of the art school, a mechanical installation will be build. Which elements from the history of Kankaanpää we will recognize from it, and what kind of sound and movement it will produce?  These questions the artist will not yet answer and invites all people in Kankaanpää to come and visit the location.

  • Saija Mustaniemi, Kankaanpää, Finland