Archive for May 2009
Why boys don’t play with dolls?
From the series Playing Belfast by Harri Pälviranta
Kiasma’s exhibition (Un)naturally explores and illustrates the diversity of gender.
Since an early age, boys and girls learn to have gender roles. Games and toys are differentiated in the scene on the playground; girls playing with girls while boys are romping with boys.
In the adult world, suddenly rules change when preferring the same gender partner to share life is considered unnatural, therefore discriminated by society. Despite the fact that in some job markets the gender differences may appear as natural on a basis of evolution or genes, the curators agree that something is still wrong if genders are continuously juxtaposed even in the third millennium.
When is it natural to prefer the same gender and when is it not? Who sets the rules? What determines the scent of a man? Thoughts on these questions, on what is natural and what is unnatural come to the viewer through the works of nine artists including ink on paper, watercolor, pencil on paper, chromogenic colour print, digital colour print, silisec mounting and oil on canvas.
An interesting series of drawings (ink on paper) entitled Fall of Man, includes male personalities in history telling stories of men defending gay rights, men stubbed to death for being gay, or showing the countries where homosexuality is a reason for death penalty.
(Un)naturally
on display
until 30 August.
www.kiasma.fi
Susan Fourtané – HT
Harri Pälviranta – Image
Film festival in Sodankylä
Sodankylä Film Festival from 10-14 June
The 24th Midnight Sun Film Festival is the perfect excuse to visit the Finnish Lapland for 24 hours of non-stop masterpiece screenings and meeting top international filmmakers in the light of the midnight sun.
Aki Kaurismäki, Mika Kaurismäki and Timo Malmi form the programming committee who, together with artistic director Peter von Bagh, select the films; assuring quality to the film fest party.
Gems of contemporary international cinema and classic silent films share screening space in the non-competitive festival. International directors invited this year are John Boorman from the UK, Arturo Ripstein from Mexico, Robert Guédiguian from France and Samira Makhmalbaf from Iran. Special screenings include Rauni Mollberg’s classic adaptation of Timo K Mukka’s Earth is Our Sinful Song, which is not very often seen on the big screen.
The Finnish documentary film Maan muisti, will premiere at the festival. Finnish filmmakers attending the fest include Heikki Kujanpää, the director of Falling Angels, and Timo Torikka, from Mika Kaurismäki’s Three Wise Men’s trio.
Swiss film critic Hervé Dumont, known as an expect of Frank Borzage’s films, and Paolo Mereghetti, author of Il Mereghettii Dizionarion dei Film – a masterpiece of film encyclopaedias will share their knowledge in fantastic Master Class lectures.
www.msfilmfestival.fi
Susan Fourtané – HT
Santeri Happonen – Image
Playful Finnish design in New York
Kivikko seating, colour and creative functionality for everyday life.
In 1884 New York City established a bustling outdoor food market called the Gansevoort Market. In 1949, the Gansevoort Meat Center opened. Today, the Meatpacking District on the West Side of Manhattan is a destination for fashion and graphic designers, writers, architects, artists and photographers.
Playful New Finnish Design exhibits new creative solutions to everyday challenges. Emphasising quality of life, green solutions and life-long learning, the aim of the forward-thinking designers is to offer insightful solutions under the themes of environment & innovation and creativity & education, themes highlighted by a series of events, a seminar and workshops for both adults and children.
From 15 to 18 May, the exhibition presented design items and concepts from furniture to fashion and video as well as new concepts of architecture and urban planning in building innovative learning environments for children and a Residential Neighbourhood project which points at the role of art in creating socially vibrant urban environments. The event was organised by Design Forum Finland, the Consulate General of Finland in New York and the Finnish Cultural Institute in NY.
At the same time, the Finnish Embassy in Washington D.C. opened the exhibition My Helsinki; based on the stories, impressions and experiences of the Invitation to Helsinki programme participants. The project is a co-operation of the City of Helsinki and the Finnish Embassy in Washington D.C., accomplished by the students of the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. My Helsinki exhibition in Washington runs until 31 May.
Susan Fourtané – Helsinki Times
Designer Ilkka Suppanen for Marimekko
Sameli Rantanen – Image
www.designforum.fi
www.myhelsinki.fi
Finnish films in Cannes
New films, film producers, directors and distributors will have a serious red carpet gathering at the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival from 13 to 24 May.
The french riviera in the Mediterranean coastline of the south eastern corner of France has been spotted for its 300 days of sunshine by aristocrats, artists and writers since the end of the 18th century. The film industry added glamour and entertainment, making Cannes a popular venue for the Palme d’Or award.
In the line of Finnish celluloid creativity, Thomas by Miika Soini, Iris Olsson’s short documentary Between Dreams and Aki Kaurismäki’s classic documentary Balalaika Show featuring a concert with the Leningrad Cowboys and the Alexandrov ensemble are representing Finland; secretly wishing to bring the coveted Palme d’Or award back home.
Founded in 1959, The Marché du Film (Film Market) brings creativity and financial dynamics together facilitating negotiations and deals in the film industry. Finnish films having market screenings are Dome Karukoski’s Forbidden Fruit, One Foot Under by Johanna Vuoksenmaa, Sauna by AJ Annila and Tears of April by Aku Louhimies.
A new issue of the Truth Today mock newspaper, featuring news on the latest sci-fi film Iron Sky by Timo Vuorensola, will be distributed in Screen Daily and in the city of Cannes.
Susan Fourtané – HT
www.festival-cannes.com
Young Designer of the Year Prize
Terhi Tuominen (left) and Mikko Laakkonen
The Young Designer of the Year prize was established in 2000 by Design Forum Finland in honour of the 125th anniversary of the Finnish Society of Crafts and Design. The prize encourages young designers to develop original, high-standard skills and ability in the fields of crafts, applied art, industrial design, graphic design or interior architecture.
Made in Finland
The aura of Finnish design got its start in the 1950s, sparked by the National Romantic movement at the turn of the century, which made the industrial arts part of the creative culture, along with architecture and the fine arts. The late 19th century marked the beginning of systematic action to promote industrial arts and craft and as a result the Finnish Society of Crafts and Design was founded in 1875 to maintain its Sunday School to encourage manual skills within the industry. Gradually the school grew to become the leading institution of teaching in its field and educating a number of talented designers, particularly in post-war Finland. Internationally recognised names emerged, giving birth to the stylish, minimalist Finnish design.
Designers 2009
Terhi Tuominen works in spatial and furniture design. Her simple but functional shapes achieve discreet, bold forms in predominately wood and metal.
Mikko Laakkonen’s pro- jects are mainly in the field of furniture and product design.
Focusing on solutions, his stylish design objects are for everyday life.
Both designers are fresh and sensitive in their style, giving their products a playful, light spark while having a clear-cut functionality in a sensible manner. They have boldly set out to market their skills to businesses in Finland and the international market.
Design students from Kuopio’s Academy of Design and Hämeenlinna’s Wetterhoff also present their works made of glass, ceramic and textile, including clothing and footwear design in their exhibitions Genesis and Watterhoff Blanco.
The three exhibitions until 31 May 2009 on Erottajankatu 7, Helsinki.
www.designforum.fi
Susan Fourtané – Helsinki Times
Lehtikuva – Martti Kainulainen
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The taste of Italy
The unique contrast between the ancient Roman Empire and the fast paced modern life gives a certain magic to the Eternal city.
Il Duetto is the only Italian restaurant in Helsinki offering the real taste of Italian cuisine. The Italian owners show their appreciation for art and culture by offering free space to artists.
Italians are well known for enjoying good food, following recipes that have been passed on from generation to generation. The secret that gives the right mix of flavours is in the carefully selected, high quality Italian ingredients.
Authenticity is a top ingredient of Il Duetto’s success, the only Italian restaurant and pizzeria in Helsinki offering the real taste of Italian cuisine. Located in the heart of the city, Il Duetto is an Italian pearl in the north of Europe. All the ingredients are bought from family farms in Italy and transported to Finland, where an Italian cook masters delicate dishes.
“Here, customers can taste a real piece of Italy guaranteed by Italian owners and chef. We are all committed to give the best of our Italian tradition and culture,” says co-owner Dario Alessi. Both owners, Alessi and Fabrizio Velardi, show their appreciation for art and culture by offering free exhibition space to artists. Until 14 May, Il Duetto hosts Swiss phographer Saša Tkalčan with his exhibition Vedute Romane, a glimpse from the Eternal City where the high speed of modern times contrasts with the magnificent Roman architecture.
| Malminrinne 6, Helsinki Open from Mon-Sun www.ilduetto.fi www. kurkista.fi |
Born to a Finnish mother and a Croatian father, having studied photography in Rome, Tkalčan’s works are often influenced by his multicultural background. Usually his work has a darker cultural and social reference. “I’d like people to be aware of things I see, some social realities I’m not comfortable with,” the artist says. “I’d normally look for the ugly and nasty, the so called disgusting realism.” By contrast, this exhibition is comprised of beautiful architectural photographs.
Il Duetto offers more than a trip to the exquisite land of Italian flavours. It shows that art and culture are found anywhere where the wish of spreading culture is alive.
Susan Fourtané – Helsinki Times
Image – Saša Tkalčan
