The second graders at Ressu comprehensive school have been investigating How does food change?  Where does our food come from? and What kind of communities and what kind of relationships are found within and between food?  Every student chose a food to research these aspects.  Along with traditional methods of researching, we also used art as a medium to explore our findings and fuel our curiosity.  Naturally, one question led to another.  

It was serendipity that one of the works on display at Kiasma, as part of the Coexistence exhibition, fit perfectly with our topic. Kalle Hamm & Dzamil Kamanger's Immigrant Garden / Emigranttitarha / Emigrantgården "consists of four parts: a collection of plant illustrations, a map, a book, and audio works. The watercolour studies portray various ornamental and edible plants that are commonly found in Finland, but which are all originally non-native" (Kiasma).

I was lucky enough to meet Kalle and Dzamil last spring so felt the comfort to reach out to them. Here, again, as lucky art goers, we bumped into each other at Kiasma the other day when we were taking a tour of the exhibition.  Kalle and Dzamil agreed to make an interview with us as their artwork is so relevant to us, in every way possible.  They said yes!  

Arlene: I asked one of my students what part of the trip he liked and he said ”meeting Kalle”. : )

Kalle: :-D Say my greetings to him!

2B: Why did you start making this project?

K&D: Dzamil noticed that here in Finland grow the same plants than in his home country Iran, but they are smaller and grow in pots and greenhouses, not in wild nature like in Iran. We wondered how these plants had found their way to Finland, and this is how we started to track the travelling routes of the plants, and this was the beginning of making the whole piece.

2B: What made you choose the plants to research?

K&D: We chose that kind of plants, which should be known by most of the Finns, and had been cultivated here already hundreds of years (for example potato and onion), but none of them are originally from Finland, either Europe, but imported here form other continents.

2B: How did it feel when you were making the artwork?

K&D: When everything went well it felt hilarious and fun, but when we had obstacles it felt extremely stressful and we just wanted to start to do something else.

2B: How did you make this art?

K&D: We read lots of books to study how the plants travelled from their home area here. We bought lots of seeds and planted them and grew the plants by ourselves (not in Kiasma, but when we made the artwork first time). We practiced drawing flowers and made many plant drawings. We also recorded many plants and made sound pieces based on that material.

2B: How did you know how to draw plants?  Was it fun drawing the plants?

K&D: I studied drawing in the art school, but you can also learn drawing plants without going to art school. You just have to see the plants very carefully and draw exactly what you see. Drawing plants is fun. They don't change their position, move or run away. They stay nicely still. But you have to water them or otherwise they will wilt.

2B: When did you start this project?

K&D: We started to make this art work 14 years ago and it took two years to make it ready.

2B: How long did it take for you to finish this project?  Is it finished?

K&D: It is finished in such way, that we don’t add more new plants to the artwork, but every time when we install the whole artwork, we have to think about how everything should be set up: what kind of pots, what kind of chairs and etc...

2B: Which plant sound do you think is the most relaxing?

K&D: Of course potato!!!

2B: Out of all the plants you researched, which one is the oldest?  

K&D: Onion

2B: What was your favourite plant? 

K&D: Persian yellow rose

2B: What surprised you about that plant? 

K&D: Plants sound totally different comparing to what they look like!

2B: Which one was the hardest to find information on? 

K&D: Garden mignonette

2B: ​Which one was the weirdest?

K&D: Artichoke had the weirdest sound, even thou I love the taste and look of artichoke

2B: What was the first plant you researched?

K&D: Persian hogweed, but it is not part of this artwork :-(

2B: Did you first sketch your drawing or draw them straight away onto the paper?

Kalle: I first sketched them very lightly on very same paper I used for the final drawing. I made quite many mistakes, and I had to redraw atleast 5-6 drawings.

2B: How old are you now?  When were you born?  Where were you born?

Kalle: 50 years, born in Rauma (Finland) in 1969 
Dzamil: 72 years, born in Mariwan (Iran) in 1948

2B: How old were you when you made your first piece of art?  What was it?

Kalle: I think I was age of 16. I had then my first exhibition. It was a drawing a man holding a woman in a desert. 

Dzamil said he cannot remember exactly, but he made his first embroideries in age of 30-32. It was a birthday present to his friend.

2B: Was your dream to become an artist?  How did you get the idea of becoming an artist?

Kalle: Yes it was, but I didn’t know what kind of artists. I wrote poems, played flute and acted in children’s theatre group. And of course drew a lot.

2B: Where do you live? 

​Kalle: We both live in Oulunkylä, Helsinki.

2B: How many artworks have you made?  What kind of art?

K&D: You can count them on our website www.beelsebub.org. and see what kind of artworks we have made.

2B: Do you have kids?

Kalle: I don’t have kids, but Dzamil has a son. He is living in Stockholm.

2B: Have you ever had a different profession, other than being an artist?

Kalle: Yes, I was working as a principle of the art school for children and young people. I was also working in Kiasma as an educational curator. Dzamil worked as a forester in Iran.

2B: Do you have a pet?  If so, what is it?

Kalle: Not any more. Dzamil had a dog, but he passed away many years ago. Dzamil had also canary birds, and lots of them, about 70-80 all together. They had they own room. They sang very loudly.

2B: Do you like your art?

Kalle: Yes, we both like art!!! …and we hope you like art, too!

The list would go on, but here are some comments from the students about Kalle and Hamm's work:
"I think it's really good artwork"
"I love your art. It was interesting"
"I felt amazing when I saw your art"
"I liked the potato sound because it sounded like it was playing rock n roll"
"I felt excited about learning about the plants"
"I felt great!"
"The drawings were beautiful"
"The drawings look very real"

Thank you very much for taking the time to share with us!

XOXO Arlene & 2B

Arlene Tucker & Sanni Weckman
Me
August 2019

Since January 2019, Tucker and Weckman have been sharing a work studio in Bokvillan.  They have gotten to know each other’s artistic process, techniques and choice of materials. This exhibition brings together their own individual pieces, as well as, collaborating on how they could open dialogue through their artworks. While planning the exhibition, ideas of translation, weaving, kept on coming up as these are close themes for Tucker and Weckman. 

As a means to initiate the concept for the exhibition, Weckman translated Tucker’s family portrait into a tufted relief. Tucker, as she often uses mail art exchange in her projects, used letter writing as a way to explore relationships and imagined personalities. In turn, Weckman wrote a letter to little Arlene. This exchange was born from wanting to get to know each other in a deeper way and to share something personal. From a picture, we can imagine a million things, and to verbalise what we see in our minds grows a galaxy of ideas.  

“Me” as the exhibition title reflects the translation process between languages. This ultimately has a large effect on how we imagine roles and understand different perspectives.  In Finnish “me” means “us” in English. In English “me” means “I” in Finnish.

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Arlene Tucker is an artist and educator, and her work focuses on adding play elements to daily life through her art. Inspired by translation studies, animals and nature, she finds ways to connect and make meaning in our shared environments. Her process-based artistic work creates spaces and situations for exchange, dialogue, and transformations to occur and surprise all players. She is interested in creating projects that open up ideas and that engage the viewer; that invite the viewer to be a part of the narrative or art creation process. In translation, your participation continues to propel the story. Her chapter, Translation is Dialogue: Language in Transit was published in Translating across Sensory and Linguistic Borders: Intersemiotic Journeys between Media (Editors: Campbell, Madeleine, Vidal, Ricarda, 2019). Tucker has been collaborating with Prison Outside since 2017 and is author of Translation is Dialogue (2010). www.arlenetucker.net

Sanni Weckman is a visual artist, illustrator and graphic designer living in Helsinki, Finland. As a visual artist Weckman mixes traditional portrait imagery with unconventional techniques and materials. Weckman founds inspiration for the techniques from DIY-culture and traditional folk crafts. Materials can vary from textile to flowers or anything imaginable, everything can be used to paint an image. The material, the technique and the portrayed image all tell their own stories inside one art piece. Weckman has graduated as a Master of Arts from Aalto University and as a visual artist from Tampere University of Applied Sciences. Weckman’s works have been presented in various museums and galleries such as Amos Anderson Art Museum, Jyväskylä Art Museum and Kajaani Art Museum.

+++

Arlene Tucker & Sanni Weckman
Me
Elokuu 2019

Näyttelyn taiteilijat Tucker ja Weckman ovat jakaneet työhuoneen Bokvillanissa tammikuusta 2019 asti. Tämän myötä he ovat päässeet tutustumaan toistensa taiteelliseen työskentelyyn, tekniikoihin sekä materiaalivalintoihin. Näyttely tuo yhteen niin molempien omia teoksia, kuin myös yhteistä pohdintaa siitä, miten saada aikaan vuoropuhelua taideteosten avulla. Näyttelyä suunniteltaessa nousi esiin ajatuksia käännöksistä ja yhteen kutoutumisesta, näiden ollessa läheisiä teemoja molemmille taiteilijoille. 

Saadakseen näyttelyn konseptin alkuun, Weckman muunsi Tuckerin perhekuvan tuftatuksi reliefiksi. Tucker, joka puolestaan käyttää usein kirjeenvaihtotaidetta projekteissaan, käytti kirjeiden kirjoittamista tapana tutkia ihmissuhteita sekä kuviteltuja persoonia. Weckman puolestaan kirjoitti kirjeen Arlenelle pienenä. Tämä vuoropuhelu syntyi halusta tutustua toiseen syvemmällä tasolla sekä tarpeesta jakaa henkilökohtaisia asioita. Kuvasta voimme kuvitella miljoonia eri asioita, ja niiden sanallistamisesta kasvaa jälleen lukematon määrä uusia ideoita. 

Näyttelyn nimi ”Me” heijastaa käännösprosessia kielten välillä. Prosessilla on on suuri vaikutus siihen miten käsitämme erilaisia rooleja sekä näkökulmia. Suomen kielen sana ”me” muuttaa merkitystään luettuna englanniksi, ja tarkoittaakin: ”minä”. 

---

Arlene Tucker on taiteilija ja kasvattaja. Hänen kiinnostuksenaan on lisätä taiteensa kautta leikkisiä elementtejä jokapäiväiseen elämään. Semiotiikan opinnot, eläimet ja luonto inspiroivat häntä luomaan merkityksellisiä hetkiä jaetussa ympäristössämme. Hänen taideteoksensa luovat usein tiloja avoimelle keskustelulle ja yhdessäololle jättäen erilaisille tulkinnoille ja yllätyksille tilaa.  Taiteellisen työskentelyn lisäksi Tucker on myös ensimmäisen luokan opettaja Ressun peruskoulussa. Hänen tekstinsä “Translation is Dialogue: Language in Transit” on ollut osana julkaisua “Translating across Sensory and Linguistic Borders: Intersemiotic Journeys between Media (toimittanut: Campbell, Madeleine, Vidal, Ricarda, 2019)”. Tucker on perustanut projektin Translation is Dialogue (2010) ja on vuodesta 2017 asti tehnyt yhteistyötä Prison Outside -projektin kanssa. www.arlenetucker.net

Sanni Weckman on kuvataiteilija. Weckman on valmistunut taiteen maisteriksi Aalto-yliopistosta vuonna 2018 sekä kuvataiteilijaksi Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulusta vuonna 2016. Weckman käsittelee teoksissaan ihmisen kuvaa, yhdistäen muotokuvan perinteeseen epätavallisia materiaaleja ja tekniikoita. Weckmanin periaatteena on, että maalata voi millä tahansa: kukista kierrätystekstiiliin, kudonnasta kollaasiin. Weckman löytää inspiraatiota tee-se-itse-kulttuurista, arkisista kädentaidoista ja kierrätyksestä. Teostensa kautta Weckman käsittelee ihmisen kohtaamista uudella tavalla, niin kuvan kautta kuin myös arjessa. Weckmanin teoksia on ollut esillä muun muassa Amos Andersonin taidemuseossa sekä Jyväskylän, Kajaanin ja Keravan taidemuseoissa. www.sanniweckman.com

In the summer of 2018, I was honoured to have spent a very hot and inspiring afternoon with Alison Cornyn, an interdisciplinary artist whose work often focuses on the criminal justice system.  On the back balcony of her Brooklyn home with construction whirring, hammers going, and sweat beading down our foreheads, we covered a lot of ground that could have gone on for kilometers on end.  Perhaps the banging of the neighbors gave us a beat to wander off on all tangents surrounding the topics of incarceration, social justice, art, and expression. 

"The name of the project came about because for so many of the girls were deemed “incorrigible”, this one woman Lyla in particular - her offence was being “incorrigible”. I remember I photographed Ella Fitzgerald's intake record for Nina Bernstein who wrote for The (NY) Times (and who is the person who found that Ella had been at that institution). Ella's offence was being "ungovernable, and will not obey the just and lawful commands of her mother - adjudged delinquent.”

"Language is so important to this project and the language of how a young woman is deemed something. Even the term incorrigible sounded so old fashioned to me I didn't think it was used anymore and then I looked up just to double check: “unable to be reformed or corrected”. Research has shown that 70 percent of those (incarcerated) girls (in New York) are marked today still as incorrigible. And I had wanted to have young women be involved when the exhibition was up at the Bronson House and almost stand in for the women who are no longer with us but whose stories need to be shared."

"These are the words that the girls came up with that they found or that were used to define them, (by others): wild, unruly, defiant, wayward, delinquent, disobedient, incorrigible, ungovernable.

And then these are the words that they used to define themselves and these other girls who they were researching: free, proud, strong, survivor, imaginative, determined courageous and free spirited."

In the end, our audio recording lasted hours.  Anastasia Artemeva transcribed the interview and published it on Prison Space.  To read the whole interview in English, please click here. Read in Russian click here.

If you were wondering, according to Merriam-Webster dictoniary:

incorrigible
adjective
in·​cor·​ri·​gi·​ble | \ (ˌ)in-ˈkȯr-ə-jə-bəl, -ˈkär-\

Definition of incorrigible: incapable of being corrected or amended: such as
a(1) : not reformable : depraved
(2) : delinquent
b : not manageable : unruly
c : unalterable, inveterate 

I am very happy to announce that Anastasia Artemeva and I have been awarded to be a part of Diversity Agent Course.  We will be working with Vankila Museo (Prison Museum) in Hämeenlinna, Finland to help guide them on how to keep inclusivity and diversity in the forefront of their museum developments.  From our experiences with building Prison Outside and Free Translation and being migrant artists, we hope to offer them a critical eye on how to raise discussions around social justice through participatory arts.

"In 2019, Culture for All Service, Globe Art Point and the Center for Cultural Policy Research Cupore organize a Diversity Agent Course for cultural workers and artists of non-Finnish origin or background. The course is part of the project Avaus and supported by the National Agency for Education.

The aim of the course is to offer tools for developing diversity in the arts and culture sector.  The course introduces participants to topics related to diversity, familiarizes with the arts and culture sector and cultural policy in Finland and offers an opportunity to work concretely with diversity in an institutional context. Participants are asked to actively contribute their own expertise and offer sparring to each other."

​To read more about the project, please click here.  Training material can be downloaded here.  You,  too can promote diversity within the arts and cultural field.

Special thanks to Martina Marti for her constant support, guidance, and encouragement!

Oli mahtava kudontapäivä Bokvillanissa!

"Bokvillanissa on myyjäis- sekä tapahtumapäivänä 13 eri alan kädentaitajaa myymässä sekä esittelemään upeita kädentöitään. Materiaaleina takorautaa, huopaa, lasia, kangasta, keramiikkaa, hopeaa, puuta jne..

On käyttötavaraa, vaatteita, kodinsisustustuotteita, koruja, taidetta. Myyvät kädentaitajat ovat isossa salissa Bokvillanin Kaffilan ja kirjasto- sekä Tikkitilan välissä.

Kirjastotilassa talotaiteilija Arlene Tucker luo kanssanne taidetta ja Tikki tilassa kudonnan ja ryijyn saloihin teidät ohjaa kudontaryhmän jäsenet toisen talotaiteilijan eli Sanni Weckmanin kanssa.

Tervetuloa myyjäisiin sekä kädentaitotapahtumaan."

​Lue lisää tässä.

Tavataan kerran kuussa keskustellaan kirjasta. Jos tykkäät tarinoita, keskustelimista, löytää uusia ystäviä ja parentaa suomen kielien taitoa tämä ryhmä on sinulle.  Tervetuloa mukaan lukemaan ja jakamaan ajatuksia!

Tämän kuukauden kirja on Tove Janssonin Kesäkirja.

"Kertomus täynnä lämpöä, lempeää huumoria ja viisautta.

Kirja kertoo kolmesta ihmisestä, jotka viettävät kesää Suomenlahden saarella: Sophia-lapsesta, hänen isästään ja isoäidistään. Ennen muuta se on kertomus hyvin vanhan naisen ja hyvin pienen tytön ystävyydestä. He elävät lähellä toisiaan, heitä ympäröi se unelma kesästä, joka tunnetaan vain täällä pohjolassa, unelma jota on niin vaikea vangita, että se pysyy aina voimakkaana (https://www.wsoy.fi/kirja/tove-jansson/kesakirja/9789510058763)."

Manaantai, 15.4
Tila: Bokvillan Kirjasto
Klo 17–19.00
Lisätietoja Arlene arlene.dearyou(at)gmail.com

Nähdään silloin!

*Текст на русском языке ниже*
>English version below<

Tulkitaan vapaita käännöksiä

Tervetuloa meidän taiteen tekemisen sarja. Katsomme ja keskustelemme taiteellisista töistä, jotka ovat saapuneet eri puolilta maailmaa vastauksena vapaiden käännösten (Free Translation) avoimeen kutsuun. Teoksia ovat luoneet ihmiset, joihin on vaikuttanut vankeus, ja ne ovat olleet esillä MAA-tilassa marraskuussa 2018. Kaksituntisen tapaamisen aikana tutustumme teoksiin ja kuulemme tarinoita niitä luoneilta ihmisiltä, joista monet ovat tälläkin hetkellä vankilassa. Tämän jälkeen teemme käännöksiä, vastauksia taideteoksille, ja lataamme ne verkkonäyttelyyn, jossa myös taiteilijat ja suurempi yleisö voivat osallistua dialogiin. 

Käännökset voivat olla visuaalisia, kirjallisia, kuunnelmia, valokuvia tai muita ilmaisumuotoja. Olet tervetullut tuomaan valitsemiasi materiaaleja – tai vain tuomaan itsesi.

Paikka: Bokvillan Kirjasto, Hämeentie 125, 00560, Helsinki
Milloin: 5. marraskuuta, 2. huhtikuuta, 7. toukokuuta
Aika: klo. 15.30-18.30
Kielet: Suomi, englanti, venäjä
Kenelle: kaikkien ikäisille

Lisätietoa tapahtumasta meihin voit ottaa yhteyttä Anastasia Artemeva ja Arlene Tucker sähköpostilla osoitteeseen info(at)prisonspace.org.

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Interpreting Free Translations

Welcome to our art-making sessions. We will view and discuss artworks received from all over the world in response to the Free Translation open call. These artworks are created by people affected by incarceration, and exhibited in MAA-tila in November 2018. During the two hour session we will view the works and hear the stories of people who created them, many of whom are currently in prison. We will then create translations - responses to the artworks and upload them on the online exhibition, for the artists and for the general public to see and continue the dialogue. 

The translations can be visual, written, audible, photographic, or in any other form. You are welcome to bring materials of your choice - or simply bring yourself. 

Place: Bokvillan Library, Hämeentie 125, 00560, Helsinki
Date: March 5th, April 2nd, May 7th
Time: 15:30-18.30
Languages: English, Russian, Finnish
All ages are welcome

For more information please contact Anastasia Artemeva and Arlene Tucker at info(at)prisonspace.org

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Интерепретируя Свободный перевод
Добро пожаловать на встречу по теме выставки Свободный перевод. Мы будем изучать произведения искусства, полученные из разных стран мира, и созданные людьми, на судьбу которых повлияло ограничение свободы. Эти работы были показаны на выставке в пространстве MAA-tila в Хельсинки в ноябре 2018 года.
В течение трехчасовой встречи мы рассмотрим рисунки, услышим стихи, и узнаем личные истории авторов работ, многие из которых в настоящее время находятся в тюрьме. Мы создадим свои собственные творческие работы, интерпретируя, “переводя” услышанное и увиденное, и загрузим из на сайт онлайн выставки, где их увидят авторы и публика.
Мы будем писать письма, рисовать, фотографировать, и использовать разные другие формы художественного самовыражения. Приносите любимые материалы, или просто приходите.
Место: Библиотека Kafilla Bokvillan, 00560, Hämeentie 125, Helsinki
Дата 7 мая 2019 года
Время 15.30-18.30

К участию приглашаются взрослые и дети любого возраста.
Bokvilla: http://arabianasukastalot.fi/
freetranslation.prisonspace.org/
prisonspace.org/

Tavataan kerran kuussa tiistaisin keskustellaan kirjasta. Voimme valitaan kirjaa, joista on sopiva kaikille. Jos tykkäät tarinoita, keskustelimista, löytää uusia ystäviä ja parentaa suomen kielien taitoa tämä ryhmä on sinulle : ).  Tervetuloa mukaan lukemaan ja jakamaan ajatuksia!

Ensimmäinen kirja on Tuomas Kyrön Mielensäpahoittaja.

Tiistai, 19.3
Tila Bokvillan Kirjasto
Klo 17–19
Lisätietoja Arlene arlene.dearyou(at)gmail.com

Nähdään silloin!

*****************************English below*********************************

Puhutaan hiuksista!
la 2.3. klo 12-16, Kulttuurikeskus Vuotalo

Vuotalon kevään prosessinäyttely ”Mitä me tolle sun tukalle tehdään?” käsittelee hiuksia ja siihen liittyviä identiteettikysymyksiä. Osana kevään näyttelyä järjestetään myös Puhutaan hiuksista! -tapahtuma, jossa puhutaan tietysti hiuksista. Päivän päättää Chris Rockin tähdittämä Good Hair –dokumenttielokuva.

Dialogiin on kutsuttu taiteilijoita, jotka ovat käsitelleet tavalla tai toisella hiuksia ja identiteettiä töissään Suomessa ja Suomen ulkopuolella. Mukana ovat Mechanics of Conformity -kollektiivin taiteilijat: Rosamaria Bolom, Edwina Goldstone, Sepideh Rahaa ja Arlene Tucker sekä afrobrasilialainen tutkija ja toimittaja Silvana Bahia. Osana tapahtumaa on myös kevään prosessinäyttelyn taiteilijan Caroline Suinnerin taiteilijatapaaminen.

Tapahtuma järjestetään yhteistyössä Mechanics of Conformityn ja Koneen säätiön rahoittaman ARMA (Anti-Racism Media Activist Alliance) – hankkeen kanssa.

Tapahtuman kielet: englanti, portugali, suomi.

Vapaa pääsy!

OHJELMA
12.00-12.45 Silvana Bahian alustus ja KBELA –elokuva (Vuosali)
12.45-14.00 Mechanics of Conformity -kollektiivin videoteokset (Vuosali)
14.00-15.00 Keskustelu (Vuosali)
15.00-15.45 Caroline Suinnerin taiteilijatapaaminen (Galleria)
16.00-17.30 Good Hair –elokuva (Vuosali)

12.00-12.45 Silvana Bahia & KBELA –elokuva (Vuosali)
Silvana Bahia on afrobrasilialainen tutkija, toimittaja, elokuvantekijä ja aktivisti. Hän on keväällä 2019 Koneen säätiön residenssivieraana osana säätiön rahoittamaa ARMA-hanketta. Olabin tavoitteena on demokratisoida teknologiaa ja lisätä teknologia-alan sukupuolista ja etnistä monimuotoisuutta. Puhutaan hiuksista! -tapahtumassa hän alustaa Yasmin Thaynán lyhytelokuvan KBELA, joka on visuaalisesti vaikuttava elokuva ja oodi afrobrasilialaisten naisten hiuksille. Kieli: englanti ja portugali.

13.00-14.45 Mechanics of Conformity -kollektiivin alustus ja videoteokset (Vuosali)
MOC –taiteilijakollektiivin taiteilijat Rosamaria Bolom, Edwina Goldstone, Sepideh Rahaa ja Arlene Tucker ovat teoksissaan tutkineet hiuksia - niiden runsautta, puuttumista, leikkaamista, kasvattamista, värjäämistä ja hoitamista niin yksilöllisyyden kuin yhdenmukaisuuden ilmentymänä. Puhutaan hiuksista -tapahtumassa katsotaan kollektiivin videoteokset, jonka jälkeen keskustellaan keskustelu. Kieli: englanti.

15.00-15.45 Caroline Suinnerin taiteilijatapaaminen (Galleria)
Caroline Suinner on Vuotalon kevään prosessinäyttelyn “Mitä me tälle sun tukalle tehdään“ -taiteilija. Näyttelyssä Suinner kokoaa yhteen ulkonäköön ja hiuksiin liittyviä kokemuksia Itä-Helsingissä. Puhutaan hiuksista –tapahtumassa on mahdollista tavata tutustua kevään aikana rakentuvaan näyttelyyn ja tavata taiteilija Caroline Suinner. Kieli englanti ja suomi.

Näyttely Vuotalon galleriassa: 26.1.-25.5.2019, vapaa pääsy.

16.00-17.30 Good Hair –elokuva (Vuosali)
Dokumenttielokuvassa näyttelijä Chris Rock tutkii afroamerikkalaisia kauneusihanteita ja käsitettä Good hair, jolla afro-amerikkalaisessa kulttuurissa viitataan pehmeisiin, helppohoitoisiin ja tavoiteltuihin afrohiuksiin. Kesto. 96 min. Kieli: englanti.

_____________________________________________________

LET'S TALK ABOUT HAIR
2nd of March from 12-16:00, Cultural Center Vuotalo

The spring process exhibition of the Vuosaari House, “Mitä me tolle sun tukalle tehdään” (‘What are we going to do with your hair’) discusses hair and the identity questions linked to hair.

A Let’s talk about hair! afternoon will also be held as a part of the spring exhibition, featuring films and discussion about hair. Both Finnish and international artists that have incorporated hair and identity in their works in one way or another have been invited to take part in this dialogue. The artists of Mechanics of Conformity will take part in the event: Rosamaria Bolom, Edwina Goldstone, Sepideh Rahaa and Arlene Tucker as well as Afro-Brazilian researcher and journalist Silvana Bahia. An artist meeting with Caroline Suinner will also be held earlier during the day.

Language English, Portuguese, Finnish

PROGRAM
12.00-12.45 Silvana Bahia’s introduction & movie KBELA (Vuosali)
12.45-14.00 Mechanics of Conformity collective’s video art
14.00-15.00 Discussion (Vuosali)
15.00-15.45 Meet and greet Caroline Suinner (Galleria)
16.00-17.30 Movie: Good Hair (Vuosali)

www.vuotalo.fi/

Who knew that the idea that budded on my walk home one October evening (2010) in Tartu, Estonia after a lecture with Juri Lotman would have amounted to a chapter in a book amongst many great authors?  That talk about Martin Buber really got under my skin!  Translation is Dialogue was born out of bringing awareness that we are in a constant state of translation and that translation is a process between sender and receiver.  I wanted to simply show that your existence is relevant and that your existence is important to another person's.

So many amazing people have helped me along the way. To get TID off the ground, I have to give acknowledgment to Alejandra Pineda Silva, Peeter Torop and Elin Sütiste who really helped guide me with the concept and give me the confidence to carry on. The first time I presented TID was in Iceland at the Art in Transit conference in 2011. That's where I met Heather Connolly.  We made a picnic along the pond and just instantly became friends.  Since then we have been meeting at various translation conference in Estonia and in the UK. It was because of Heather that I was introduced to Ricarda Vidal and Madeleine Campbell, authors of the book. You never know who or what will fall into your path and only time will tell how these seedlings will grow.

When you get a chance, please do have a read.  Every author has given such insight and depth into the notion and practice of translation.  Available on Palgrave.

And I have to say that I am so tickled that they chose a TID artwork for the front cover of the book!  Madis Katz made that photograph for the first installation of TID at Peeter Torop's Culture in Mediation: Total Translation, Complementary Perspectives held at Tartu University in Estonia on November 26-27, 2010. This just shows the power of translation and how it transforms itself into the world in different way.

With love,
​Arlene