 (IN FINNISH BELOW) Held Meanings by artists Kemê and Arlene Tucker is a dialogue about symbols, care, and protection. Two parallel solo projects inhabit the gallery space in conversation with one another, as well as invite others to join through public encounters. The exhibitions “(5) Take My Hand” by Kemê and “Held” by Arlene Tucker unfold across the two rooms of Valve Gallery, offering a space where visitors can participate at their own rhythm while exploring the power of symbols, our subjective meaning-making processes, and the many ways we hold them, or are held by them. From the intimate to the collective, the artists approach these questions as a source of connection and understanding rather than division. Held Meanings is part of the Oulu2026 cultural programme. Public Program:
All events are free and part of Catalysti’s KUVI-supported programme. More information about the events in this link (SUOMEKSI) Tervetuloa avajaisiin ja performanssiin tiistaina 23.6.2026 klo 18 Valvegalleriaan! 23.6.-1.8. Kemê and Arlene Tucker: Held Meanings - Exhibitions & Encounters Paikka: Kulttuuritalo Valve, Hallituskatu 7, 90100 Oulu Valveen esteettömyystiedot: Linkki Held Meanings, taiteilijoiden Kemên ja Arlene Tuckerin näyttelykokonaisuus, on vuoropuhelu symboleista, hoivasta ja suojelusta. Kaksi rinnakkaista sooloprojektia asettuu galleriatilaan keskusteluun keskenään ja kutsuu myös muita mukaan julkisten kohtaamisten kautta. Näyttelyt, Kemên (5) Take My Hand ja Arlene Tuckerin Held, levittäytyvät Valvegallerian kahteen huoneeseen. Ne tarjoavat tilan, jossa kävijät voivat osallistua omassa rytmissään ja tutkia symbolien voimaa, henkilökohtaisia merkityksenmuodostuksen prosesseja sekä monia tapoja, joilla kannattelemme symboleja tai tulemme niiden kannattelemiksi. Intiimistä kollektiiviseen taiteilijat lähestyvät näitä kysymyksiä yhteyden ja ymmärryksen lähteenä, eivät erottavina tekijöinä. Held Meanings on osa Oulu2026-kulttuuriohjelmaa. Yleisöohjelma: 23.6. klo 18 Avajaiset ja performanssi 24.6. klo 16.30–18.30 Työpaja: Huomasitko? 25.6. klo 16.30–18.30 Työpaja: Suojelun symbolit, luo omasi 27.6. klo 11–12.30 Dialogissa: keskusteluja, rituaaleja ja opastettu kierros 1.8. klo 14.30–16 Opastettu kierros ja keskustelu Kaikki tapahtumat ovat maksuttomia ja osa Catalystin KUVI-tuettua ohjelmaa. Lisätietoa tapahtumista tästä linkistä 
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 For those who have been marginalized, othered, bullied, who have been brought up in a multilingual and multicultural family and who are interested in human rights and equality, Ovllá is a must see. The main character is a Finnish man with Sámi roots. Due to his family situation, he had to leave home and go to boarding school. When he returns to Lapland for a music festival, he meets a Sámi woman and they fall in love. Their love story is a catalyst that opens up his history, his trauma, his identities, colonization, socialization and how they, as a couple, want to raise their child. Classic Sámi symbols such as the kuksa, a handcrafted wooden cup, were highlighted. This could be seen as a cliché, but it could also be seen as a method to bluntly show what's in front of you, what is culture, what is important. The play is filled with symbolism that one who is not that familiar with Sámi culture would have to do research. In that sense, the script is catered to those who know nothing about Sámi culture and history and to those who are very well informed. The music is gorgeous. The joiking is a form of story telling in itself! The operatic singing in the school and other scenes, shows not only a distinction between the characters, but also between cultures and hierarchies within institutions. The creative and intuitive flow of joiking as opposed to the strict and unforgiving nature of opera shows these social constructs in a powerful and musical way. I was lucky to have been able to watch this performance twice. Both times showed me different aspects of the story as there is so much to catch. Also, my seat offered me different views of where my attention lands. This was a true gift to see all the details from different angles. The first time I watched the play without subtitles on my phone and the second time with subtitles. Both versions offered me different experiences of understanding and empathising with the story and characters and relating it back to my own life and my own struggles with identity through language, societal norms and location. Over the past few months, I've had heartfelt conversations with many people about Ovllá. It brings out all kinds of reactions, memories and curiosities in us. I went with a friend and this is what she thought: Pidin Ovlan isän näyttelijästä, hän näytteli roolinsa vaikuttavasti. Pidin myös oopperan laulajista - opettaja ja rehtori olivat vaikuttavia. Esityksessä oli kuvattu hyvin sen ajan Suomen yhteiskunnan ilmapiiriä. En pitänyt siitä, että esitteessä luki ooppera, vaikka esityksessä oli hyvin vähän oopperaa. Yleistunnelma oli hyvä ja esityksestä jäi miellyttävä muisto. I’m a member of the Oulu Theatre’s Audience Committee and received tickets to the performance. We aren’t critics; rather, we share the perspectives of ordinary theatregoers on social media at a time when the number of theatre reviews is on the decline.
Kuulun Oulun teatterin Näyttämöraatiin ja sain liput näytökseen. Emme ole kriitikkoja, vaan tuomme maallikkojen näkemystä teatterista someen ajassa, jossa teatteriarvioiden määrä on laskusuunnassa. #Näyttämöraati #OulunTeatteri #PuhettaTaiteesta If you did not get a chance to see Ovllá at Oulu theatre, go visit the Eanangiella - Maan kieli - Voice of the Land exhibition at Oulu Art Museum. It is "a major exhibition of Sámi art and duodji explores the diversity, resilience and sustainability of Sámi culture." This is truly a special and powerful exhibition. Uusi julkaisu: Kuntien on tarkasteltava kulttuuritoimintaansa strategisesti ja pitkäjänteisesti12/3/2026 Uudessa Kunnallisalan kehittämissäätiön julkaisussa kulttuuri- ja taidealan asiantuntijat tarkastelevat kuntien kulttuuritoimintaa ajankohtaisista ja monipuolisista näkökulmista.
Mukana on Kulttuuria kaikille -palvelun entisen työntekijän, Arlene Tuckerin artikkeli ”Uteliaisuuden vaaliminen keinona kohti yhdenvertaisuutta: rakenteellisen rasismin kitkeminen vaatii yhteisiä tekoja”. Uudessa Kunnallisalan kehittämissäätiön julkaisussa kulttuuri- ja taidealan asiantuntijat tarkastelevat kuntien kulttuuritoimintaa ajankohtaisista ja monipuolisista näkökulmista. Lue koko artikkeli tältä. Lue julkaisu täältä: Kunnat kulttuuritoiminnan järjestäjänä ja mahdollistajana kiristyvässä taloustilanteess Julkaisun on toimittanut Taina Laitinen. IN ENGLISH In a new publication by The Foundation for Municipal Development (KAKS), experts in the field of culture and art examine the cultural activities of municipalities from current and diverse perspectives. It includes an article by Arlene Tucker, a former employee of the Culture for All Service, “Cultivating Curiosity as a Way to Equity: Eradicating Structural Racism Requires Joint Action”. The publication was edited by Taina Laitinen. The publication is in Finnish. PÅ SVENSKA I en ny publikation från Stiftelsen för kommunal utveckling (KAKS) granskar experter inom kultur och konst kommunernas kulturella aktiviteter ur aktuella och mångsidiga perspektiv. Den innehåller en artikel av Arlene Tucker, en tidigare anställd vid Servicen Kultur för alla: ”Att odla nyfikenhet som en väg till jämlikhet: Att utrota strukturell rasism kräver gemensamma åtgärder”. Publikationen redigerades av Taina Laitinen. Publikationen är på finska. I am privileged to be a part of Oulu Theatre's Audience Committee (Oulun teatterin Näyttämöraati). Our group of diverse individuals go to the theatre and share our views of the performances. Here are my thoughts on Anna Karenina. The stage direction of Oulu theatre’s Anna Karenina, directed by Anne Rautiainen, flowed in a way that kept the audience engaged with the tumultuous love story in a visceral way. The movement between the actors and the shifting of the scenes were choreographed so that the weight of pain as well as intensity of the friction and amour channeled us to a different era. The costumes were a vessel that gave us a glimpse of Imperial Russia and allowed us to touch on societal norms and expectations put upon women, men, and marriage, for example. The set design was also beautiful and strategic with their usage of symbolism. Strong motifs such as the train could be seen as a form of travel, but also a marker of time and class and on an emotional level – escapism. The bed was a visual catalyst used not only as a place of passion, but also as an island to drown oneself in depression and sorrow were used in a magnificent way. While there was a lot to process, I thought that the performance was slightly too long. The last half hour was repeating itself without bringing new light or angles to the story or character development. I would have wanted this version of Anna Karenina to use Tolstoy’s original story to challenge current norms in society. The romance scenes on stage seemed a bit banal as that is what generally what happens on film and tv, but why was it done in the theatre? With great classics such as this one, I think Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina can be an inspiration for us to rethink how to creatively portray and critically engage with important topics such as mental health, classicism, capitalism and relationships. I went with a friend and this is what they thought of the play: Pidin näytelmän visuaalisesta ilmeestä eli lavastuksesta ja puvustuksesta. Näytelmän rakenne oli mietitty taidokkaasti, tanssi toi esitykseen kiinnostavaa rytmillisyyttä ja modernia tuulahdusta muuten niin perinteiseen tarinaan. Nämä kannattelivat väliaikaan asti. Sen jälkeen esitys alkoi pahasti junnaamaan paikallaan ja toistamaan itseään. I’m a member of the Oulu Theatre’s Audience Committee and received tickets to the performance. We aren’t critics; rather, we share the perspectives of ordinary theatregoers on social media at a time when the number of theatre reviews is on the decline. Kuulun Oulun teatterin Näyttämöraatiin ja sain liput näytökseen. Emme ole kriitikkoja, vaan tuomme maallikkojen näkemystä teatterista someen ajassa, jossa teatteriarvioiden määrä on laskusuunnassa. #Näyttämöraati #OulunTeatteri #PuhettaTaiteesta   A Week On An Island With Trojan Horse – The Summer School Reader Welcome to the Trojan Horse Summer School book launch party on February 14, 2026 from 14-16:00. The event will be held at Oulun kirjallisuuden talo, Hallistuskatu 9, Oulu. This book—just like the summer schools—is a collection of personal memories, reflections, and interpretations. Rather than documenting the thematics that arose, and what happened in the summer schools so far, our aim is to talk about the phenomena around and in between events. Summer schools are always intense experiences. We live together outside for a week, sharing the usually quite sunny weather, as well as the everyday maintenance routines: preparing breakfast, doing the dishes, warming up the sauna, and taking turns organising workshops. After a couple of days, the group usually feels comfortable with each other. When the week ends, it feels sad to say goodbye. For a couple of weeks, the group chats stay active with pictures from the island and from home. And then slowly, everyday life takes over, and the intensity fades. Still every now and then, even after years of silence, a message might appear in the old group chat. Random memories from the island are likely to pop up just as heart, animal, and celestial emojis are attached to the message. You can buy the book directly from us here. The book will be available in selected bookstores soon! /// Edited by: Ott Kagovere, Hanan Mahbouba, Jaroslav Toussaint, Arlene Tucker, Andre Vicentini, and Tommi Vasko Texts by: Hanan Mahbouba, Marianna Maruyama and Arlene Tucker, Jaroslav Toussaint, Andre Vicentini, and Tommi Vasko 105 × 180 mm 134 pages Edition: 500 Graphic design: Ott Kagovere and Keert Viiart Published by Trojan Horse ISBN 978-952-65706-0-0 2025  L-R: Kaisa Karvinen, Ilo, and Arlene Tucker will host the book launch party in Oulu on February 14th. See you there!
Tove Jansson's Taikatalvi (Magic Winter) is a classic Moomin story published in 1957. This is a tale of Moomintroll waking up in the middle of a winter only to encounter many mysteries of seasons, nature and friendship. Through life size puppetry we see many beloved Moomin characters come to life: pragmatic and compassionate Too-Ticky, rambunctious and stubborn Little My, curious and adventurous Moomintroll, the collecting and rule abiding Hemulen and the Ancestor who creaks in the corners. Helena Markku's beautiful job of designing the puppets along with Merja Pöyhönen's direction of the play created a peaceful, playful and magical twist to Magic Winter on stage.
What I loved the most is how light and shadow was played with on stage. The softness and the wonder from the experimental usage of stage lights gave the sense of snow falling from trees onto your head or even watching Moomintroll play in a mountain of snow, for example. The portrayal of northern lights, the darkness of the winter and the gradual shift to more sun in the spring all came to life through the fantastic stage direction. The movement of the puppets was fun to watch. Sometimes it would take up to three puppeteers to move a puppet. It wasn't distracting through. If anything, it was another point of interest for me as simple movements should not be taken for granted. The tempo was relaxing and the sound design flowed with the Moomintroll's adventure through winter as well as birds and other life forms waking up for spring. The play is suitable for all ages. Most of the audience were young children with adults or caregivers. Oulu theatre does a good job in making this a positive and inclusive experience for people of all ages. Six year old Lucas, as did many other children, needed a cushion to put on his seat to make him just a tad taller to see the stage from the back row. After the show, it was also fun to stroll through the photo exhibition of the play on the second floor of the theatre. That gave us a time to reflect on the play, to talk about the characters and other Moomin stories. Esityksessä kivaa oli isoisä. Lucas ei tykännyt lopusta, koska se oli hänen mielestä tylsä. Kokemuksessa oli hauskaa hahmo nimeltä surku, koska se ulisi.
What did you enjoy about Taikatalvi?
I suggest you catch Taikatalvi at Oulu theatre while you can! I am a member of the Oulu Theatre’s Audience Committee and received tickets to the performance. We aren’t critics; rather, we share the perspectives of ordinary theatregoers on social media at a time when the number of theatre reviews is on the decline. Kuulun Oulun teatterin Näyttämöraatiin ja sain liput näytökseen. Emme ole kriitikkoja, vaan tuomme maallikkojen näkemystä teatterista someen ajassa, jossa teatteriarvioiden määrä on laskusuunnassa. #Näyttämöraati #OulunTeatteri #PuhettaTaiteesta  Kiva olla mukana Oulun teatterin Näyttämöraadia!
"Näyttämöraadissa kaudella 2025–2026 ovat Oulun suomalaisen yhteislukion opiskelijat Kaisla Kiilakoski ja Mitja Saari, yrittäjä Mikko Haapala, suunnittelija Henry Lindgren Pohjois-Suomen avista, Kaikkien Oulu -hankkeen projektikoordinaattori Arlene Tucker, Oulun Lippo Junioreiden junioripäällikkö ja naisten ykköspesiksen suomenmestari 2025 Iida Tossavainen, opettaja ja Luckan Uleåborgin toiminnanjohtaja Tea Stolt de Glanville." “Yhteistyö raatilaisten kanssa on joka vuosi kiinnostavaa. Pääsemme tutustumaan katsojien teatterikokemuksiin ja saamme myös hyviä kehitysideoita. Teatterikävijät ovat moninainen joukko erilaisista taustoista tulevia ihmisiä ja sen vuoksi pyrimme kokoamaan myös Näyttämöraadin erilaisista taustoista tulevilla oululaisilla”, Oulun teatterin toimitusjohtaja Anu-Maarit Moilanen kertoo. Lue koko artikkeli täältä (linkki menee Oulun teatterin nettisivulle). |
AuthorArlene Tucker is an artist, diversity agent, and educator currently based in Oulu, Finland. Archives
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