Uljas urbaani unelma 2010 / Galleria Huuto
Leandro Lima & Gisela Motta (BR)
Brazilian artists Lima & Motta will present two videos created during their Helsinki residency at HIAP. The works are based on a simple gesture of introducing an alien element to a city landscape, which explores the relationship between familiar and foreign, and establishes an indirect connection between two cities.
In the piece Hole (2007) contrasting images from small commercial, no-brand stores were captured in Sao Paulo and have been applied to the facades of Helsinki, so as to question our perception through the different urban environments produced by these two cultures. For the video Framed (2007), pedestrian were recorded passing by and reacting to ordinary people in the "against the wall" position, a scene so common in police arrests in some cities and so different to Helsinki urban space.
Sari Palosaari (FIN)
Sari Palosaari's work revolves around transitory aspects of society and culture. Palosaari investigates modifications happening in the living environment and the values reflecting from the built surroundings. Palosaari has constructed a modular structured installation, a part of artist's on-going project titled Modular Mash-up. Within the frame of the Modular Mash-up -project Palosaari produces modules assembled out of mass-produced furnishing components. To enable the creation of spatial construction the modules have supermagnet attachments for fastening a unit to another. The materials of the modules are Ikea's Lack tables and standard laminate-faced chipboard-shelving units that are collected from apartments under construction (the wardrobe and kitchen units to be removed). The construction method of these furnishing modules is utilized to assemble new units that form the installation. Color foil toned LED lights are attached within the construction to illuminate the installation.
Länsiväylä
Länsiväylä is a Helsinki-based open group of artists that utilises the city as its artistic material. The group was founded in 2007 by artists Sami Lukkarinen and Kalle Turakka Purhonen, researcher Roope Mokka and a multiactivist Kirmo Kivelä as they realised their first artwork named Länsiväylä in Ruoholahti.
Video documentaries from Länsiväylä acts 2007, 2008 and 2099 are exhibited at Huuto gallery. The work is based on their acting as window-cleaners during the morning rush-hour in a traffic crossing in Helsinki. The somewhat scruffy artists clean the windshields of the cars and beg money for their service.
These actions have been repeated three times and the artists describe the work as a way to enjoy and empower their presence in urban space. It is a functional alternative to the consuming or observing of it.
"We, the people of Helsinki, declare freedom, the pursuit of happiness and cycling as given and undisputable rights"
In connection with the URB festival the Länsiväylä group will realize a new work named Cycle Lane. According their statement the work combines communal art, environmental art, painting, cycling and activism. In the work, a 'cycle lane' is painted with phosphor paint on Hämeentie. The cycle parade assembles Monday 2nd of July 1.30 am at Vaasanaukio in Kallio, and moves on from there. Cycle Lane invites people to participate.
Cycle Lane video screening will be held in Galleria Huuto at Uudenmaankatu 21st of August 6-8 pm.
