Henrik Härkönen presents his exhibition Broken Spirits & Dead Forms.

Henrik Härkönen, who works at the Serlachius Residency, presents his new works in the exhibition Broken Spirits & Dead Forms. In his art, Härkönen presents inner feelings through an abstract form. The theme of this exhibition is melancholy. Härkönen describes the backgrounds of the works completed at the residency during the Global Pandemic: “In such a situation, my work seeks security from the clear geometric shapes of the sculptures and the unpredictable compositions of the paintings, which are intended to structure nausea so that it can be overcome”.

The artists-in-residence for August present themselves: Visual artists Henrik Härkönen, Minna Soraluoma and Yen-Hua Lee.

Visual artists Hannamari Matikainen (b. 1976) and Krister Gråhn (b. 1979) have been working together in different projects since 2002. The exhibition Anew showcases busts of dignitaries and well-known works of visual arts recreated in silicone sculptures. Matikainen and Gråhn have developed a technique in which the silicone cast made of the sculptures or the persons has been squeezed flat and subsequently printed on a paper. This results in familiar and at same time exciting images, in which the well-established motifs will get a new position and meaning in the history of art. Matikainen is a Tampere-based visual artist who resides from June to July at Serlachius Residency, Gråhn lives in Mänttä.

The artists-in-residence for July present themselves: Visual artists Hannu Lukin and Hannamari Matikainen as well as photographer Marko Marin.

Tampere-based Janne Laine (b. 1970) who relocated his studio to Mänttä this spring is one of Finland’s most prominent graphic artists. His artworks consist mostly of quiet landscapes, the atmosphere of which is formed by a combination of elemental natural view, water, steam, dark stone, shadow and light. He has found several motifs from Iceland which he considers his second native country.

Summer’s artists-in-residence present themselves: Visual artist Hannu Lukin and photographer Marko Marin. In connection to Friday Coffee, one can observe Hannu Lukin’s rapid portraiture in the yard of the Serlachius Residency. There in open-air, Lukin will paint a portrait of a local person.

Visual artist and art educator Hannu Lukin (b. 1963) is renowned for his powerful and expressive paintings in which he has captured rapid observations of his surroundings. Lukin’s paintings often have a strong feeling of presence and they seem to tell a story. Lukin fills the Serlachius Residency Gallery with colourful paintings made in Spain, Italy and Portugal as well as his hometown Liminka, Finland. Most of the paintings are on show for the first time. Lukin and his daughter Sofia will reside at the Serlachius Residency stays in June and July.

Serlachius Residency 4 pm–6 pm.

Serlachius Residency gallery showed visual artist Heli Konttinen’s exhibition Pipe Chess. Pipe Chess is an adaptation of ink blot test which forms a part of Konttinen’s exhibition Research Centre for Ordinary People.

Serlachius Residency 4 pm–6 pm

Visual artist Agita Marachovska and Andris Marachovskis organised a workshop at Serlachius residency’s Gallery.

Serlachius Residency’s exhibition was open 11 am–6 pm.

Serlachius Residency 4 pm–6 pm.

Exhibition Naturehumancity at Serlachius Residency was open 11 am–6 pm.

Visual artist and literary artist Suvi Nurmi who worked in Serlachius Residency during March brought her popular Kalevala-inspired poems with a magic spell to Pub Kolo on 24 March.

Serlachius Residency 4 pm–6 pm.

Kirsimaria E. Törönen: POLKUJA (PATHS) and Emmu Johansson: TUTTI FRUTTI. Exhibitions were on show 12–18 May.

Drag-performance

Vili Nissinen and Mikael Kinanen’s gamified work Dirge of Wrath handles the theme of civil war. The work utilises the method from immersive theatre, Nordic live role-playing and media art, and invites the participants to experience actively instead of being passive spectators. Dirge of Wrath role-playing was organised in Serlachius Residency on two days, once each day.

In July, five artists were working in the residency: Kalle Mustonen and Outimaija Hakala (Finland), Pedro Riva & Lucila Mayol (Argentine) as well as Naoko Ito (USA/Japan). Audience was welcomed to get acquainted with the guests and residency operations. During the event, everybody had the opportunity to participate in the mini dustbin art workshop developed by the movement A Trash a Day.

Serlachius Residency has open doors during the event Mää oon Mänttästä (I’m From Mänttä).

Our residency guests for August: Work group Turbida Lux (Pedro Riva & Lucila Mayol), Naoko Ito and Ignacio Acosta. Friday coffee welcomed everybody to an event where the residency guests presented themselves. Among others Kalle Mustonen and Outimaija Hakala gave a presentation of their works. Work group Turbida Lux shot the end scene of their film project Nine Minutes Before the Agape in the old cinema theatre Bio Säde and participants of the Friday coffee were able to take part in the film shoot.

Naoko Ito is a Japanese artist who worked in the Serlachius residency during July and August. In Mänttä, she was enchanted by the summer landscapes, the wideness of lakes and the fact how nature and weather have their impact on humans. After documenting the landscapes on film and completing her research on Alvar Aalto and Tove Jansson, she requested local people to lend her their Savoy Vases designed by Alvar Aalto. The vases formed a part of her exhibition.

Turbida Lux is art collective that Lucila Mayol and Redro Riva conformed in Argentina in 2013. During their stay in the Serlachius Residency, Turbida Lux researched the Serlachius Museums’ photograph and film archives selecting moving images depicting hands and fire. Based on these images they started to make “Nine Minutes Before the Agape”, an art film shot inside the old cinema theatre Bio Säde in Mänttä.

In September, the artists in-residency have been Ignacio Acosta (Chile), Esa Laaksonen (Helsinki/Finland) and Kimmo Ylönen (Norrskata/Finland).

Kimmo Ylönen’s project The Green Flag of Knowledge consists of a workshop and exhibition. Water mills constructed by the artist and participants of the workshops wave the green flag promoting clean nature against littering. The mills are mainly constructed of recycled natural materials. The workshop The Green Flag of Knowledge and exhibition opening were organised on 21 Oct.

In October Ignacio Acosta (Chile) and Kimmo Ylönen (Norrskata/Finland) have been working in the residency. Everybody was welcomed to get acquainted with the residency guests and residency operations.

Serlachius Residency

Serlachius Residency

Residency guests Miya Sukunen and Winnie Chan presented their operations from 4:15 pm on. Simultaneously also Winnie Chan’s exhibition opening of From Shopaholic to Conscious Consumer was celebrated. The show was open 8–9 Dec 2018.

Kimmo Ylönen who worked as artist-in-residency in Serlachius Residency organised a topping-out ceremony of Maghreb-Pohjola, the main work of his residency period. Conducted by Mika Tepponen, Open Orchestra, Amateur musicians’ assembly from Worker’s college Autere Opisto performed.