I have participated in creating both large installations and smaller works of art. Here are the stories and descriptions of past projects.
On art and expertise
Art allows us to express ourselves and sometimes to bend the rules of what is conventional or even acceptable. The same applies for using technical skills in art. Participating in building installations and experiences allows a person to use the full extent of their knowledge to produce the desired effects. In technology for example, I can experiment with lasers, projections and generative code. It allows me to try things which are at the limits of my skill or those things that are just too cool but not always practical or ready for production.
I hone my creative side and obscure technical skill-set by helping out established artist with ideas and concepts or by participating in art projects to build some part of the end result. I have also ended applying my project management, problem solving and logistics talents in these projects. It seems I have an eye for details and can function logically in rough conditions, which comes in handy during the tough projects and longer events. And even though beerstorming is a fun creative activity, I stay sober for my shifts and while volunteering for fire safety. There is surprisingly a lot of fire safety duty involved in many of these projects.
The Cosmic Egg 2017 - Space on Fire
I have to say, this project was one of the defining moments in my life. I'd much rather tell you in person, as it is though to describe in writing.
Koulu on Fire 2016
A great group of people decided to bring a Finnish school to Black Rock City, NV. A temporary school was built in a space just by the Man, where people were taught a system for teaching their peers. This project was done as a rough environment test for the concept, to make it ready to be taken to other harsh environments, like refugee camps and slums around the world.
My part in this project was to help out with preparations in Finland and co-create the lighting and atmosphere for the space. We used simple electronics and programmed custom firmware for controlling LED-strips, for use as effects and lighting for activities in the space.
The Pike of Mana 2015 - Aalto on Fire
We built an art piece that was displayed at Black Rock City, during Burning Man 2015. The piece was a 6 meter long head of a pike, that featured an adapted traditional Finnish musical instrument (kantele). The surface was made of a plywood weave and LED lighting was mounted on the skeleton frame. Inside the giant head, we made a lounge space that allowed people to rest in the shade, as others play on the large instrument in the mouth of the fish. It was one of the most inspiring interdisciplinary projects I have done. We had a lot of freedom to design the artwork and managed to solve the various challenges in building a strong, but easily portable interactive musical piece of art.
Vertaiskultturiyhdistys Eldis Ry - An art group from Finland
After the first larger projects, we ended up starting and association to serve as a legal entity for handling project budgets and helping us organize our volunteers. I'm currently running some services for this group and consulting on various issues. Somehow we are always creating new ideas and thinking what the next projects will be. We have a pretty good track record on our projects, with detailed budgets and usually some kind of online presence or record of the project.
Eldis Ry is looking for support. We would like to find more permanent funding for creating interactive art installations internationally. We mostly operate in the US, Finland and the Nordics, but we are mostly following opportunities. For now our budget has come from foundations, association, ourselves and company partners.
Helsinki Decompression
We have organized weekend long co-created events, where we bring together artists and performers to spend time and enjoy each others work. In these events, there are no spectators, but we all make the event what it is. Our website explains it like this:
Decompression is a co-created event by everyone. The primary focus is to bring together people to participate and expressive themselves in a safe and open environment, allowing everyone todecompress the weight of everyday life.
Decompression in not just a party hosted and organised by a few individuals. It is an event that brings together the community to co-create and participate. This space becomes an immersive experience of art, performances, music and workshops.
Helsinki Decompression is a regional Burning Man event in Finland, and allows you to experience the Burning Man culture and embrace the principles. Together, You, I and we will co-create and participate in an immersive experience that will allow us to re-think and re-create our everyday reality.
helsinkidecompression.com
We generally expect to have a decompression every year, though there are sometimes obstacles, like finding proper venues or gobal pandemics limiting participants to ten people. However, judging form how the events have been received until now, we are sure to have more of them in the future.
Ask me about this stuff when you see me. :)