July 26, 2001 - September 02, 2001
Aurora brings together the work of four contemporary Finnish artists living in Helsinki and looks to various forms of light and the varied effects of illumination as its fundamental aesthetic and conceptual building blocks. With the Nordic countries so profoundly effected by light -- sometimes 24 hours of daytime in summer and often lengthy periods of darkness in winter months -- it is no wonder, consciously or otherwise, that these artists have chosen this area of exploration.
Aurora examines light as the creator, destroyer and versatile visual prop. Each work is meticulous and delicate yet articulates something far beyond its size. Aurora is preoccupied with contradictions and oppositions, illustrating how subtle can be grand and that magnificence comes from devastation -- all occurring at the point when shadow fuses with shine. An exhibition catalogue featuring interviews with the artists will be available in print and CD ROM versions. Aurora is a collaborative exhibition between the Art Gallery of Sudbury and FRAME (Finnish Fund for Art Exchange) www.frame-fund.fi. This project is supported by FedNor, Finn Fest 2001 (Sudbury), and the Finnish Embassy (Canada).
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| Helena Hietanen |
Helena Hietanen creates objects and installations using extremely fine fibre
optic cable. Fabricated by hand and inspired by decorative patterns routed in
traditional Finnish women's work, the richly layered constructions are brought
to life by light. Operated by a team of synchronized light projectors, the
weavings breathe and undulate, rise and subside as illumination is injected
into the optical yarn. Sometimes measuring metres in size, when fully radiant
the delicate structures become a blazing wall. Conversely, when the light
recedes, the entire piece seems to disappear into darkness.
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| Jyrki Parantainen |
Jyrki Parantainen's epic back-lit photographs capture both destruction and
beauty in the nature of fire. Carefully staging scenes, Parantainen along with
a team of technicians, torches the interiors of abandoned buildings. He uses a
flammable glue propellant, applied to objects and surfaces, to direct the
blaze. As the makeshift set becomes engulfed by fire, Parantainen makes the
exposure capturing the very hot, extremely fast burn as spectacular wisps of
transluscent orange and red.
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| Jyrki Parantainen: same room...before and after 'torching' |
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| Jaakko Niemelä |
Jaakko Niemelä fabricates small buildings, little bridges and even entire
dwarfed cityscapes from fine stainless steel mesh. These petite works of art,
Niemelä then illuminates with an intense halogen lamp to create massive
shadows that spill onto the walls and ceiling of the exhibition space. The
viewer becomes engulfed in an illusion of volume created entirely with light
and dark.
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| Veli Granö |
Veli Granö presents a portrait in the form of an installation. The eccentric female subject of this investigation seeks to be reunited with her family supposedly residing on a distant planet. From the series entitled star dweller, Granö uses strips of 35mm film and places a flashing bulb behind each frame. As the bulbs activate and deactivate one by one, the piece mimics movement although the film remains static. Each frame is a tiny portrait, depicting his subject as somehow angelic and grotesque -- all at the same time. Twinkling like stars, this installation creates pathos and lovingly transports its subject to an alien dreamscape far from us.
Images from Helsinki:
