Agave Growing Through the Roof

Abstract

During spring term 2021 I had two exhibitions in Helsinki, Finland, that were part of my practical MFA thesis work and were held in spaces run by the University of the Arts Helsinki: Exhibition Laboratory on Pursimiehenkatu, and Project Room on Lönnrotinkatu. The first exhibition was part of the annual Academy of Arts event ‘Kuvan Kevät’ where participating students exhibit their final thesis work. Second part of my thesis was titled ‘Excavations’ and it was the first exhibition to be held at Project Room the following week after the closing of ‘Kuvan Kevät 2021’.

The exhibitions followed a relatively similar path during the process of making the works. I considered them as part of a narrative, as they were materially and conceptually linked. All of the works exhibited were produced for these exhibitions. At the core of these exhibitions was my interest in working with recycled wine bottle stoppers and textiles. Using these as the main materials, I produced a series of sculptures and textile works with the latter having the potential of functioning both as a wall hanging and a wearable item.

Inspiration for using these materials stemmed from an autobiographical narrative, which also functioned as an inspiration for the work in general. My interest working with cork stoppers initially began around the time of my BA studies. I found the material intriguing, as it is relatively unseen in the context of contemporary art. Working with cork introduced me to a new type of approach in making art that I had not experienced before. Inspired by my travels and living outside of my native Finland over the span of two decades, I wanted to create work and solve issues related to nomadic concepts. Working with cork and textiles catered for this, as the actual working processes required very few other materials and tools, such as glue or a sewing machine.