Impression

Abstract

‘Impression’ is the written component of the Master of Fine Arts thesis at the University of the Arts Helsinki, Academy of Fine Arts authored by the writer of this text. The supervisor of the thesis project is Simon Thompson and supervising professor Marjaana Kella. The writing of the written component has taken place under the supervision of Lena Séraphin. The examiners of the Master of Fine Arts thesis’ artistic and written parts are artist Ed Atkins and art historian Gertrud Sandqvist. The artistic component of the thesis work, titled either as Ville Laurinkoski ‘7.5.–5.6.2022’ or ‘7.5.–5.6.2022,’ was exhibited in ‘Kuvan Kevät 2022’ exhibition in Kuva/Tila, the exhibition space of the Academy of Fine Arts, in Helsinki in the spring 2022. The work ‘7.5.–5.6.2022’ is composed of the interior of a room and a 14-minute soundtrack that is played in a loop. Besides the already existing infrastructure of the space, the interior contains a one-person mattress, XLR cords and power outlets, a media player and four loudspeakers mounted on the walls. Voice and piano in the soundtrack: Ville Laurinkoski. The written component consists of the written and photographic documentation of the exhibited work. The written documentation is incorporated in the essay, and the photographs can be found under ‘Figures’. Under ‘Libretto’ one can find the score of the audio track. ‘Audio’ in turn comprises links to the soundtrack of the work. The title essay ‘Impression’ is an inquiry on ‘7.5.–5.6.2022’ and is divided in two parts. The first section presents the work as a series of transgressions and the second as infrastructure of relation, reconciliation, and style. It is written into a succession of shorter sequences of items closely related to the work – its source materials, artworks, literature, and theoretical propositions.