Kuka
(Who)
(Who)
Solo exhibition
Gallery Hippolyte studio, Helsinki
Gallery Hippolyte studio, Helsinki
Vieraskirja
(Guest book)
(Guest book)
Paper, pen, frame
47 x 59 cm
47 x 59 cm
The Finnish word vieras means both a guest and a stranger.
1/9
Video (20 min) and xerox print (A4)
Three students of linguistics interviewed all Maarit Mustonens during the group meeting of Maarit Mustonens. 1/9 shows my interview together with a page of the written analysis by the students based on the interviews. The paper is scanned with my hands holding it and concealing parts of the text.
Interviewer: Elina Lasma, camera: Saila Salonen, sound recording: Elina Lasma, editing: Maarit Mustonen, text: Elina Lasma, Emma Perälä and Reita Kööpikkä
Nimen perusteella
(Based on the Name)
(Based on the Name)
Video (12 min)
Framed cards (cardboard, paper, ink, white correction tape, staples, 21 x 33 cm each)
Framed cards (cardboard, paper, ink, white correction tape, staples, 21 x 33 cm each)
On the video eight Maarit Mustonens read to each other texts that answer the question: ”What kind of a person is Maarit Mustonen based on the impressions their name arouses?” The texts were written by a group of linguistics students before meeting anyone of that name. In the autumn 2016 the students at the Helsinki University participated a course on name and identity that was organized parallel to Maarit Mustonens’ group meeting. On the video Maarit Mustonens read the texts for the first time, react and comment on them.
The video was shown together with the text cards read aloud on the video. For the exhibition I erased the name on the cards. The descriptions lost their reference point and became independent, open descriptions of fictive characters.
Filming: Aleksi Närvä, sound recording: Tumoas, assistance: Saila Salonen and Tuuli Aaltio
Kundi kesätukkainen
(Guy With Summer Hair)
Performance (12 hours)
Design for the book cover
I read from cover to cover Tuija Lehtinen’s young adults’ novel Kundi kesätukkainen (Guy With Summer Hair), published by Otava in 1996. The protagonist of the novel is a 16-year-old Maarit Mustonen. The novel tells a story of Maarit that moves from a small town to Helsinki to go to a high school. She aspires to become a writer, falls in love, and struggles with her creative work. The story is written in the first person.
(Guy With Summer Hair)
Performance (12 hours)
Design for the book cover
I read from cover to cover Tuija Lehtinen’s young adults’ novel Kundi kesätukkainen (Guy With Summer Hair), published by Otava in 1996. The protagonist of the novel is a 16-year-old Maarit Mustonen. The novel tells a story of Maarit that moves from a small town to Helsinki to go to a high school. She aspires to become a writer, falls in love, and struggles with her creative work. The story is written in the first person.
The duration of the performance was 12 hours. During the reading I moved around the gallery space and its courtyard. A wireless microphone transmitted my voice to a loudspeaker placed in the entrance hall of the gallery.
Due to my exhibition the publishing house Otava printed a new edition of the novel. I drew a new cover image for the special edition.
Photos of the performance by Mia Saarinen (1.-2.), Verna Kovanen (3.) and Aleksi Närvä (4.).
Äidit ja tyttäret
(Mothers And Daughters)
(Mothers And Daughters)
Ballpoint pen on grid paper
47 x 59 cm
47 x 59 cm
Quotation from a conversation between Maarit Mustonen and her mother in the young adults' novel Kundi kesätukkainen by Tuija Lehtinen (Otava, 1996). The novel describes a life of a 16-year-old Maarit Mustonen in Helsinki in the 90's. My mother copied by hand the selected quote for the exhibition:
Voi sinua, Maarit. Milloin sie oikein opit erottamaan toden ja unelmat?
(Oh, dear Maarit. When will you learn to tell the difference between dreams and reality?)
(Oh, dear Maarit. When will you learn to tell the difference between dreams and reality?)
An e-mail from one Maarit Mustonen to another Maarit Mustonen was placed amongst the exhibition texts. The message refers to an upcoming exhibition and the plan to reunite there.
The exhibition was supported by Arts Promotion Center Finland, Finnish Art Society, Finnish Cultural Foundation / Uusimaa Regional Fund and VISEK.