now NOW

Videos at http://www.vimeo.com/mkk
Photos at http://www.flickr.com/artsufartsu
Links at http://del.icio.us/artsufartsu
Jaikus Qaikus at http://mkk.qaiku.com

A graphic link to artsufartsu.net's news RSS-feed.

7.7.2010
I'm having a summery photo exhibition in Tunnila village in Sulkava (Honkamäki, Tunnilantie 590). The exhibition is basically about everyday life, people and nature of Tunnila. I have also one video presented. It is a collection of all the live net streams from Honkamäki. The exhibition is open 6. - 16.7.2010 from Tuesday to Sunday at 12 - 18. Welcome!
Related links:
http://www.vimeo.com/11355036

16.6.2010
Aether9 group is creating a live web stream today at 11 am - 7 pm CET. I'll be streaming some tree cutting from Tunnila village in Finland at 3 pm (4 pm GMT+2). The main location of the transmission is in International Art Fair in Basel (Switzerland).
Also, if you happen to be in Berlin, my Canary Coffee video installation is exhibited in Emergeandsee festival in Stattbad Wedding starting 18th of June. Have to mention, that the place is an old swimming pool - looks fantastic.
Helsinki Public School opened KONTTI in Kalasatama in Helsinki couple days ago. The container is only for the use of HPS so feel free to schedule classes there. I ad a link about Kalasatama containers below (sorry, only in Finnish).
http://1904.cc/aether
http://www.emergeandsee.org
http://kalasatama.blogspot.com

6.5.2010
222 citizens of Albania has started hunger strike demanding democracy for their country. The strike followed from demonstration with 200 000 people in Tirana 30th of April. View the live stream from the location and the letter of the strikers.
Related link:
http://www.opentheboxes.com

3.5.2010
Some nice news:
I've installed a tree growth camera at the Clear-cut Preservation. In autumn, there will be a website that can show the images in realtime, but meanwhile you can see the images of the cam set-up and the location at my Flickr account. I also put together all the live streams from Honkamäki (location of the Clear-cut preservation) in 2009. The video is available at my Vimeo account.
There will be a gardening event in Seppo Renvall's Park in Vallila, Helsinki tommorrow starting at 17:00. We organised the event together with Helsinki Public School and Ptarmigan. There will be some meadow planting as well as planting some eatable vegetables (beans, reddish etc.) You're very welcome! Bring food, drinks, seeds, tools - whatever you think you might need. Oh yes, and Helsinki Public School has some other cool "classes", too. Check out the website.
Related links:
http://tinyurl.com/32879fk (Clear-cut Preservation)
http://www.vimeo.com/11355036 (live streams)
http://helsinki.thepublicschool.org

20.4.2010
More Aether9 news again: we are doing a performance at Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam 21.4.2010 at 21:00 CET / 22:00 GMT +2 (Finnish time). "Ghost Story" is adapted from Samuel Beckett's 1976 Teleplay for the BBC, “Ghost Trio”. It is realised with actors on location in Amsterdam and around the globe over the Internet.
Related links:
http://tinyurl.com/y6m5su3 (Aether9 site)
http://www.arti.nl/tentoonstelling.php?id=229 (gallery site)

27.3.2010
I can't understand why I forgot to post this news earlier, but Aether9 collective participated in Pixelache 2010 festival's Pixelache Camp in Kerava Art Museum, Finland, 26.3.2010. Aether9 created a realtime, live broadcasting installation called "Landscapes of us" that combined multiple live video streams by the collective members around the world. Landscapes of us was live for 10 hours...
Related links:
http://aether9.blip.tv (video documentation) http://1904.cc/aether/2010/news/live-camp-pixelache-helsinki (about the work)
http://tinyurl.com/yyewt4e (photos)
http://www.pixelache.ac/helsinki/festival-2010

23.3.2010
Some picks from my recent stay in Berlin...
On rage -exhibition in HDKDW. Woody Allen and his New Orleans jazz band just for the legendary person in question. Mickael Vallet for some fresh art. Kunstraum Kreuzberg's a great program and interesting new exhibition. Buddhist house to calm down. General Public for media art. Tango with Liesl and Federico. And no La Roux - it's not worth it.
Related links:
http://hkw.de/en/index.php
http://www.woodyallenband.com
http://das-buddhistische-haus.de
http://www.kunstraumkreuzberg.de
http://www.generalpublic.de
http://lieslyfederico.com

23.3.2010
Finally launched Pimp My Passport website. Hopefully there will be a Finnish language version soon, too.
Related links:
http://www.pimpmypassport.net

8.3.2010
I did an installation called Milk Rain (Maitosade) in Jäppilänniemi Art Road in Imatra last summer. The piece was celebrating the memory of cow milk and how preciously the idea of it should be treated, because of its heavy ecological backpack. Also, it was a place for meditation. Anyways, as it happens, Google Maps spy car was photographing the area during the art road events... I'm concerned about the privacy issues of Street View feature, but it's nice to see Milk Rain documented. If you want to see it, search Jäppilänniementie 830 as an address from Google Maps (or click the lin below :)
Related links:
http://www.tinyurl.com/yjbzlhk

21.2.2010
Mega website is renewed. Hope you like it!
Related links:
http://www.mysteriousmega.net

4.2.2010
I'm updating my Mysterious Mega website. Meanwhile, the old site can be found at Blogger address below. Looking forward to the brand new site soon!
Related links:
http://mysteriousmega.blogspot.com

25.1.2010
I participated in Arts and Sustainability workshop by PixelAche festival last week-end. It seems that there are a lot of artists trying to find techniques to make art in a sustainable way, but like in this workshop, as well; there is not enough know-how. Engineers and researchers are very much needed. The workshop was organised in a very nice relatively new space, Ptarmigan. There are a lot of events to go to, more info can be found at Ptarmigan website.
Related links:
http://ptarmigan.fi

12.12.2009
I uploaded images and a short video for those who didn't see my SECGEIST exhibition....
Related links:
http://tinyurl.com/yb2d8he (photos)
http://www.vimeo.com/8077104 (video)

17.11.2009
My new exhibition SECGEIST opens in 00130Gallery, Helsinki (Korkeavuorenkatu 27) today. You're very welcome to the opening at 17 - 19! SECGEIST is a continuation for the last Illusion of Safety solo exhibition, but now I'm also very happy to say that there are some of my works from mikroPaliskunta travel exhibited, as well. The exhibition is open 18.11. - 5.12.2009, see you there!
A bit of information about other works, too: Puhdistus play is now in the program of Seinäjoki City Theatre. I created the videos that are visible during the play. Puhdistus is a story about Estonian history and women's situation under occupation.
Related links:
http://www.00130gallery.net
http://www.seinajoenkaupuninteatteri.fi

18.9.2009
What a nice summer it was. There was one more Aether9 stream event in July. I also built a storage building and eco-toilet on our yard. Hard and educating work, indeed. mikroPaliskunta is heading to new adventures. This week-end 19.-20.9.2009, we are going to walk with the reindeer to Vantaa and spend a hotel night there. The expedition is a part of Finnish on Holiday series. Exciting and scary! Check out the mikroPaliskunta website for the journey.
Related links:
http://www.mikropaliskunta.net

25.5.2009
Æther9 streaming jam last Saturday was great! There is already some nice documentations on-line, check the link below.
Related links:
http://tinyurl.com/olhux8

20.5.2009
Æther9 @ Trans-Sesiones, Colombia
Date: Saturday May 23 2009
Time: 14:00-19:00 (UTC/GMT -5 hours)
Location: Museo de Arte Moderno, Medellin, Colombia
In the frame of Trans-Sesiones
Surf to Æther website (link below) to experience simultaneous streams coming from different parts of the world. The main node of the streams is in Museo de Arte Moderno in Medellin, Colombia with live music and audience participation. I'm creating a stream from Tunnila -village, Finland where I'll be planting vegetables - a simple surviving action in ecological and economical crisis. This stream is on 10 - 12 pm (UTC/GMT+3).
Related links:
http://1904.cc/aether
http://transesiones.wordpress.com

20.5.2009
I have forgot to mention that Siemenpuu Foundation published a prize for forest related art work ideas. The winner was Milja Viita and my idea was also among the awarded ones. I feel great about that because now I strongly want to start a new project related to clear-cut areas.
Also, I would like to thank the participants of the Pimp My Passport workshop in Jyväskylä last week-end. I was very happy, because Yläkaupungin Yö festival was a very nice happening and the workshop seemed to be very interesting to people. There was nearly 50 RFID-proof passport covers made! Most of the passport cover pictures can be found at Flickr. You can find tips how to make your passport cover at Live Herring website (in Finnish).
Related links:
http://www.siemenpuu.fi
http://tinyurl.com/ry7p4o (passport covers in Flickr)
http://tinyurl.com/p2pv7u (tips to make covers)

8.5.2009
Pimp My Passport workshop is organised in Jyväskylä, Finland 16.5.2009 by myself and Mika Meskanen. It is a part of Yläkaupungin Yö art festival and located in Jyväskylä University main building. The workshop is drop-in so you can join any time you want in 4 pm- 12 pm. The workshop studies RFID tagging system and participants wil craft their own RFID-proof passport covers to prevent unwanted RFID tag reading. The workshop is organised in co-operation with Live Herring group and is supported by AVEK. Welcome!
Related links:
http://www.liveherring.org
http://www.ylakaupunginyo.fi

13.4.2009
Open tv channel M2HZ has launched their new website and there are plenty of interesting videos to be viewed. There are also some of mine, because I'm the artist guest for April 2009. The website is in Finnish.
Related links:
http://www.m2hz.net

6.4.2009
mikroPaliskunta has started a new series of expeditions called "The Finnish on Holiday". The first expedition is happening right at this moment in Canary Islands, Playa del Ingles 3. - 10.4.2009. The new website has been launched, as well. Feel welcome to experience the expedition almost in real time at the website.
Related links:
http://www.mikropaliskunta.net

20.2.2009
Illusion of Safety exhibition is now finished and I uploaded some images to Flickr. Everything went well and I was very happy about the experience. There was still a little hazzle with Red Cross, they got very angry at me for having symbol of red plus sign at the exhibition. I had to remove it, because red plus or cross in any form is recerved only for emergency staff. Every day something new.
Related links:
http://tinyurl.com/cl8ff5 (images at Flickr)
http://tinyurl.com/bwgmwj (article in Vartti)
http://tinyurl.com/azauw8 (article in HS)

10.1.2009
Happy new year 2009! I'm working hard towards a solo exhibition in Lasipalatsi, Helsinki. It is called Illusion of Safety. Welcome to see the exhibition 27.1. - 15.2.2009 in Lasipalatsi Näyttelytila. I'll add some documentations to Flickr after the opening.
Related links:
http://tinyurl.com/83dto3

25.11.2008
It has been a busy autumn, I must say. I paricipated in making a play called Leipäjonoballadi (Food queue ballad as translated) and did the videos for it. It is about hunger and poverty in Finland. The premiere was in October and it is still going on in Takomo Theatre in Helsinki. Then, I attented a laboratory called Edge of Europe in Conteporary Art Museum Kiasma. Interesting explorations - I'm not much of a performer I think, so it was nice to try out new things. Edge of Europe has launched a website, as well.
Art& Communication:Specropia festival and exhibition was in Riga, Latvia. I participated with Mika Meskanen and we preented for the first time a project called Pimp My Passport. It's about RFID chips that are included in all the EU passports.
Mega project was exhibited in Jyväskylä Art Museum in Live Herring 2008. I also gave a presentation about the project.
Related links:
http://www.teatteritakomo.fi/leipajonoballadi.htm
http://www.edgeofeurope.net
http://rixc.lv/08
http://www.liveherring.org

2.7.2008
I have forgot to mention one great thing: URBAN JEALOUSY- 1st International Roaming Biennial of Tehran is going on right at this moment. It's first stop is in Istanbul, Turkey at Hafriyat Karakoy. The exhibition is curated by Serhat Koksal and Amirali Ghasemi. I'm participating with Mega stop motion.
Last week, mikroPaliskunta made a little happening, too. Reindeer Paavo was taken for a walk for the first time in Helsinki. Please, see my video in Vimeo.
Related links:
http://www.biennialtehran.com
http://www.mysteriousmega.net
http://www.vimeo.com/1246774

13.6.2008
Center for Culture & Information K@2 in Karosta, Latvia is under thread to be closed down. Please read this and take action: send e-mail and faxes to support K2. Also please act immediately, there is a court case 18.6.2008.
Related links:
http://www.karosta.lv
More info about the situation here

5.6.2008
Community for eco-minded people, onedidit.com (beta), was launched yesterday in Green Week 2008 in Brussels, Belgium. I worked as a designer for service. Green Week was also more or less interesting, although I always find it quite amazing how much people are talking about that something should be done quickly to solve ecological problems. But very few give concrete answers what to do.
Green Week location is next to the European Comission building and there was a demonstration against fuel prices organised by the fishermen who came from all over Europe. Mains street and pretty many other streets were closed from traffic. Police was everwhere. Intense. I took some pics which can be found in my Flickr account.
Related links:
http://www.onedidit.com

9.4.2008
There will be an serie of art events called "Time of Distance" 18. - 27.4.2008. The organiser is an artist group called Transidency. I was very happy to join them in two week residency and being part of the project. There will be two simultanious exhibitions in Maa-tila, Helsinki and in Field gallery, Berlin that I'm participating. The exhibition in Field will last until 10.5. I'm working and presenting Mega-project. I build a clay house that is the first settlement in Mega. There will be also an artist talk by me 23.4. in Field amongst other very interesting happening and performances in different locations during the week. Do read more about Mega in the new website.
Related links:
http://www.mysteriousmega.net
http://www.transidency.org

8.2.2008
Today is an important day: it is Leave Facebook -day! I created an event in Facebook to leave the service and delete or modify profiles so that they are unidentifiable. It is an statement against hazy privacy policy, advertising and copyright problems of Facebook. Facebook has become such a big database that it should worry us more and more - especially when the privacy rules are what they are. Anyways, I'll delete my profile at noon. There will be afterparty in Radio Aporee, Burknerstrasse 9, Berlin at 8.30 pm. I'll be playing visuals with Jodi Rose/Singing Bridges. The theme of the concert is our bridge cowboying trip to a huge bridge contruction site in Bangok, Thailand.
Related links:
Event info in Facebook
http://www.aporee.org

1.1.2008
Finally, new Elephant Paths website has been launced. All the path materials have been moved to map service Tagzania and website texts revised. While doing this, I read some of my old notebooks. I noticed a text, I think it is a discussion I invented when listening to some art festival talk, presentation or something like that:
- Is there any point of making art?
- Please, explain.
- There's meaning only for myself - my growth as a person. It's not enough.
- So what did you do, then?
- I started a career as an activist.
- Oh, that's a difference.
R elated links:
http://www.elephantpaths.net
http://ww.tagzania.com/user/mkk

27.12.2007
It has been a pleasant, creative year. I hope the coming year 2008 will be as experienceful as the last. mikroPaliskunta will be presented in Stuttgarter Filmwinter 2008 in January and the new website will be launched as soon as possible. There will be some new ecotravels in the context of mikroPaliskunta in 2008, too. Elephant Paths -project is getting a new form, as well and it seems that there are many other interesting projects waiting for me. For example, if you're interested in one week home-staying in NEVER LEAVE HOME -project, feel free to contact me! Happy holidays and the New Year!
Related links:
http://www.vimeo.com/neverleavehome

9.11.2007
I got back from Karosta and Berlin. Karosta (LV) was peaceful: the bridge that crosses the canal is still broken so it takes more time for people to travel from Liepaja center to Karosta. It seems to me that Karosta is developing quite rapidly along with Latvia's economical growth, but of course it still has it's own special characteristics. In Berlin (DE), I saw some nice exhibitions. Nothing mind-blowing, but satisfying. Roman Signer rocks. I also tried to buy some land from Mega. It didn't work out, yet. I got pretty angry about demonstrations (never saw demonstrators, though, only plenty of police force) supporting Turkey bombing the Kurds in North-Iraq. I mean come on. What does that solve? I would think it is quite rare people demonstrate supporting violence – usually it's the opposite.
Related links:
http://www.karosta.lv
http://www.co-berlin.com
http://www.hamburgerbahnhof.de
Mysterious Mega

23.10.2007
Many nice happenings lately. I attended Porno Academy - International Symposium on Pornography, Sexual Representations, Obscenity, and Desire , which was in Theatre Academy. Main reason being that I wanted to see presentation of Del LaGrace Volcano – a very interesting visual artist. It was indeed very thought-provoking presentation, but I also found other presentations very well worth of listening, as well.
I managed to see the last show of “Being Greta” by Maija Hirvanen. I enjoyed it: when the first thing I saw was Matti Nykänen jumping to the stage. I knew this can't be anything but good.
Related links:
http://www.dellagracevolcano.com
http://www.helsinki.fi/kristiina-instituutti
http://hirvanen.net/being-greta

29.8.2007
Oblivia group premiered their work called "Everything You Say will Become Dust Anyway" in Kiasma Theatre las tweek. What a marvelous work was it! Four people played extras, defining the space, moving around in silent whispers and the in the grande finale talking out loud the actions. I have been thinking a lot about otherness, belonging and acceptance lately. Somehow this performance discussed with me about these questions.
One big thing hit me yesterday! I've recently moved house and now I realised that my local post-office is not the same anymore. Yes, the one that I've been praising here, too! Goodbye 00500 and welcome 00510. I'm sure it's as good.
Related links:
http://www.oblivia.fi

8.8.2007
Nisi Masa (network for young film-makers) organised a Summer Training Course in Amsterdam. It was definately interesting and I was introduced to nice projects. I also visited one of the most beautiful exhibitions I've seen this year: Crimes&Splendors (from Paranoia -exhibition) in Ronmandos. The exhibition is curated by Predrag Pajdic. The artists from different backgrounds present many touching works of art: video, installation and photography dealing with themes of fear, terrorism, safety etc.
Related links:
http://www.nisimasa.com
http://rhiz.eu
http://www.ronmandos.nl
http://www.smba.nl
http://www.theoneminutesjr.org
http://www.pavlovskaya.com

5.7.2007
I got back from Berlin and Barcelona. I worked with mikroPaliskunta and a new project called What Are You Looking at? It has been an interesting month, I must say. I'm happy that mikroPaliskunta Berlin Round Tour went so well. It again gave me new ideas, as well. I also saw Sasha Waltz's Körper and some Chinese contemporary performance. Marc Langheinrich gave a lecture about privacy and RFID in Berlin. I still can't get over the question that when information is collected (sometimes even without knowing what to do with it), we can never be sure for what purposes it is used in the future. Hitler number two has an easy job. Langheinrich has a great point of views, he is not "hysteric" as you might consider some other critics - but he still is critical.
Related links:
http://www.sashawaltz.de
http://www.hebbel-am-ufer.de
http://www.inf.ethz.ch/personal/langhein
http://www.kv-ingan.de

25.5.2007
mikroPaliskunta is on the road again! New mikroPaliskunta expedition takes place in Berlin, Germany 14.6. - 17.6.2007. This time there's no car but bicycles and Little Finnish Reindeer continues stuffed reindeer Paavo's glorious work. There also won't be a website even though mikropaliskunta.net is still on-line. mikroPaliskunta is using Jaiku to collect blog writings, pictures, videos etc. tagged with "mikropaliskunta" through different web services. mikroPaliskunta also reports to Jaiku with text messages about the course of the travel and what is going on as we procees. The trip is about 200 km around Berlin. It gives again another perspective to Finland, Finnish people and phenomenas - and German, too. As it is known, Germans as a nation have always been in very close friendship to Finland.
Related links:
http://mikropaliskunta.jaiku.com
http://reindeersdiary.blogspot.com

14.5.2007
Time flies again. I have moved some of my videos to Vimeo. I enjoy the service a lot, it is much nicer than for example YouTube, because people are making the videos themselves - not just ripping tv-series etc.
One of the contributios to support Estonian people during the statue conflict was our little 2-person actvist team who pimped the Worlds Peace statue in Hakaniemi, Helsinki. This statue was a gift from Moscow to Helsinki in 1989. We set up a flag with text "Free Estonia", but the next morning it was of course gone. It is very important that Estonia takes care of their minority groups (in this case Russians) as it is in any country. But if Russia claims that Estonian goverment should resign, doesn't take care of the security of Estonian embassy and acts like a bully, it is totally unacceptable.
Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to Berlin Round Tour by mikroPaliskunta in June. There will be more information about it here, but we are not going to have a new website for that. In addition, we are going to use all the "web 2.0" services out there and tag them with mikroPaliskunta.
Related links:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6599145.stm
Pic of "Free Estonia" -flag

10.4.2007
I attended a nice Critical Mass happening in Helsinki today with other 200 bicyclists. Maan Ystävät Ry ('friends of earth') are going to start organising as they call them critical biking tours every month. I remember from last spring when there was a bicycle demonstration, it was a little bit calmer than this one. We were just biking and ringing bells, but now there was more shouting and showing fingers to cars. Well, jokainen tyylillään. I made a short video about the ride.
Related links:
http://www.vimeo.com/user:mkk
http://www.maanystavat.fi
http://www.critical-mass.org

30.3.2007
Remote Presence: Streaming Life workshop, part of the Pixelache 2007 Festival is presenting Streaming Life Event in Muu Gallery, Helsinki and in the Internet, 31.3.2007 at 8 - 24 pm (GMT +3). See more detailed information about our workshop and event in the webpage.
Related links:
http://www.neoscenes.net/teach/pixel/event.html
http://www.pixelache.ac
http://www.muu.fi

6.3.2007
MICT is planning to launch a radio campaign focusing on the issue of violence against women in Iraq, on 8th of March 2007. There will be three hour radio program on five local Iraqi radio stations and journalists all over Iraq will contribute to the program by interviewing women. They also ask women around the world to send their greetings to Iraq women in the program (mp3- or wav-file). Send your file to klaas (at) mict-international (dot) org. It can be in any language, but send also translation in English or Arabic. And do this by 7th of March!
Related links:
http://www.mict-international.org
http://www.niqash.org/sawtuha

1.2.2007
Participate in the biggest mobilization of Citizens Against Global Warming! The Alliance for the Planet [a group of environmental associations] is calling on all citizens to create 5 minutes of electrical rest for the planet today at 6:55 p.m (GTM). In Finland, this is 9:55 p.m. This is not just about saving 5 minutes worth of electricity; this is about getting the attention of the media, politicians, and ourselves. Five minutes of electrical down time for the planet. Why February 1? This is the day when the new UN report on global climate change will come out in Paris.
Related links:
http://www.lalliance.fr
http://oekonews.at/index.php?mdoc_id=1018587


 5.1.2007
Happy New Year 2007! Before relaxing holiday I spent a week in Berlin and managed to see one of the most impressive contemporary dance performances of the year: insideout in Radialsystem. Insideout is coregraphed by Sasha Waltz and it is a sort of dance installation where people can walk and watch whatever they want to. It is hard to describe what kind of feelings it raised in me, but it was very intensive, in close contact and it might take some time before I can really analyse (if I should).
I pumbed into another nice project called Red Paperclip. A guy managed to make a chain of exchanges with one paperclip until he trated it finally to a house.
Related links:
http://www.sashawaltz.de
http://www.radialsystem.de
http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com

17.11.2006
I just noticed that mikroPaliskunta is presented in IDF - International documentary festival Amsterdam, 23.11. - 3.12.2006. Nice.
mikroPaliskunta t-shirts are also available, so if you want one, sent me an e-mail. They are for men in sizes M - XXL and for women in sizes S - L. Colours black, orange and lime. Price 14 euros + posting.
Related links:
http://www.idfa.nl/idfa_en_content.asp?pageid=576
mikroPaliskunta t-shirts

16.11.2006
Avanto festival, Live Herring, all the kinds of nice happenings again this week-end. I also visited Mobile.Home - Mobility of Artists and Art Workers in the EU: an Inter-sectional Conference. Phew, what a long name. But it was interesting to hear different kinds of perspectives from people coming from very different places. Mobility is not the same for Palestinian artist or somebody from EU. This made me think again about Schengen and two passport queues for EU and non-EU citizens, among all the rest. There was also an interesing one-liner: art should be neutral. At this point I almost fell of my chair. Since when have anything been neutral? If you go to a shop to buy some tea, you already make at least three choises and none of these choises are neutral in any way. How come art then could be neutral?
Related links:
http://www.sakakini.org
http://www.pearle.ws/mobilehome

28.10.2006
I'm trying to move some of my links to del.icio.us. I couldn't get mkk-username, though...
Related links:
http://del.icio.us/artsufartsu

27.10.2006
m2Hz-meeting was organised in Kallio, Helsinki yesterday. It seems that m2Hz is moving on pretty nicely. There was a little presentation session with Franco (Bifo) Berardi, who is Italian writer, activist and media theorist. He is visiting the book affair in Helsinki. I enjoyed this session, because I think he had some similar thoughts I've been having lately about media/information overload and how it is related to our emotional degeneration. Openess or access is nothing if you don't understand what you're looking, I would think.
Related links:
http://www.m2hz.net
http://www.transmission.cc
http://www.telestreet.it
http://www.rekombinant.org
http://www.generation-online.org/p/pbifo.htm

9.10.2006
On Sunday morning, I woke up to the news that Russian journalist and author Anna Politkovskaja had been murdered. Politkovskaja was one of the rare Russian journalists who had guts to critisise president Putin and his Chechen politic among other issues. The last years she wrote to an independent newspaper called Novaya Gazeta. She was always under a threat of assassination. It is fair to say that this outrageus murder is a clear symbol for the state of democracy in Russia. There was a candle demonstration organised on Sunday evening in front of Russian embassy in Helsinki. We all shared this tragedy in our hearts, standing in dark evening with candles - silently saying that people do know.
On Monday morning, I woke up to the news that North Korea had made a nuclear weapon test. World sucks.
Related links:
http://www.novayagazeta.ru
http://www.internationalpen.org.uk

29.9.2006
I'm a bicycle enthusiast so I was very happy to read about Cycle Patrol that operates in Helsinki. Their aim is to correct traffic signs that give wrong information for bicyclists. Fantastic work! And they look very Plastic Pony type of people... Their website is only in Finnish.
Related links:
http://www.pyorapartio.org

21.9.2006
Went to see Maija Hirvanen's "Perception Score" in Kiasma. I like Maija's work, it could be easily something that I don't like, but I do. It is in a sense simplicity taken to a level where you can just let your thoughts fly and sometimes of course laugh.
Megapolis seminar is this week-end..
Related links:
http://www.perceptionscore.net
http.//www.megapolis2021.org

9.9.2006
I'm amazed. Today I've seen so many police force than ever in my life in Finland. ASEM (Asia Europe meeting) was organised in Helsinki during this week-end. Today was said to be the most active day for demonstrations and police was very well prepaired for this. They were everywhere during the whole day. In the evening, when there was supposed to be a demonstration in front of Kiasma, there were so many policemen that you couldn't even see the whole demonstration. There was a group of demonstrators surrounded by a lot of policemen close to Bio Rex doors and I asked one policeman what is happening there. He answered: "There is some side-hassle."
You could hear announcement like "For the sake of your own safety..." but you couldn't hear the rest of the sentence because there was so much noise from the helicopters. Traffic lights weren't working in the whole city. When I was bicycling home, I saw a convoy of some probably important people with the three police cars and one motorcycle police stopping everything in front of it. It made me think: these people are discussing about issues very important to all of us (allthough it is said that ASEM summits discussions usually lead to nothing much), but they couldn't be more far away from us.
Related links:
http://www.asem6.fi
http://www.helsinki2006.net
http://asem.anarkismi.net/index_en.html

7.9.2006
Finland is a big country... mikroPaliskunta travel was fantastic! DO visit the site! Now I'm just trying to get back to cleaning my home and doing all the kind of "normal" stuff. Yeap right.
Related links:
http://www.mikropaliskunta.net
http://www.myspace.com/eurovision2007

18.8.2006
mikroPaliskunta-project is starting soon and the website opens 22.8. I'm happy and excited about that! I hope we'll have a fantastic journey and our biodiesel car will hold.
Couple of weeks ago I was also teaching in Bitola, Macedonia in Operation:Front -project for youngsters organised by PAC Multimedia Center. It was a very nice project and I have great memories/thoughts about it.
Related links:
http://www.mikropaliskunta.net
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tagyourplace

5.7.2006
I just got back from Kirkenes (NO) and Murmansk (RUS) and many other places around Finmark. I participated Connection Barents artistic expedition and workshop. Lots of interesting new contacts which I hope to turn into nice co-operation or friendship, too.
Related links:
http://www.connectionbarents.org
http://www.ruralreaders.net
http://nks.svanhovd.no
http://mtrs.ecoinfo.ru
http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/fi/index_19.htm

22.5.2006
I haven't mentioned here, yet, that there is a new project called mikroPaliskunta coming this summer. We have a group of five artists working with it. It is a trip of a stuffed reindeer from the northest part of Finland to the southest. I'm looking forward to it.
A week ago I participated to a silent demonstration to have more bicycle routes in Helsinki. We had some 90 people biking cross the city and ringing bells. It was a nice feeling. Helsinki City is not taking care of the cycklists and basically you're in danger everyday when trying to make your way by bike. At the same time there are plans to have a thing called central tunnel which would able even more cars in the city centre. I don't know why anybody would need to use a car in the city center except if you're transporting goods or products or something like that. Traffic toll that is used in Stockholm and London would be a perfect solution for Helsinki, too.
Related and NOT related links:
http://www.cclondon.com/whatis.shtml
http://www.tollroadsnews.com
http://www.mastersofarts.fi
http://ijas.cjb.net

13.5.2006
I went to see Todellisuuden Tutkimuskeskus's Helsinki by Night -performance yesterday. What a wonderfull experience! I was filming the same piece last autumn and I liked it then, but now that I was a normal member of the audience, it touched me even more. In Hki by Night, the whole city is the stage. The audience is sitting in the bus that tours around the city. This sightseeing really gave me another point of view to my hometown. Unfotunately HKI by Night is sold out...
Related links:
http://www.todellisuus.fi

11.4.2006
Time flies... winter changes to spring... PixelAche 2006 was an ok festival. I participated to Locative media workshop. Same old same old, but I got some new ideas. There was also the first Elephant Paths presentation in Finland in Koko Theatre. The next week I went to see Felix Ruckert's Messiah Game. Liked it a lot - there was only one spanking to much for me.
Related links:
http://www.felixruckert.de
http://paatehakkuu.fi

27.3.2006
I spent couple of weeks in Thailand mapping paths from Kanchanaburi and Chiang Mai. A lot of bicycling, new experiences and thoughts. I also was filming a bridge construction site in Bangkok for Singing Bridges-project and it was a tons of fun. We even went up to 200 metres in a basket that was lifted with a crane.
PixelAche festival starts soon and a must see play is of course "Kuoliaaksi kutitus" in Theatre Academy.
http://www.vsl.com
http://www.pixelache.ac
http://www.teak.fi/esitys/Ohjelma.htm#KUOLIAAKSI

11.2.2006
Puppet theatre Hevonsenkä in Espoo have made a play aimed for adults. They've been very ambitious and chose Macbeth, squeesed the play in 1,5 hour and played it with three actors and three puppets (+some shadow puppets). I must say this is a success! I give extra respect also for the set design - it is absolutely beautiful.
I visited Sami-club yesterday. Sami national day was on monday and City Samit organisation had a club in Umo. There was some documentaries, traditional joiku by Inga-Maret Gaup-Juuso and Sanna Sanila Band. Sanna Sanila is a Skolt, which is the smallest Sami minority. Well, the music is horrible, reminds me of some Russian rock band in 90', but the enrgy of the band is really great.
Related links:
http://www.hevosenkenka.fi
http://www.saunalahti.fi/~corona/citysamit
http://www.sogsakk.fi

2.2.2006
The Moslim world have been very annoyed of the caricatures, which were published in Jyllands-Posten (newspaper in Denmark) last autumn. The caricatures were about Prophet Mohammed and he was first of all pictured which is forbidden, and made fun of by placing a bomb in his turban. Well, okay maybe from Western point of view this is not a reason to start burning Danish flags and threatening Danish citizens with violence. But what I really don't understand is why on earth for example a French newspaper France Soir published all the caricatures again saying that they do it in the name of freedom of speech. Considering more or less intense situation in France (remembering the riots last autumn in suburban areas), I don't think this is a very cleaver thing to do. There is a saying in Finnish "picking blood from your nose" and this is exactly what the newspapers are doing now in Europe. The biggest newspaper in Finland, Helsingin Sanomat announced in their editorial that they haven't published the caricatures because they are bad taste. This is of course true. But they continued that if the "pressure against the foundations of freedom of speech continues" they will publish the caricatures. What are they, six years old???
Related links:
http://www.jp.dk/meninger/ncartikel:aid=3527646

1.2.2006
Antti Ahonen's exhibition opened yesterday in Tila-Maa (Albertinkatu 19, Helsinki). He decided to be a visual artist on a buss trip some years ago and went to a shop to buy painting equipment. He also started to write a diary immediately for those who will write his biography. Reason for all this is that he wants to picture beautiful ugliness. In the exhibition, there are photographs and slides telling this story. Antti is also very active documenting all the kinds of events in Helsinki area. The exhibition is open until 12.2.2006. In addition, there is a link below to Amnesty's rather nice campaign and to a project that amused me a lot: garbage tagging.
Related links:
http://koti.kontu.la/aahonen
http://www.koelse.org
http://www.protectthehuman.com
http://garbagescout.com

29.1.2006
Nam June Paik died today. I went to see Mondo films and to eat soup in Bio Rex. In the evening, Tarja Halonen was re-elected to be the president of Finland.
Related links:
http://www.paikstudios.com
http://www.docpoint.info
http://www.presidentti.fi

16.1.2006
First Galileo signals has been transmitted to earth!
Related links:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4610452.stm

13.1.2006
I forgot to mention that I went to see Algorytmi play in Takomo Theatre. I can truly recommend it. It is about a search of paradise (false paradise, to be exact). There is a perspective to Islam and also what is its relation to other cultures and Christianity, as well.
Related links:
http://www.teatteritakomo.fi

12.11.2006
I got the most wonderful Christmas present: a new bicycle. I haven’t been riding it, because I didn’t want to get it dirty… Today was the first day I finally took it out. I was happily riding it, sunshine and wind on my face. Until a puncture!!! There was a thumbtack on the tyre. The same thing happened to me just a month ago and it really gets me angry, because it is still quite a bit of work to repair it. I was talking to a friend of mine wandering where the thumbtack could get into my tyre and she said it happens to people quite often. The explanation is that some people put thumbtacks on pavements so that if cyclists use pavements, they get punctures! I am amazed! It is quite enough for me to mind the broken glass on the streets since this nation is committing a slow suicide with alcohol and breaking bottles on the streets. But thumbtacks! Any idiot knows that you can’t cycle everywhere in the city (unlike by a car you can drive anywhere you like), because cycle paths are not everywhere. Sometimes you have to get off your bike and walk it on the pavement to a place where you want to go. I think I have found an ultimate nilittäjä type of person. I don’t know how to translate nillittäjä, but maybe it explains that one subcategory for nillittäjä is neighbour stalker. Nastanillittäjä puts thumbtacks on pavement. And what should I do? Kick pedestrians walking on cycle paths when passing them?

5.1.2006
Terhi Ylimäinen's "Mortal Visions" exhibition opening was in Galleria Uusitalo yesterday. Terhi's paintings are exploring heavy (I don't know the correct term but dark music anyway) music scene. The paintings are very powerfull, loaded with feelings and of course darkness. The exhibition is open 5. - 29.1.2006. Terhi is also among the young artists exhibited in Helsinki Taidehalli (Arthall). Young Artists 2006 opens today.
Related links:
http://www.feelthedarkness.com
http://www.galleriauusitalo.fi
http://www.taidehalli.fi

3.1.2006
Happy New Year 2006 to everybody!!!

15.12.2005
It is sometimes really hard to get good service in this "service society" that should be the solution for working models in rich countries in the middle of globalisation. Helsinki is almost famous of its cold sales people. There are of course exceptions: for example the post office in Kurvi (00500) is fantastic. The staff is friendly, always willing to answer any questions and help anyway needed. Airlines are another story. I don't know what I did wrong in my last lives, but I rarely manage to fly anywhere without troubles with airlines. KLM and Air France are on my blacklist (and surely I'm also in theirs). My last incident with KLM happened just recently and I didn't even manage to book my flight. It's rather long story and just to amuse myself I wrote it down just as it happened. Open the link below if you want to share it with me.
Related links:
Booking a flight ticket in KLM

7.12.2005
It is amazing what a huge project follows when your hard disk ends its' short life and you have to buy a new computer etc. etc. Well, I'm finally truly back to work without so many distractions, but I miss my old buddy. Meanwhile I travelled to Malmö, Sweden and saw some very nice things like Olafur Eliasson's "Set up light" in Malmö Konsthall - pure and meditative piece of art that fullfills the whole space, "Touristclass" by nine artists in Malmö Konstmuseum and "God Smak" in Technology and Maritime House. Excellent. At the time there was also HWE Norden vs Balkan Dance Festival going on and I was so impressed about "Small Stick Big Bird" coreographed by Henriette Pedersen from Bergen, Norway. I hope that I'll see some other works from her in near future! That's about it except that I also saw Regina live in Helsinki at last.
Related links:
http://www.olafureliasson.net
http://www.konsthall.malmo.se
http://www.malmo.se/kultur
http://www.balkankult.org
http://www.dansstationen.nu
http://www.rooseum.se
http://personal.inet.fi/luonto/lek/sivut

21.11.2005
Avanto festival started last week-end and we went with my brother to Avanto Club on Friday. Our main aim was to see Norwegian band called Bol and it was such a pleasure. Great band indeed. I liked their mixture of jazz...with something else. There are also other festivals going on at the moment in Helsinki. My ZOO-documentary can be seen in Valon Voimat festival in Harju Youth House. There are also other nice events and exhibitons in Valon Voimat. Almost at the same time there is Kallio Kipinöi and Koe festivals, as well. I could also recommend Jari Hietanen's "Luontosopimus" in Koko Theatre. That play might make you think...
Related links:
http://www.bol.no
http://www.valonvoimat.org
http://www.kokoteatteri.fi/esitykset/index_html

1.11.2005
Elephant Paths is in the Nordic web art exhibition Elävä Silakka / Live Herring in Jyväskylä, Finland 17. - 20.11.2005.
Related links:
http://www.liveherring.org

27.10.2005
The final decisions of new structure of Nordic cultural co-operation were hand down by the Nordic Cultural Ministers. Some committees and cultural institutions will be closed down as planned. But sadly the cultural ministers of Nordic countries verified their plan for thematic programs (initialised by cultural ministers and departments). This has caused a lot of critisism among artists and culture workers, because there is a fear that thematically restricted programs create political control over cultural life.
Related links:
http://www.norden.org

24.10.2005
Bookcrossing is something that I have known about, but just today I took a closer look to the website. It is a really interesting way to share books and maybe lighten your bookshelf if it has a tendency to be too full as mine sometimes have.
FRUIT-project has nothing to do with books, but it is still great. There are issues related to food production and consumption. What is the relevance to know how your food is produced and where it comes from? Is your food safe? Is it possible to grow your own food in urban space? There is also a demonstration on the website. Flash jammed a little bit at least on my comp, but probably it's just me.
Related links:
http://www.bookcrossing.com
http://www.free-soil.org/fruit
http://www.free-soil.org

19.10.2005
TEKS, Trondheim Electronic Arts Centre and PNEK, Norwegian Production Network for Electronic Arts are under the thread to be closed down. The National Budget doesn't suggest further support for TEKS and PNEK even though government's cultural policy states permanent funding. You can sign petition on TEKS website. Also NIFCA, Nordic Institute for Contemporary Art is about to face major changes that are going to be decided soon by the Nordic Cultural Ministers. The plan is to close down NIFCA and also NordScen, NOMUS and NORDBOK. These would be replaced by a project-oriented co-operation where the Cultural Ministers and departments will define thematic, temporally constrained programs. There is more info about this on NIFCA website.
Related links:
http://www.teks.no/petition
http://www.nifca.org

7.10.2005
Venice is an amazing city. It is packed with tourists and tacky tourist restaurants, but still the history and the athmostphere of it makes it mysterious and beautiul. 51. International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia offered a lot of interesting experiences. When entering German pavillion, the first thing you see is a (rather boring) sculpture, but suddenly you're surrounded by three men dancing and singing "This is so contemporary! OOoO!". I really like Tino Sehgal's work, it's like a fresh breeze. As being more or less a fan of Russian contemporary art, I was impressed by Program Escape's "Too long to escape", which is an interactive video installation. The characters in the video move closer to the viewer based on the amount of the viewers in the space. Fun and not so political. During my time in in Venice, there was also 49. Festival Internazionale di Musica Contemporanea, but for that I didn't have time even though the programme seemed interesting. Venice is full of amazing churches, art treasures etc., but one that I still have to mention is Ca' Pesaro (Modern Art Gallery) that has a nice colletion of Indonesian wayangs. There is also Felice Castorati's "La Signorine" (1912), a painting that I love a lot. As a travel reading I had Barbara Victor's "Last Crusade - Religions and the Politics of Misdirection". A book about how Rebuplican Evangelical Christians have influenced the American political landscape and also the foreign policy. Really interesting book. And just now when George Bush has denied God told him to attack Iraq.
Oh yes, and does Venice have any footpahts for Elephant Paths? You'll see...
Related links:
http://www.labiennale.org
http://www.escapeprogram.ru
http://www.museiciviciveneziani.it
http://www.carnivalofvenice.com
http://www.westminsterbookshop.co.uk

6.10.2005
ZOO documentary is added in Media Rights.
Related links:
http://www.mediarights.org/film/

22.9.2005
There is a new archive and meeting point for female media artists called Bildrauch.
Related links:
http://www.bild-rausch.de

13.9.2005
Life is strange, yes. I picture from Dubai was found in KLM flight magazine. Artsufartsu crew needs to ask why..what...how?
Related links:
The picture (90,2 kt)

31.8.2005
I went to see a young Swedish curator today and presented Elephant Paths-project to her. She pointed a green dot on the screen and said: "So is this where you had a soda or what?" Hm.

24.8.2005
MeMoRe - in search of the red thread is an audiovisual performance with 7 performers (dancers) and one washing machine. It is choreographed by Tomi Paasonen who is currently living and working in Berlin. MeMoRe is a very straight forward piece and leaves you nothing much to think by yourself. I had fun, though. The performance included taking picture with the audience and the performers in the end of the show. You can keep the picture as a memory.
Related links:
The picture

18.8.2005
A short documentary about Bitola Zoo in Macedonia is now edited and ready. If you want to have it or have any ideas how to help these suffering animals, please send me an e-mail.

9.8.2005
Got back from Macedonia, where I was with Elephant Paths. It was a very interesting country and I met some beautiful people. Also the mountains are something that I like very much. I went through Skopje, visited Ohrid and stayed in Bitola (second biggest town in the country) where I also ran Location Based Storytelling workshop. A negative part of my trip was a visit to Bitola zoo. The animals are living in horrible conditions without food in too small cages.
Related links:
http://multimedia.org.mk/
http://www.elenajovanova.com/
http://www.bitolaonline.com/
http://www.skopjeonline.com.mk/
http://www.ohrid.com.mk/
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/

4.7.2005
Elephant Paths got selected to prog:ME, Electronic Media of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) exhibition 17.7. - 28.8.2005.
Related links:
http://www.progme.org
http://www.laisle.com

27.6.2005
I had a traditional midsummer celebration with sauna and midsummer pyre etc. We visited also Oulu and Hailuoto (the second biggest island in Finland, I assume) with my friends. We also saw almost all the sights there is to see in Raahe. Lovely. Now I'm so relaxed and happy:)
Related links:
http://www.hailuoto.fi
http://www.raahe.fi
http://www.jarijansson.com
http://www.rapinoja.com

17.6.2005
Went to see The Yes Men -documentary yesterday. Fine film, can recommend. Only thing that bugged me a little bit was Michael Moore: why does he has to be everywhere??
The world jump day is getting closer and closer: it is on the coming Monday. But seems thay there are not enough jumpers, yet. In Finland, you should jump at 9:39:13 in the morning.
Related links:
http://www.theyesmen.org
http://www.worldjumpday.org

14.6.2005
I won't forget to mention couple of Medialab (Taikk) based projects that have interested me this spring. Last week I saw Oskari Pastila's "Here Be Dragons" documentary, which gave me a lot of interesting information about New Guinea. Another one is Michihito Mizutani's "Emotional Communication" products. Absolutely love them!
Oh yes and of course Michael Jackson is innocent.
Related links:
http://www.herebedragons-movie.com
http://www.uiah.fi/~mmizutan/ec

2.6.2005
New hobbies are always good for you. So our group of artisthumanists decided to start practising parkour. You don't need any equipment to do that, but I think I need to cover my elbows...and knees...and palms...and maybe also a helmet would be good thing. And I don't want to do any movments where there is a possbility for my knees to hit my chin. Hopefully I'm still alive after the first training day.
Related links:
http://www.parkour.fi
http://www.parkour.com
http://www.davidbelle.com

28.5.2005
Spent couple of weeks in Germany. I've always liked Berlin and now I like it even more. I just should learn German (among other things). But I mapped some very nice paths in Marzhan, Berlin and in Prora, Rugen by the Baltic Sea. Now I'm just putting up the new map for Elephant Paths site. I also "invented" a term mäpäytys, which is a sister word for rap term räpäytys. Ok, I know no English speaking person understands this. Haa-ha.
Related links:
http://www.freefloatingfaculty.org
http://www.tesla-berlin.de
http://www.dokumentationszentrum-prora.de
http://www.worldpress.org/Europe/1199.cfm
http://www.rosavonpraunheim.de

11.5.2005
For the first time in my life I got stuck in an elevator between the floors. And the elevator in my house must be one of the smallest ones in town. Luckily there was a friendly elevator man, who saved us.
Related links:
http://www.weitzlux.com/

21.4.2005
Lainsäätäjät-game was finally launched in Parliament of Finland. I worked as a scriptwriter for the project, which started last year... Nice to see it finally out there. Lainsäätäjät is a multiuser game for youngsters to learn how the laws are made in Finland and how a member of parliament works. The games is situated in the Parliament House as an installation.
Related links:
http://www.valtikka.fi/uutiset/lainsaatajatpeli
http://www.eduskunta.fi

17.4.2005
Spent the whole week-end in PixelAche festival. I also had a "gig" in Sibelius Academy Chamber Music Hall on Thursday. I had filmed Tikkurila bridge for Singing Bridges and showed some new stuff... Well, the gig wasn't as long as it was supposed to be, but still fun. On Saturday, the most interesting thing on the festival for me was the smelly boys. Okay, that's my name for them, the real name is RYBN and EOL, I suppose:) Their performance "IIS: 006" caused me a state of meditation and about that I'm very happy: it rarely happens to me in the field of so called media art.
Related links:
http://www.pixelache.ac/2005/archives/iis-006/
http://www.rybn.org

14.4.2005
Eija Mäkivuoti had her exhibition opening in Photography Center Peri in Turku. It is always a pleasure to visit Turku. The theme of the exhibition is disabled people, their everyday life and art making. Eija has followed their lives for many years and seen them to grow adults and also have had photography workshops with these kids. Beautiful photographs indeed. The exhibition is open for a month until 15.5.2005.
Related links:
http://www.peri.fi/nayttelyt.html

10.4.2005
Yes, it's amazing how rarely I write here nowadays. Too many things going on I suppose. Anyway, I've been impressed by Lea and Pekka Kantola's work lately. They had an exhibition in Meilahti and also Lea published a book about their community art. Must have that book! What else...ah,Pixelache pixelache pixelache is aching again!:)
Related links:
Important in Life
http://www.pixelache.ac/2005/

8.3.2005
I watched tv today. In between all the reality shows and screaming people, there was some news how Finland is reducing the school network. This means that some schools around the country will be closed. Children (aged 6 to 12 years) will be traveling to school for more than 2,5 hours per day in Lapland. But in Helsinki, parents were very worried that they little pampered kids would have to cross a street. Um. Joo.
Btw, some Mika's great downhill sliding pictures can be found at...
Related links:
http://koti.org/mesq/talvijuhla/

6.3.2005
Some days are just perfect. I love slow Sunday mornings, drinking coffee and reading newspaper for hour or two. Then Mika had Winter Party in garden city of Tapiola: downhill sliding (remebered why I didn't like mini skies when I was a kid), food and sauna. Also a little bit disconnecting, because I forgot my mobile there. Hm, but I collected some related links what I've been interested in lately.
Related links:
Zero visibility corp
http://www.kansallisteatteri.fi/ --> Illuusio
Kuulaita huoneita --> opens a pdf
http://www.notbored.org/the-scp.html
http://www.ambienttv.net/3/spyschool/4/eye/

4.2.2005
Mamma mia! For a month artsufartsu.net has been off-line. Luckily I was saved by Jussi (tons of thank yous!) who arranged the name server and here we go again. Many things has happend. Public Opinion in Kiasma is one of the projects now. It is a project where people can vote in different issues for a week. I participated as a member of Kaulbach Society and our voting time ends the coming sunday (6.2.). Check out the site and answer the question "What is a good form of governing?".
Related links:
http://www.publicopinion.fi

2.1.2005
For me, suprisingly, one of the most interesting buildings I saw in Rome was Palazzo delle Civiltà del Lavor. It is situated on the top of a hill in suburban area called EUR. EUR was Benito Mussolini's architectural pet project which he started in 1936. Palazzo delle Civiltà del Lavor is somehow magic when you study the lights on it's walls and how the blue sky makes contrast with the white colour. At the moment, the building is being renovated, so it seems a bit abandoned. I remembered the building also from a movie called "Titus". Maybe it speaks for itself that it is almost the only thing I remember from the movie, because it touched me already then.
Related links:
http://www.thatsrome.com
http://www.robsacc.nl
http://www.foxsearchlight.com

1.1.2005
It's been a while since I've written here. But I want to wish everyone happy New Year 2005! Thank you for everything the passed year! And send greetings from Rome. I experienced the year turning to 2005 in Capitol hill. Forum Romanum has seen many celebrations of new year, this one came with quite a lot of wireworks. I couldn't help myself thinking about those too many people who died in the tzunami in Asia. But life always goes on in one form or another. The moon keeps illuminating the old ruins, people keep drinking champaign, kissing and hugging each others - nothing stops, it makes me happy and sad at the same time.

2.12.2004
Kekäläinen&Company's TEO was shown in Kiasma Theatre. It is a choreography for four dancers and the main topic is globalization. I enjoyed TEO very much. It included more speach than normally in Sanna Kekäläinen's projects, I think. It is also great to see young dancers to enjoy their work and the movement. And of course, Sanna Kekäläinen has her very own style of dancing.
Related links:
http://www.kekalainencompany.net/

20.11.2004
Avanto Festival is happening at the moment in Helsinki. This is the fourth time for the festival presenting experimental music and moving image. Tonight, I'm going to see Cecile Fontaine's retrospective "Histoires parallelles". Might be that I'm not going to see many gigs this year, my ears have become more and more sensitive...:)
Related links:
http://www.avantofestival.com
http://www.em-arts.org

15.11.2004
Some people are sorry and some people are not...
Related links:
http://www.sorryeverybody.com
http://www.werenotsorry.com

14.11.2004
Chechenian website hosted in Finland was closed by the Finnish goverment (no-one wants to tell who gave the order) and the Finnish Security Police. The website was re-opened again yesterday. It is hosted in Finland and mirrored in Sweden.
Related links:
http://www.kavkazcenter.net

4.11.2004
Two exquisite documentaries that are definately worth seeing: ”Promises” by Justine Shapiro, B.Z Goldberg and Carlos Bolando and ”The 3 Rooms of Melancholia” by Pirjo Honkasalo. ”Promises" is about seven Israeli and Palestinian children. A very very powerfull film. ”The 3 Rooms of Melancholia” is about children (from 10 to 15 years) in Kronsted military school Russia, in Grosnyi Chechenia and in Ingustania. These two films are very different, but they have some same themes, for example how the violence might effect children’s world and their future. I saw these two films during the same day and it was hard for me to sleep the next night due to my mixed feelings.
Related links:
http://www.promisesproject.org
http://www.ses.fi

3.11.2004
Today at 7:30 am,. I realised that George W. Bush is elected to be the president of United States. Four more years of greed, diminution of human rights, fear and oil crusades. We are living in a very unsafe world, when Mr. Bush is taking care of their national safety. Probably there is going to be violence in US. I’m sorry to say that some dark part of me says they deserve it.
United States have warned their citizens in Finland, because they think there is going to be some sort of attack in this country. I guess, everybody who thinks, is a terrorist. I want to be a terrorist.
Related links:
http://www.varjovaalit.com
http://www.georgewbush.com
http://www.johnkerry.com
http://www.bbc.com

26.10.2004
Had a gig with Sigma in Kanneltalo (Kantsun Elektroillat nro 2.). We did the visuals with Ville Ojajärvi. The gig was four hours long, pretty intense and some people even stayed the whole gig. I put some pictures on this site later on, now I'm too tired to say anything:) Except that it was muchos fun.
Related links:
http://www.kulttuuri.hel.fi

18.10.2004
Here some picks from the week-end: Paul Rowleys's and David Phillips's video installation "Security Fugue" is absolutely fantastic. It is shown in Muu Gallery's Parameters of Fear exhibition. Jouko Lehtola's photograps in Taidehalli are also worth seeing. And I'm always amazed of Markus Copper's installation "Archangel of Seven Seas".
Related links:
http://www.muu.fi/parametersoffear/
http://www.condensate.net/
http://www.taidehalli.fi
http://www.kiasma.fi

15.10.2004
Premiere night of Siipiveikot is today in Theatre Restaurant Nyyrikki. Siipiveikot is written by Taina West, in roles Katriina Honkanen and Mikko Rasila, music by Maija Kaunismaa and Ilkka Tenhunen. This is a must see play!
Related links:
http://www.nyyrikki.fi/

6.10.2004
I sat down in the metro today and noticed a piece of paper on the seat next to me. It said "A letter for you.." so I picked it up. It made me smile, many thanks to some other stranger who sent it to me.
Related links:
The letter

25.9.2004
Hop hop! Everybody to Là-bas tonight!
Related links:
http://www.kaapeli.fi/~labas

24.9.2004
Conservas 7 Dust Show was in Kiasma. One hour of torture for me, this was one of the rare occasions that I felt strong need to leave before the performance is over. Sometimes the word interactivity is so brutally abused that I feel ashamed. The group had some great ideas, but they couldn't carry them through. It was told that one theme of the performance is working life, but at least for me the show was about primitive sexual feelings we all go through in our twenties or something. Maybe I was too old for this...
Luckily and as usual Pedro Almodovar saved me. La mala educacion is one of the best films I've seen this year.
Related links:
http://www.kiasma.fi
http://www.lamalaeducacion.com

13.9.2004
I visited my parents this week-end. Nice autumn weather, mushroom and lingonberry picking. My brother took some pictures of our family in the windy coast of Pohjanmaa.
Related links:
Pictures from Rantaretki

8.9.2004
Koti -Home happening was today in Koetila. We served two full pots of cabbage soup with Essi - very tasty soup, indeed. I showed some videos (Pyhä kolmiyhteys done years ago with Eija Mäkivuoti, but re-edited yesterday, films from Norway etc.). Kalvo played later in the evening and I did some very improvised VJaying. It is nice to arrange this kind of happenings, because people really don't know what is going on; what is part of the performance and what is not. Can't add images here, as usual we were so into what we were doing that we forgot to take pictures or film:) Another thing that I very much recommend for everyone to see is Johanna Ropponen's picture on the window of Koetila. It is a picture of her grandfather posing next to a killed Russian woman during the war. There is also a story, where Johanna tells the background of the image.
Related links:
http://www.kalvo.com

6.9.2004
People lit candles this evening on their windows. On Friday, approximately 330 or more people, mostly children were killed in a siege of school in Beslan, Russia. The hostage-takers demanded independe for Chechen. I wonder how many innocents still have to die before Russia leaves Chechen... I wonder if Bush is going to use this as an example case for his intentions to continue the war on terrorism and of course for his president campaign..I wonder what kind of hard methods Putin is going to use...I wonder when do we learn to see wholeness...
Related links:
http://news.bbc.co.uk

5.9.2004
I had a nice day in Porvoo with Essi, Jodi and Christina. After that I went to Forum Box's Kauneus Klubi which is part of Kauneus Festival, where we are having a being performance next Wednesday (8.9.2004). One of the most beautiful performances in Kauneus Klubi was Outi Sädekallio's and Matti Snellman's performance Unisiipi. It was a combination of visuals and dancing; the visuals were shown on dancer's clothes.
Related links:
http://www.porvoo.fi
http://www.forumbox.fi
http://www.koe.fi/nyt.htm

2.9.2004
Oh. Existence.
Related links:
http://www.raahe.fi/~sya/

31.8.2004
There was a second world premiere (the first one was in Sweden) of NIFCA's Criss Cross movie/short film serie in Andorra, Helsinki. It was a six hour moving image marathon, which I liked very much. Criss Cross consists of five genre-mixing thematic programmes; Family/Domestic, Identity/Potrait, Social/Political, Urban Situation/Utopian Modernism and Film on Film. There were two programmes screend today: Family/Domestic and Social/Political. I liked the Family/Domestic program very much; it included Even Benestad's documentary Alt om min far, which I've been wanting to see. Some other films I had seen before, but documentary Göstä&Lennart was absolutely one of my favourites. It was a story about a man Lennart who is living with his buldog Gösta - most probably the ugliest dog I've ever seen. Alltogeher, the screening raised quite many thoughts.
Related links:
http://www.nifca.org/
http://www.spoonjackson.com/

22.8.2004
We had a gig with Sigma in Kontufestari today. The gig went very well, Jodi took some pictures and promised to send them to me later on. There was some nice interaction with the audience as well; a little girl walked in, stood right in front of the stage. Discussion was something like this:
The girl: When do you start playing?!
Manu: We are already playig.
She walked to me blocking the projection.
The girl: And what are you doing?
Me: I'm doing what you can see there on the screen.
The girl: So everybody bring their own stuff?
Me: Yes, that's true.
The girl: But you can't see anything there on the screen!
Me: You have to look carefully and also take your head away from the beamer.
The girl: Oh. Okay. But I'm still not sure if there is any sense in this!!!

Other performers in the art tent on Sunday were Yrjänä Sauros and Selfish Selfish.
Related links:
http://www.kontula.com

13.8.2004
There are many things happening this week-end; today I was thinking about taking my Lapish drum and going to Laitama - Art Goes Camping -happening in Hernesaari. Koneisto electronic music festival is also this week-end, maybe to go there tommorrow and see what Amfibio -people are up to with the visuals in Pannuhalli. I have no particular mucisians I would be interested in seeing, but it would be nice to just check out the athmosphere. ISEA2004 cruise starts on Sunday. Obviously, I'm not going there, the prices of the tickets are something beyond my understanding. I've tried to ask people for whom the symposium is for, but I haven't got an answer. I assume it is for artists, who can pay the money. Which brings to my mind the good old question: can art happen if there is no one experiencing it? Is it enough if only the artists themselves experience it? I think this is a problem of media art in general. Of course, the symposium could be also for some companies, who can afford to bring they employees there. But then again, they could also go to Kuusamo. Hm.
Related links:
http://koti.kontu.la/lluhta/laitama
http://www.koneisto.com
http://www.amfibio.org
http://www.isea2004.net

10.8.2004
I went to an exhibition opening of my friend Karstein Volle in Galleria Huuto. It is a group exhibition with Virve Lukka and Mirva Öhman presenting photographs and paintings. Open daily 12 - 18, 11.8. - 22.8.2004
Related links:
http://www.galleriahuuto.net
http://www.rivalskeleton.com

4.8.2004
I got back to Finland and traveled to Turku. There was Media&Message happening and contest. I presented Johtotähti -game there, which participated to the contest. I've worked as a scriptwriter and a directror for the game. We didn't win, but the experience was interesting. There is a word called "pönötys" in Finnish and the happening was exactly that. I decided never to go there again...
Related links:
http://www.womenit.info/index.php
http://www.womenit.info/johtotahti
http://www.platinummedia.fi
http://www.satu.fi/mm2004

31.7.2004
Elephant Paths presentation was yesterday, thank you for everyone showing up regardless of the heat wave we are experiencing here in Bergen! I was asked about the connections between locations in Elephant Paths; that maybe I should define more clearly what I’m looking for from the paths. For me, this is quite easy: I ask people from where and to where they are going and how often they walk the particular path. Sometimes people start to tell more stories about the location and that I love. I want to be open to the situation and to the experience. Sometimes it is very hard to understand how simple and open things can be. I talked about this with dear friend of mine. She told me about a discussion where the topic was ”When should we attack Afganisthan?”. There was a lot of talking politics and people had to raise their hand if they heard a proper reason for war. One girl never raised her hand. After a while she was asked if there really isn’t anything that could make the war justifiable. The girl answered: ”You shouldn’t kill.”
You can easily define things until there is nothing left, nothing that you could really touch. This I try to avoid.

24.7.2004
I participated to an workshop called PD (Pure Data) with Malte Steiner in BEK ."PD is a real-time graphical programming environment for audio, video, and graphical processing, originally developed by Miller Puckette." I don't even have experience with MAX, so this was quite interesting to me and it is always nice to learn new things.
Related links:
http://www.bek.no/~eva/workshop/
http://at.or.at/hans/pd/installers/
http://www.block4.com
http://pinktwins.com/disk/framestein

22.7.2004
I'm working in Bergen, Norway as a resident artist of NIFCA and BEK. The main project I'm working with is Elephant Paths. I also show some random video loops on the window of Nordisk Gjestatelier in USF. There will be a presentation about Elephant Paths at 18:00 in 30.7.2004 in the Gjestatelier.
Related links:
http://www.elephantpaths.net
Invitation to Elephant Paths presentation
Picture of the random video screening
http://www.bek.no
http://www.nifca.org
http://www.kunstsenter.no
http://www.usf.no

20.7.2004
Welcome to my new personal mkk website, www.artsufartsu.net. I haven't had a website for at least 5 years and I'm not quite sure why I'm having it now. I guess, it is more for myself; basically it helps me to remember my life:)