My exhibition presents works that have disturbed my life in a positive way over the last two years. In them, I combine my experiences of art history and everyday life. I reveal some of the references found in my works, and in that sense my works are scientific in nature. Otherwise they are artistic.
In the Forest There Is a Path of Martin Heidegger (2006-2008)
Video (DVD Pal, 12:00, Stereo)
When working as an artist-in-residence in Freiburg, Germany, my studio was situated near the philosopher Martin Heidegger’s home. The Black Forest was next to his house, and on the edge of the forest was a path named after him.
In the video, I am addressing my questions and thoughts to Professor Heidegger. He acts as a narrative link, a person that moves the video’s plot forward. The piece presents hope for a better and more equal encounter between people.
Holbein Variations (2006-2008)
A photo series, a drawing, a painting
Variations originate from the exhibition of Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/1498-1543) held at the Kunstmuseum Basel. I often visited the exhibition and drew sketches of the women seen on the paintings and prints. I concentrated on a
female subject because it was presented in more diverse roles: as an esteemed, rich matron,
a fashion mannequin, or as a caring mother of Jesus.
Even though the paintings were marvelous, after a while my concentration shifted to the real people in the museum space. I showed my drawings to the museum guard and asked them to pose for my camera in the positions of the “Holbein’s women”.
Stakeout / Feet Washing Ceremony (2006-2007)
An audiovisual installation in two parts
(DVD Pal, 10:00, 5.1 Dolby Surround)
The Stakeout is a reconstruction of a dream in which I am waiting to meet my dead mother. She walks up a hill and towards me, but turns away at the last moment. When I run after her, I see my grandmother who also vanishes.
After filming the scene with actors, it reminded me of the scenes in detective films or
police series where a protagonist sits in a car and waits for a surveillance subject to
appear. I called the language department of Helsinki police station and was told that
the action was called a stakeout.
The Feet Washing Ceremony adopts a performance form. A poet Gaspara Stampa (1523-1554) is sitting on a design chair in an empty, dimly-lit room and reciting my chosen extracts of her poems in Finnish, Italian and English. A young woman washes Gaspara’s feet with milk, and at the end, drinks the milk. Stampa’s message is
enlightening, even moral.
A Triptych Portrait of Three Sisters and Three Horses (2008) is exhibited together with the video.
Thanks to the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Arts Council of Finland for
supporting the exhibition.
Opening photos
Thanks to the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Arts Council of Finland for supporting the exhibition.
Images:
Nina Viitamäki and Annikki Yrjänäinen from the video Stakeout / Feet Washing
Ceremony (2006-2007).
Jaana Kokko (1972, Joensuu) is an artist living in Helsinki. She works with video, photography, installation, drawing and text. She has graduated from the University of Art and Design in Helsinki (2002) after studying new media, scriptwriting and photography. In 1998 she graduated from the Helsinki School of Economics.
"In my work I am interested not only in the exploration of the expressive and historical aspects of art, but I find it equally important to understand and be aware of the fact that a finished piece of art and the act of displaying it publicly are political comments. Considering the political act as a guideline for creation is in my opinion not a restrictive but a freeing viewpoint" .
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