MUU IN COLLABORATION WITH SIEMENPUU FOUNDATION –
COMMISSIONED WORK FROM A MEMBER OF ARTISTS' ASSOCIATION MUU:

"What echoes back from the world's forests?"

A total of 29 proposals for a work of art were submitted in response to the open invitation to MUU membership. The large number of entries was a surprise to us, and the organisers were very pleased with the high quality of the ideas.

On a general level, the jury notes that the suggested ideas were all imaginative and highly diverse. It was instructive to see how many different viewpoints there can be to see forests and the links in the forest sector between Finland and developing countries. We would have liked to choose many more ideas for implementation, seeing how remarkably well they would have engaged the public and made people aware of the future of the forests of the world.

Comprising representatives from the Siemenpuu Foundation and the exhibition team at MUU, the jury convened three times, and made its decision in its meeting on 16 April 2009. The main criteria for selection were: artistic quality and innovativeness, suggestiveness of the idea as regards the forest theme, and versatility.

The goal of the Siemenpuu Foundation was to find a public artwork that would engage viewers to consider the impacts of our lifestyle on forests in Finland and in the developing countries, and on the communities that are dependent on them.

The jury decided to award a fee of 900 euro to five entries. The chosen ones are, in alphabetical order:

Mari Keski-Korsu: Harvest area reserve. A reality TV series on forest growth, spanning 70 years.
The work would use a surveillance camera accessible over the Internet to monitor the changes that take place in a harvesting area over the course of 70 years. It would make tangible the harrowing reality of forest harvesting to the whole world, even though the site would be in Finland.

Rita Leppiniemi: Seeing the forest with the eyes of other species (animals), video.
In a healthy move, puts humans aside and invites us to consider how the world seems to others who experience the forest.

Tuula Närhinen: Forest replies in kind.
An activist event where fanfares to the forests would be played with home-made horns made of recycled materials (after Gallen-Kallela's painting The Little Shepherd from Paanajärvi). A funny, simple, innovative and participatory happening.

Pekka Sassi, Heikki Halme and Willem Wilhelmus: Looking for the Last Tree.
Combining video, performance and music, the work would bring the forest in the midst of the performers and the audience. The idea of the last tree on Earth is already beginning to have a grim sound to it. The work would offer a holistic experience and its message is well-argued.

Milja Viita: Return of Birdsong.
The idea is to bring back the song of extinct or critically endangered bird species to their habitats by taking groups of children to the deserted habitats to imitate their song there. The work would be presented as a video installation with 3–4 screens. A heart-rending work that involves simultaneously a past that is lost because of human activity and children whose future will be bereft of these birds. The work is excellent in that it can be used subsequently in education, and can be integrated with other activities of Siemenpuu and its founding organisations. The fact that the work involves children in its implementation would invite children to think about environmental issues.

The idea selected for realisation is Milja Viita's work.

Milja Viita will be paid 5,000 euro for the realised work, in addition to the cost of the materials. The work will be premiered on 21 September 2009.

The jury wishes to thank all artists who submitted their ideas to the project.

On behalf of the jury
Timo Soppela
Director of Artists' Association MUU, secretary of the jury

The jury, consisting of representatives of MUU and Siemenpuu:
Heidi Leino, member of the Board of Directors of Siemenpuu Foundation
Kirsi Chavda, project coordinator
and members of the exhibition team of MUU:
Sirpa Jokinen
Varpu Lukka
Hannele Romppanen
Kristian Simolin
Timo Soppela, Director of MUU, secretary of the jury

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27.2.2009

Open Call for Artists’ Association MUU member artists!

- Ideas are sought for an artwork commissioned by Siemenpuu Foundation
- Chosen Ideas will receive commission fee
- The last date (indicated by the post mark) is March 31, 2009.

The artwork may be a performance, a performative media installation, a video, a community art event, interactive media art, or environment art…

The project concept

The Siemenpuu Foundation together with the Artists’ Association MUU presents an OPEN INVITATION inviting suggestions for an artwork to be commissioned by Siemenpuu Foundation. The commissioned artwork should explore the theme of forests / woods / tree plantations.

The foundation wishes to promote awareness of questions of the global south as well as Finnish forests: who owns forests? Who has the right to use and own them? Who makes a living out of forests/woods? What activities take place in forests/woods? What is forest? How does Finland and Finns treat their woods and the forests of the Global South? How should forests or woods be treated when using Finnish taxpayers money?  What is development when talking about trees? What is the link between your toilet paper and a Brazilian landowner losing his land?

Siemenpuu Foundation uses development aid to support work of Southern NGOs for the environment. We want woods and forests of the world to be managed in accordance with requirements of local democracy by empowered local communities. Forests shall be utilised in accordance with requirements of sustainability both ecologically and socially, preserving diversity for the future generations. We are fully aware that clear cutting by industrial actors takes place far too frequently in the south as well as in Finland. Thus, centralised decision making follows in the footsteps of financial gain, and the local communities in order to make a living must move to the borderlines of cities and the diversity that used to produce prosperity and well being is replaced with ghostly rows of planted trees.

It will be presented in September of 2009, at the annual Art Fair Suomi, on and the International Day Against Monoculture Tree Plantations (September 21) preferably in a public (outdoors) space. We would like to present the artwork also elsewhere in Finland. The work should be carried out in an environmentally friendly way.

In order to apply, please give your personal information together with the suggestion to the Artists’ Association MUU by March 31, 2009. All applicants will be notified about the results in April.

The Jury will divide three suggestions each receiving a 1 500 euro compensation. The Jury may also divide to divide the sum in a different way. Furthermore, the Siemenpuu Foundation commissions one of the art works with a maximum of 5000 euro work compensation plus reasonable material expenses. The commissioned work and its performance will be announced through the normal channels used by the Artists’ Association MUU and Siemenpuu Foundation. The Siemenpuu Foundation reclaims its rights to the commissioned work.

Application time and instructions

Make your idea and suggestions for its realisation available together with your personal information to the Artists’ Association MUU Office by 5 pm of March 31, 2009. Finnish postage mark of the same day is also accepted.

The envelope should have the words ”Siemenpuu” on it.

Compile a portfolio in an A4 size folder:
- Drafts the idea (photos, drawings etc)
- A short written description of the idea, materials used, and the work process
- A description of the suggested venue or placing

Personal information should include the following:
1. Name 2. Address 3. Place of Residence 4. Nationality 5. Year of birth 6. Telephone 7. Email 8. www

CV as an attachment.

You can also email your application to muugalleria(at)muu.fi in which case the Subject of the email should mention Siemenpuu.

The attachment size should not exceed: 5 mega bites.

All suggestion should be in one single email!

The chosen artists will be contacted as soon as the applications have been dealt with. All applicants will be notified about the decision.

Purchase of the Commissioned Art works

Three works will be chosen from the applications to be given 1 500 euro fee. The jury may decide to divide the total sum of 4 500 euro as it pleases.

Siemenpuu Foundation will commission one artwork that it pays the maximum of 5 000 euro plus reasonable materials expenses.

The Jury comprises of representatives from both the Artists’ Association MUU and Siemenpuu Foundation.

About The Siemenpuu Foundation

The Siemenpuu Foundation was founded by 15 Finnish NGOs or foundations working with questions linked to the environment and development. It offers support for civil society organisations in developing countries working for ecological democracy, environmental protection and prevention of environmental threats. The financial support granted by the Foundation is channelled directly to civil society organisations and networks of organisations, NGOs, community groups and research institutes operating and based in developing countries. In addition to the environmental concerns, the supported activities aim at empowering local communities, strengthening of people’s responsibility on creating ecologically and socially sustainable practises as well as building of a strong civil society.

Siemenpuu Foundation has provided project funding since 2002. By the beginning of 2009 the Foundation had provided support to approximately 250 projects. Currently the Foundation’s support is focused on Mali, India, Indonesia and the Mekong Region, where the project funding is channelled through six cooperation programmes each working on different environmental themes. A new cooperation programme is being established in Latin America. In addition, some projects are funded in other countries based on case by case consideration. Throughout its history, the Siemenpuu Foundation has supported projects in over 50 countries. The Foundation itself receives its funding from the public development co-operation funds allocated by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

Inquiries

Siemenpuu Foundation: tel: +358-9-2722336 / Kirsi Chavda
email: info(at)siemenpuu.org
www.siemenpuu.org

Artists’ Association MUU / tel: +359-(0)9-625 972 / Timo Soppela
email: muugalleria(at)muu.fi