Speed of Darkness

Light and Space

A year ago the Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova Museum invited six recently graduated visual artists from Finland, Estonia and Latvia to participate in the projects Speed of Darkness. The exhibition project focuses on the art of Light and Space and the Speed of Darkness opens in February 2012 as Ars Nova's first exhibition of the year.

The theme of the exhibition is light. It is one of the most crucial elements in visual arts. It can be seen in the different hues of paintings and drawings, it can bring out the shapes in sculptural art or be an essential part of the process in making video art and photography. It can also be used as material in installations, as natural daylight or artificial light. Each one of the invited artists has created an installation using the museum space as a starting point. They have been free to select the suitable content as well as the working methods and each one has had the opportunity to execute their individual installations in a space dedicated to their work.

The exhibition brings fourth a group of young artists who have previously shown great understanding for the use of space in visual art. During this project they have been encouraged to develop their skills through the guidance of visual artist Jaakko Niemelä and learned about the diverse possibilities of utilizing light. The participating artists are Anna Hyrkkänen (b. 1979, Finland), Paula Lehtonen (b. 1983, Finland), Karel Koplimets (b. 1986, Estonia), Kate Krolle (b. 1984, Latvia), Katrina Sauškina (b. 1985, Latvia) and Timo Toots (b. 1982, Estonia). The exhibition is curated by Jaakko Niemelä and curator Silja Lehtonen at the Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova Museum who together chose the participants. Selections were made in co-operation with curator Eha Komissarov at Kumu Art Museum in Tallin.

The Kone Foundation has offered its support to this exhibition project and made it possible to realize a Workshop at the Saari Manor in Mietoinen during the summer 2011. During the working process the museum has offered the participants to work in a group and communicate collectively. The artworks produced as a result of this Workshop will now be exhibited in the first floor of Ars Nova. The artworks examine themes like memory and fortune telling, the powers of nature, space and alternate realities, electricity and systems developed by man as well as fear produced by darkness. These newly made light installations are put on display in Finland as well as in Estonia. The exhibition Speed of Darkness will be seen here at Ars Nova during the spring and in Tallinn at Kumu Art Museum during the summer season 2012.

Exhibition curator and visual artist Jaakko Niemelä is also known for his space altering light installations. Niemelä often utilizes light to create atmospheres and uses space as an important starting point. During the two-week long Workshop the artists had a chance to learn about using light and space installations. They made experiments and planned their works for the upcoming museum exhibitions. During the autumn and winter the artists worked on their artworks in their own studios. They were also visited by Jaakko Niemelä in Tampere, Helsinki, Riga, Tarto and Tallinn to have the support of their project mentor during the process of creating their individual works. When the exhibition proceeds to Kumu, principally the same works are exhibited but in a modified way to suit a different exhibition space. In Turku the exhibition project has been co-ordinated by curator Pamela Andersson and at Kumu Art Museum the exhibition will be co-ordinated by curator Eha Koomissarov.