Tromsø

March 20 – 27, 2009

Winter art by Timo Jokela, Maria Huhmarniemi and students from the University of Lapland and Tromsø Art Academy.
In the place-specific snow installation artists discuss the space and experience between nature and urban environment in the urban park.

Place-specific art, as a definition, depicts the artists’ endeavour to use the actual site as an intrinsic part of the material and expressive content of his/her works of art. Environmental artists share an interest in truly experiencing a place. Although the sites of the works are traditionally considered as part of nature, they are also part of the human experiential world that is phenomenally and culturally constructed. In the arctic city the snow installations are also public art reflecting the line between nature and build environment.

The production of environmental art starts with the multi-sensorial observation of a place. To become familiar with the place, one spends time there, looking around, listening, experiencing it. Completed environmental works of art also often touch many sensory areas. In a manner, they force the observer to become active; they encourage participation and being present. Even very small environmental works of art, or their documentation, make for new ways of perceiving the environment with the senses intensified. Sometimes, there is a conscious effort to direct and focus the viewer’s observations on a specific object.

The workshop has two methods. We build snow installation to the park of Tromsø Kunstforening and create comments to urban planning, architecture and landscape in Tromsø trough small scale snow works.

Photo: Timo Jokela

Photo: Maria Huhmarniemi

Photo: Marjo Pernu

Photo: Siiri Raisanen