interviews

Here are some direct quotes (translated into english) from the interviews I conducted during the first stage of the exhibition

Louis Ballestros

Swimming pools in the future when the sea level has dropped - the Baltic sea level drops by 1 cm per year, owners of islands having to pay for the additional land they gain as a result.
Elks organise a dinner in the night
Chimneys become trees, nature takes over industry, people clamber up industrial structures as though they were trees, to collect provisions - fruits etc. a transformation of nature
Revenge of animals against humankind
In the future, once the earth has been evacuated - a boat leaves earth and is surrounded by material other than water
Bottles exchange their secrets
Sofas are placed together, peoples desire to be alone

Unemployment Group

Reminds one of the story of Lalli...a bishop comes to Finland to preach and is invited to Lalli's wife's house for dinner when Lalli is not present. On return home Lalli, thinking this is the lover of the wife, kills the bishop by embedding an axe in his head
Those who have bad standards of living only receive slices of life with a cheese slice. People with more money can wear fur. People are doing badly, rowing as fast as they can but never reach the beach. Alcohol is more and more popular and only a few can handle it. Even the big bad wolf will get us all, however much we fight against it!
I celebrated my wedding at the water tower - it felt a little like a science fiction film.
I used to cry from the smoke of the fire as a child while my grandmother would sit in her rocking chair singing old songs.
A tall building surrounded by wood would be safe from a UFO invasion, people who are inside would not be confronted with the events from outside.
Its safe here, it hasn't exploded yet...
Swimming in the Eurajoki river, I saved a friend from drowning. When we got out of the water we were covered in leeches.
Dreams of snakes predict a bad occurance the next day.
Finland has to cut down its wolf population.
Its easier for me to relate to colour than black and white. There are a lot of suicidal dark ideas. I myself am a positive person and try to get away from the dark side of life. However, maybe life is dark.
When I played guitar and harmonica, the sounds that came out were always different from those which I wanted them to be.
In my dream, I discover a small yellow bucket sitting in my backyard. Its full of swans and its beautiful.
With my son, we were in our summer cottage by the sea. We hit a rock in the boat and the motor broke. At the same time, a storm appeared. I'd never rowed before and my son was very scared. I forced myself to do it and finally got back to safety on the shore.

Bank Group

In old Rauma there are usually two dogs in the window. 100 years ago many men were working at sea. When the wife of the sailor was away she would turn the dog to look out so that others would know she was alone.

School Group

Every picture reminds me of death and killing. We don't know what is going to become of us.
The cheese slice is the remnant of the past and at the same time a symbol of modernity.
Those who dig holes fall into them themselves.
The swimming pool is a very familiar place but its too embarrassing to tell stories about it.
When the youngsters get drunk, they think they are being confronted by UFOs. But we don't believe aliens would come to this place. Its too boring.
I saw a souvenier in the airport - it was a ball inside a ball.
Once upon a time, an old lady (formerly playmate of the magazine playboy) is kidnapped by a group working for Hugh Hefner. He wants to retrieve the last issue that she was in as he doesn't have any more copies.
I met some young guys who were trying to convince me they were in the war. They were just colourful stories, of course they were too young to have done that.

Pori Art Academy

I grew up in the suburbs, it was very depressing and grey. We lived beside a retirement home. Old people were yelling threats and swearing at us over the bushes. They also accused us of stealing flowers.
Everytime a bird flies inside the house, one member of your immediate family will die.
One summer two boys broke into our summer cottage. They stole from us and from the cottages around. I felt sorry for them but I also felt a real invasion of privacy. The cottage usually symbolises safety and warmth but it didn't at this time.
Finnish people are very serious about life, eg. excercise.
The sauna is the only relaxing place. The outside world and its pressures is frustrating and scary. There is a jealousy, no real co-operation between people.
Slow life is better.
The artist is trying to change the beliefs of people but there are as many opinions as there are people. These opinions clash and cause a chaos within society. Presenting pictures of the situations may open peoples eyes but then loop back again as one tries to change the other.

Lonnstrom Museum Group

We never wore hats. We were tough.
Reminds of a newspaper story: A cat climbed a tree and wouldn't come down again. The firemen came, wanted to cut down the tree. The neighbours tried to stop them as they thought the cat would fall down and die along with the tree. The tree was cut, the cat jumped off. One living cat, one dead tree.
I was passing by some water where there was a bottle floating. I imagined there was a message inside. After a while of futile waiting for the bottle to reach shore I undressed and swam to get the bottle, utterly convinced there was something inside. Of course there was nothing.
St Francis tells us that birds are a symbol of purity and freedom and are as important as human beings.