ART CENTER AHJO, HEHKU ROOM: ANNE SIIRTOLA

THE BIRTCH SAINT AND THE JOY OF ALL SORROWFULS
ANNE SIIRTOLA
24.01.-11.02.2024, HEHKU -SPACE

The connection with nature has always been present in my work. "The Birtch Saint and the Joy of All Sorrowfuls" exhibition works remind me of the feeling of merging with nature experienced in childhood, when you forgot about the miniature world of the mossy trees and sedges of the nearby forest, which also included the entire forest population. The feeling is certainly familiar to many, because nature is natural to a child. A place of enchantment, exploration and comfort.

I combine textiles, yarn, natural materials and found objects in my works. The materials I use are recycled, such as old clothes and textiles, some of which are related to my own personal history. Many of the materials are found on the roads and picked from the forest. Inspired by the traces of change, passage of time and decay - processes that take place in the human mind and body, as well as in matter and the surrounding nature. The use of recycled material is central to me. I believe in the importance of our own actions and choices as we live in the midst of an ecological crisis.

The miniature landscapes displayed in the exhibition are metaphors for life-long searching, longing and traveling. Perhaps we are traveling back to childhood and to experientiality that crosses the borders of the senses. Markings/Rukousnauha work started from the patched and holey socks of my late biological mother. I wanted to continue the weaving I had started and feel that I am part of the chain of my ancestors. The "pearls" of the work are diary-like entries, in which inner movements of the mind and observations, related to e.g. to the cycle of the year.

In my works, I depict the border between the visible and the invisible world and look for a form for that which does not open up to our senses. In my works, the mythical imagery is combined with the elements of nature, to which I want to make visible the human-faced soul to remind us that we are an inseparable part of a larger whole.

My works contain references to the experiences and imagery of Saints from different eras, cultures and religions, such as old sacrificial groves, archaic sculptures and icons. The central reflection behind my works is human nature and its manifestation in the world. Man's power and responsibility for his own actions in relation to each other, other organisms and creation.

Anne Siirtola (b. 1967 Kitee, lives in Karkkila) graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in 1992. Siirtola's works have been exhibited in numerous exhibitions in Finland and abroad. His works include e.g. Museum of Contemporary Art in the collections of Kiasma, HAM Helsinki Art Museum, State and Kajaani Art Museum.

Anne Siirtola
0505337367
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https://www.instagram.com/annekaarina_siirtola/
www.annesiirtola.net