Maria Kananen

I am a dance artist originally from Kajaani, in Northern Finland, now living in Espoo. I have worked extensively in the field of dance since 2000. In addition to developing my own art since 2007, I have also been a part of the FREEcollective / VAPAAkollektiivi, a freelance dance group from Tampere. At the moment, I am particularly interested in combining song and vocal improvisation with modern dance, the bodily source of sound, and the deep physical connection between sound and movement. I also want to connect with people through my art and to take my works and their creative processes to places where dance art isn’t necessarily the most common of phenomenona. For me, art, at its very core, is involvement and discourse with feelings and sensations, and the courage to be present in your own company and in that of others. That is essentially what I strive towards in my own work as a performer and a creator of dance. I hope this approach is also conveyed in my collaborative works with other artists, irrespective of the locations and situations they are performed in.

Working at the Saari Residence offers me the opportunity to focus on developing and renewing my artistic work. For me, my two-month residency is a creative retreat; an opportunity to pause and focus on being myself and on my creative process in an environment conducive to peaceful and focused work. During the residency, my intention is to work on my solo project Hiljaisuuden lauluja ja tyhjän tilan tansseja (”songs of silence, dances of empty spaces”). I feel that solo work is a very necessary tool for developing the core identity of my artistic thought and work. Solo work means sifting through and processing the influences I’ve gained from other projects and through collaborations with other artists. It means clarifying my own perspective and my own voice.

Hiljaisuuden lauluja, tyhjän tilan tansseja solo project

The central themes of the project are presence, appreciating the moment at hand, observation, listening, intuitive solutions, acceptance, trust, play.

The project will culminate in a series of solo works involving improvised movement and sound that are designed for different spaces and situations. The visual side of the works will be created in co-operation with costume designer Maria Hämäläinen. As the project progresses, other artists from different fields of art will be visiting the workgroup. The solo project first received its concrete form in May 2013 at an event at Gallery Rajatila in Tampere and featured guest artist guitar player Tuomas Luukkonen.

During the residency, my intention is to advance my solo project and if possible, to organize improvised performances, possibly also with the other artists working or visiting the Saari Residence.