Minna Heikinaho

My artistic research and work methods are related to the tradition of community arts studies. I am interested in how physical presence changes instances of interaction. Through my art work, I inspect changes in the semantic relationships related to man’s place and position in a global urban environment.

I had the pleasure of visiting the Saari Residence for the second time already and am very grateful for the opportunity to concentrate on my artistic research.

The production portion of my artistic research is comprised of series of three exhibitions and three performances. I call these entities triptych and trilogy (triptyykki and trilogia). Triptych refers to the subtext of visual art and trilogy respectively to that of performance art. The series of three separate exhibitions, Saa sanoa, Sanonko? Saatan sanoa (You Can Say, Should I Say? I May Say), as well as Ruumiillisia harjoitteita, kohtaamisia kaupunkitilassa (Physical Practice, Encounters in an Urban Space), form two opposites within the contrast of an intimate gallery space and a lively, public urban space. I ask how physical presence can be placed in a material position, as part of the art work – and what happens as the picture changes.

During my stay here at the Saari Residence, I will write two collections of essays related to the theoretical aspect of my artistic research. They deal with the happening change between the living (physical) and the performing (non living) situation (picture).