Pessi Parviainen - Kone Foundation

I am working on my doctoral dissertation at The Performing Arts Research Centre, TUTKE, at Theatre Academy Helsinki. I have been able to fully concentrate on my work thanks to a research grant from Kone Foundation.

During my time at the Saari Residence, I will continue the written portion of my dissertation in which I examine the contradictions between the concepts of sound and music, and reflect on how this issue affects ”interdisciplinary” entities. Central themes include the relationships between the arts and an artwork in its entirety, albeit my approach stems specifically from my inspection of the conflict between sound and music.

The artistic portion of my dissertation is a film essay about the Töölö Bay area (Töölönlahti) in Helsinki. The area is a juicy metaphor for the impossibility of following through on an overall design: even the Pro Finland plan by the renowned Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto was only partially realized. The bay area has been formed little by little. The documentary doesn’t take issue with the politics of city planning but tries rather to express how the area is like an orchestra that hasn’t been able to truly play the symphonies composed for it, perhaps due to their impossibility. Despite its fragmented nature, the Töölö Bay area is an extraordinarily intriguing mixture of details and historical layers.

During my time at the Saari Residence, I will also be working on the script for the film. Both written assignments go hand in hand and my goal is to maintain a mutually beneficial connection between the two.