Teea Saanio

During my residency, I will be reflecting on light. In particular, I would like to find some kind of a connection to cosmic light, which is so essential to life on our planet, but which has long played a far too small role in both my everyday life and my artistic work. I believe that the Saari Residence, far from the light pollution of the city, will provide a favourable environment for contemplating and observing cosmic light, the sun and stars.

At the residence, I will do my best to stop and reflect on light and my own art practice. I often feel like I need to know where I’m going and have no time to waver between one thought and another – even though there is a lot of exciting stuff going on in such interfaces and intermediate states. During my residency, I want to let go of the rush and hurry, and develop my ability to stop and waver. The residency period itself is a kind of intermediate state, and I’m looking forward to seeing what kinds of thoughts and ideas it will inspire in me and what kinds of discussions we residents will have.

My work at the residence will include at least photography, writing and sculpture. My intention is to work as much as possible without computer technology to ensure that I keep my physical attention on cosmic light. I have also brought some literature with me that is full of themes related to electric light and digital technology. Perhaps even these topics will unfold in a different way while working at the Saari Residence than they do in an urban environment, illuminated by various screens, which is where I usually live and work.

Teea Saanio (born 1994) lives and works in Helsinki. Saanio holds a Master of Arts degree from Aalto University and works with photography, collage, sculpture and objects found, among other things. It is important for Saanio to keep the starting points of the materials she uses in her works close to her everyday life, as she is interested in the interfaces between herself and the world, as well as questions regarding our existence and perception.