väliin / in between
2013
Helsinki, Finland
In this environmental art project, I start my journey by carrying the chair to the bay around Toukolan Rantapuisto. On my way to Vuosaari metro station, I took this photo as I was placing the chair in the park. It was a bit cold since the sun was not rising high at the time and the fog was still settling upon the grass. Surrounded by the grass and mist, a sense of being protected by nature soothes me. I took a portrait of the chair, and somehow I realized more about myself, about why I am here and how I perceive myself between nature and human beings, the outer world and the inner voice, and the last journey and the next. There is a subtle slit in between these life experiences, by doing this piece I welcome people to extend and slow down these moments.
The chair was a symbolic sign for me. It served as a bridge to connect me to the world and the core of my being. The notion of putting the chair in the lake was to have people take something out of themselves, whether it be physical or psychological, to walk and sit on at that moment, which we were once familiar with but somehow forgotten. This was a piece welcoming people to have a seat and a rest after “traveling” for a while, and so the next journey begins.
The chair in the project was not only an object that related to my life in Helsinki, but also a connection to myself and nature. It is a medium that welcomes audiences to join in and experience nature. Nature has her own characteristics and resources, and I wish to use any possible materials to connect us people with her.