The Summer Artist 2024 is Henri Airo
During the summer, Henri Airo will carry out an art project that traces the history of the Yrittäjä-Jussi (Entrepreneur Jussi) statue (Matti Peltokangas and Aarne Hakala-Rahko, 1984) in Seinäjoki. It examines the different meanings that residents have attached to the statue at different times. The performative project consists of archival research, participatory workshops and a public event which will take place at the statue. The project draws attention to the iconic landmark on its 40th anniversary. Airo studies which human traits are worthy canonising. It invites people to reflect on the meanings of statues, celebration, and remembrance now and in the future.
Henri Airo (b. 1996, Helsinki) is an artist interested in human interaction. His research-based projects relate to different social phenomena through photographs and other lens-based mediums, text, and archival material. Alongside a subject matter, Airo’s works make visible the functioning of the mediums that we use to form and maintain social narratives. Airo completed a BA in Photography from LAB Institute of Design and Fine Arts in 2021. Alongside his personal artistic practice, Airo works as an educator and an arts worker in different projects.
At the end of the summer, the Summer Artist’s project outcomes will be presented on the Friday the 6th of September 2024 in the Itikka space of the Kunsthalle Seinäjoki in Kalevan Navetta. At the same time, there will be an exhibition opening event of Swedish artist Tove Kjellmark in Kunsthalle Seinäjoki.
About the Summer Artist Program
Each summer since 2017, City of Seinäjoki has hired a visual artist or visual art student to work as the Summer Artist. The Summer Artist, “Kesäkuvataiteilija” in Finnish, works for two months with their own independent artistic project. The idea is to create something that is visible to the local community or has participatory elements. The Summer Artist works at the Kunsthalle Seinäjoki and has the resources and support of the team and the Cultural Services of Seinäjoki. The theme of the project is different each year but there is always a strong emphasis on participatory work-methods and public art.
Previous Summer Artists:
Baran Caginli 2024
Olivia Viitakangas 2022
Riikka Gröndahl 2021
Sofi Häkkinen 2020
Aeon Lux 2019
Eetu Kevarinmäki 2018
Julia Kukkonen 2017
Follow the project and artist:
Follow the Summer Artist in social media channels on Facebook and Instagram during the summer. On the channel you can also access projects realized by Summer Artists from previous years. In addition, Kunsthalle Seinäjoki and City of Seinäjoki will share news about the Summer Artist in their own social media channels.
Summer Artist: https://www.seinajoentaidehalli.fi/en/projects/
Website: https://henriairo.com
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