Talvi (Finland)
Background – how to survive of Finnish winter?
“I noticed some years ago that every winter at the same time when temperature started to decrease my moods were also getting low. First I didn’t realize that it was the darkness and coldness. I thought that I had so many things to do in studies and work that I was just too loaded for that reason.
But then when I traveled to warm and sunny places like Bali, Maui and Phi Phi Islands during winter period, I saw that it was all about the Sun and Warmth. I understood that it wasn’t the stress of everyday routines that had been keeping me down. What I had been missing was the sunshine and warm temperature that soothes your mind and body.
For some time I though that this was only my problem. That only I was a strange person in northern country who couldn’t handle long and dark winter so well. That only I was suffering from lack of sun. Maybe people have started to talk about this kind of things more open lately, or maybe more people have found out this same thing little by little. Because now I know many more people who think just the same way as I do. They find winter also hard to take. And the reason is always the same – darkness and coldness.
I wanted to do something to this puzzle. I live now in Finland and it would be better if I could manage Finnish winter, or maybe even start to like it. So I began an adventure for discovering beautiful and joyful things in Finnish winter.”
*jen Helsinki, autumn 2003
Talvi – beauty and joy of the winter
Talvi (engl. winter) is tribute to Finnish winter in a form of live audiovisual performance. Serene and gentle down tempo sounds of DJ Orkidea and visuals of VJ *jen are mixed live in performance space like modern chamber music.
The basis of the performance are videos that VJ *jen filmed during winter 2004. Videos are shoot in surroundings of Helsinki with DV-camera. Footages contain scenes from almost abstract landscape floating to playful winter fun of little children. DJ Orkidea has produced music that reflects these videos. Music starts with blissful, dark ambient soundscapes slowly fading and morphing to soft down tempo rhythms. Music is as melancholic as Finnish winter time; people know that there are better things and times awaiting after the dark and long winter.
Talvi starts from darkness and gloominess just like the adventure of discovering valuable things in winter. Quite soon beautiful things are found in nature. Frosted trees and club-rushes in the middle of snow show how winter decorates our landscape. People find ways to enjoy winter by having picnic on ice, skiing, skating and with sleds at hills. In the end spectator notices that finally the bright side of winter is found.
Sparkling thanks to
Katja Turunen, Anttu Harlin, Mirva Kylmämaa, Osmo Puuperä and Sebastian Valanko, Elsa, Topi and Tatu Pohjola, Hans-Herman Koschke, UrbanTV, Kontupiste and All the people in Paloheinä at Shrovetide
www.amfibio.org/jen
www.djorkidea.com