Image: Anni Puolakka
Nearness, 2013
performance and publication with Jenna Sutela
30 min
Nearness was a performance and publishing project in collaboration with Jenna Sutela. As a publication, inspired by ancient traditions, it was distributed orally only to those who were present to hear it. The audience was dressed in interconnected gowns and acted as human screens who were gathered around a projector campfire to hear our ephemeral essays. The texts turned the listeners into books made of flesh and the situation into a game. Afterwards, there was becoming one – through digestion – with chaga mushroom.
Created and performed by Anni Puolakka and Jenna Sutela | Costume design: K.I. Kinnunen | Video design: Ville Vainio | Graphics: Tommi Vasko | Tea in NYC: Lily Shroud | Producer in NYC: Ilari Laamanen
The performances took place in the following contexts: YOGA Center, Kutomo, Turku; Sandberg Instituut, Amsterdam; kunstenaarsinitiatief beyoncé, Amsterdam; IDEAS CITY, New Museum, New York City; Art Metropole, Toronto; Vapaan taiteen tila, University of the Arts Helsinki.
Image: Ville Vainio
Image: Ville Vainio
Image: Ilari Laamanen
Image: Anni Puolakka
Image: Ilari Laamanen