Here’s a work in progress photo of a painting that started my new artistic production called “They come in peace”.

It took a while to organize my life so that I can step outside of my everyday life in Helsinki and finally answer to the invitation that I had for AARK residency. I didn’t know how much I needed a break from everything until I arrived at AARK.

I arrived at AARK 10th of December when the evening was already getting dark. I was planning to stay there for two weeks and my mind was full of thoughts, expectations and ideas how I will spend the two weeks. I even had a 'to-do-list' for my stay in AARK. Quite soon I realized that I have to let go of all the lists and the thoughts of productivity and stop. I didn't come here to hurry, I came here to be.

I wanted to see the starry sky and the moon. I wanted to be in silence, escape all the hurry, be present and contemplate. I wanted to escape the city lights and experience the darkness as it is in Finland in December, the darkest month of the year. And that I indeed did.

I was having a late lunch one afternoon and suddenly I saw a glimpse of something pink outside: it was the moon! I got up and ran outside to see it. I tried to take a photo of the moon and capture that disappearing moment when it was rising to the early night sky. The moon was so beautiful, it was pink and orange and huge.
Disco Ball in the entrance to the residency
Every night there was a disco greeting me at the front door.
Sunrise over the sea from the residency window
“One morning I saw an amazing light phenomena caused by the sea fog and the sun. Suddenly it looked like I was in a film set because the light was so unreal. Again, I had to run outside and look at this passing moment.”

I watched the darkening evenings and the sea and listened to silence around me. I sat quiet and let my mind wonder. I was surprised how many hidden emotions I had in my body that came to the surface when I finally had the time to let them out. The two weeks I spent in AARK became such an important, inspirational and therapeutic break from my everyday life. Although I soon abandoned my ‘to-do-lists’ when I got there, I still was able to create and finally start my new artistic production called “They come in peace”. I even had a small breakthrough with my style and new painting technique.

When I was sitting in the bus and heading back to Helsinki I felt rested and my mind was full of new ideas. And I knew I would come back to AARK.

*All photos by the Author

AARK warmly welcomes artists collective RUBUZAK by Appe Leppänen and Salla Sillgren for 1 month artist residency at AARK. They both graduated from TUAS Arts Academy Fine Arts in May 2020.
This residency grant is supported by Sparbanksstiftelsen i Korpo, thank you!

Vi tackar varm Sparbanksstiftelsen i Korpo för allt stöd!

Here they are on Korpo island! Visual artists, painters, drawings, photography, sound - often working with with mixed media and installations. Giuliana Grippo from Buenos Aires, Rochyne Delaney McNulty from GB for 2 months, Chris Sheridan from Seattle, US for 2 months, and Sabeen Omar from Sri Lanka.

Wepbage created by Ubuntu Productions (Korpo)
Most of the pictures by Renja Leino  |  Drone and pictures of the studios by Ubuntu Productions (Korpo)