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

Darling Sea_installation
Renja Leino - Darling Sea

Varsinais-Suomen taidetoimikunta palkitsi taiteilija Renja Leinon hänen kokonaisvaltaisesta omistautumisestaan ja pitkäjänteisestä toiminnastaan taiteilijana. Palkinnon suuruus on 10 000 euroa.

Renja Leinon ammatillinen ura on yhdistelmä taiteilijan, opettajan ja taidealan taustavaikuttajan työtä. Taiteilijana Leinon uralla on ollut tärkeää ihmisen ja luonnon välinen suhde, jossa näkyvät erityisesti saaristoluonnon ja meren tilaan liittyvät muutokset. Saaristoon kytkeytyy myös Leinon vuonna 2015 perustama taiteilijaresidenssi AARK Korppoossa. AARK on saavuttanut nopeasti kansainvälistä kiinnostusta ja siitä on tullut taiteilijoiden uusi tukikohta Turunmaan saaristossa.

Renja Leinolla on ollut myös keskeinen merkitys siinä, miten Turun ammattikorkeakoulun Taideakatemia on saavuttanut asemansa keskeisenä valokuvataiteen kouluttajana Suomessa. Leino aloitti valokuvataiteen lehtorina vuonna 1998. Hänet tunnetaan sitoutuneena, helposti innostuvana ja tunteensa peliin laittavana opettajana.

Palkinnollaan Varsinais-Suomen taidetoimikunta haluaa nostaa esiin pitkän uran tehneen taiteilijan ja valokuvataiteen keskeisen valtakunnallisen vaikuttajan. Taidepalkinnon kunniaksi Renja Leinon mediateoksia on nähtävillä Turun kaupunginteatterin mediaseinällä 25.–28.11. Esillä on mm. Darling Sea, joka valmistui alun perin Leinon 30-vuotisjuhlanäyttelyyn WAM-museoon vuonna 2018.

Renja Leino on valmistunut valokuvataiteilijaksi Tukholman Konstfackista vuonna 1990. Ensimmäiset yksityisnäyttelynsä hän järjesti 1980-luvun lopulla Ruotsissa ja 1990-luvun alussa valokuvataiteeseen erikoistuneissa Hippolyte Galleriassa ja Laterna Magicassa.

Varsinais-Suomen taidetoimikunta on Taiteen edistämiskeskuksen asiantuntijaelin, joka päättää alueensa apurahoista ja taidepalkinnoista. Taidepalkinto jaetaan vuosittain alueen ansioituneelle taiteilijalle, taiteenalalla toimivalle yhdistykselle tai muulle yhteisölle. Palkinto on tunnustus kuluvan vuoden ansiokkaasta ja merkittävästä työstä. Se voidaan myöntää myös pitkäaikaisesta ja ansiokkaasta elämäntyöstä tai toiminnasta.

With no specific goals in mind, I decided to spend my two weeks in solitary, as a sort of mix of holiday and retreat

What a strange year this has been. I was supposed to stay at AARK in March 2020 for two weeks but the pandemic changed those plans. My original idea was to get to know the sea a little better. I was painting a series of works for my exhibition called Loveboat. When I finally got to AARK in August, those paintings were already done.

With no specific goals in mind, I decided to spend my two weeks in solitary, as a sort of mix of holiday and retreat:  walking, looking at the sea, reading and sketching. After the first day I was feeling so lonely and so bored! And then I ran into Molly and her family in the hallway, and she invited me to dinner. We became friends straight away. Then Hanna-Leena and Jyrki arrived also, and suddenly the house was full of life. I still continued my routines and spent a lot of time alone, but I wasn’t lonely anymore.

To be honest, I really don’t like drawing but when I was staying at AARK, my favorite routines involved my sketchbook (that I normally don’t use ever). Every morning I would look out from my kitchen window and paint with watercolors what I saw. All the trees, the rocks on the parking lot, the pinecones…It was some sort of mindfulness practice for me. And then I would go outside by the sea and continue painting and drawing. There were so many amazing colors and shapes to be found! I really fell in love with the sea and the nature which felt familiar and strange at the same time. I loved the silence and all the animals I saw. I even loved that tiny snake that swam at the shore. I had never seen one before and was a bit scared of them before coming to AARK.

Spending time alone but also talking with other artists opened up new ways of seeing and thinking, even being. Thank you AARK and all the wonderful people!

When Renja invited us back in November for a week, Molly and I were so happy! I finally met Benkku and also Gill, who was staying there at the time. It was raining almost constantly, so we stayed indoors a lot. Since we rented a car, I was able to bring a lot of art supply with me. I was planning on mostly reading, knitting and eating but ended up working quite a lot, too. I started some tiny paintings that I finished later at my studio. I also did some linocut prints.

I really enjoyed seeing Korpo in different times of the year. Each time it was peaceful and beautiful in its own way. As a painter it is hard for me to work outside my studio. But at AARK I found new space for my thoughts, which is always important for an artist. Spending time alone but also talking with other artists opened up new ways of seeing and thinking, even being. Thank you AARK and all the wonderful people!

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Many of the artist that have been in our residency during these years, are right now having important shows around the world. Here you can discover some of them.

Marco Dessardo, AARK artist 2019

The Marco Dessardo is having an exhibition in Brussels right now: Plans Anti-Dérive, Quadriennale de la Fuite. Some of the works in that exhibition were created while his residency at AARK. He was here in 2019 as a part of the Between Island project. You can read about that project in the issue N26 of Korpo Bladet.

Link to Dessardo´s webpage: http://dessardo.com/

Chris Sheridan, AARK artist 2019 coming back in 2021

Chris Sheridan was here in 2019 and have the intention to come back in the fall 2021 together with his wife and artist Kate (if the conditions allow them). Right now Chris has a solo show: Rediscovering Silence: A solo show of new paintings inspired by a recent art residency in the Finnish Archipelago.

You can read about the genesis of that show in our Work In Progress Artist Blog here.

Link to Chris Sheridan Webpage: SheridanArt

Molly Balcom Raleigh, AARK artist 2020

Molly Balcom Raleigh was here with her family in the summer 2020. She has just published a book about the Baltic sea: Baltic Sea book - Iltämerikirja. You can find more information about the book here.

Link to Molly´s webpage: mollybalcomraleigh.com

Baltic Sea book - Iltämerikirja

Lilli Haapala, AARK artist 2019 and board member.

Lilli Haapala, artist in residency in 2019 and AARK board member is having an exhibition in Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova until the 8.11.2020: Blues

You can find more information about the exhibition in the museum´s webpage here

"The newest installation from artist Lilli Haapala, titled Blues, is part of her multiyear project where she examines the concept of utopia from different viewpoints. Haapala is fascinated with the birth process of dreams, and the relationship between impressions and reality".

Link to Lilli´s webpage: www.lillihaapala.com

DL 25.1.2019

Focus on your own artistic practice in the middle of the unique Archipelago Nature!

We are looking for art professionals from all disciplines for whom the surrounding Archipelago Nature, island life, the seaside and the forest could be an interesting area to contemplate, to research or a theme to work on. We encourage a dialog inside the residency and a dialog with local people and the environment.

You can apply a space for 1-3 months. We might even accept shorter visits for 2 weeks depending on timing. We offer you time to think and time to focus on your own artistic practice, to develop a new idea – or to continue on a work in progress. There is a small forest area by the residency even for site specific works.

AARK is located right by the ferry shore, you can follow the Sea Way from windows and from the yard. Our special area is the unique archipelago with thousands of islands, forest and Archipelago National Park, fresh air and clear sky. Darkness and silence in the winter… light summer nights, rich bird life.

However, this idyllic setting also has some heavy issues: we are concerned of the state of our Archipelago Sea. There is less fish than ever before, population is decreasing and services are being cut. Against all odds we want to keep our island and archipelago alive all year round. Welcome!

In Korpo and Nauvo islands there are good grocery stores, cafes and bakery and several summer restaurants. We have a great group of people and professional artists living in nearby who cooperate and with whom we have informal meetings, dinners etc. Actually, every artist who comes to the island forms how the residency is developing.

We believe that artists in a new environment see things in a different light and can possibly find new aspects on our everyday environment. We welcome a discussion. We encourage a dialog inside the residency AARK and a dialog with local people and the environment. We live on an island so some independence needed. The ferry and the bus goes in front of the house. We have bikes and a car for shorter trips. Even some small boat trips summertime might be possible. Connection ship towards outer archipelago goes opposite side of the sea. Easy and free of charge.

Open Studio can be arranged or other public presentations. We have a small forest area by the residency for Site Specific work.

Application: [email protected] 

Artist, cofounder & director Renja Leino is answering your emails. Add following:

SPACE:

AARK has 4 Studio Apartments all with wireless internet and kitchens/ wc//shower. Easily suitable for individual working or a duo or a group. All equipped for normal living. You just take with you your tools. We have some tripods, projector, bicycles, a small car. Sauna in the house.

Sea Studio apartment 2nd floor is 72m2 with 2 separate bedrooms, shared kitchen and living room/studio, wooden floor. Suitable for 2 artists to share or a family. Sea view.

Single Studio aery space, kitchen shower/wc. Its airy 54m2 with wooden floor that is perfect for a more private studio bedroom and living space 3rd floor. Windows to North sea view and West.

Retro Studio 54m2 with separate bedroom, studio-living room, kitchen, wc/shower. View south, west on the yard.

Garden Studio & terrace is mostly used for our artist meetings, Open Studios. Can be shared with 1-2 artist / in 1 bedroom.

30m2 ruff Studio space for whatever use in the basement, warm but no window. Nice to work in summertime with open doors, even used for artist meetings, open studios gallery.

FEE paid by the artist:

490€ /month / person paid by the artist in the shared apartment.

590€ Single Studio for 1 + 200€ if a duo.

540€ Retro Studio for 1 + 200€ if a duo

Artist families are welcome!

Children are welcome.

Visitors only by agreement and only short visits. Fee.

AARK is supported by

Korpo Sparbanksstiftelse

A travel and liability insurance is obligatory.

Happy New Year 2020!

Applications any time: info (at) aark.fi 

Residency is for all professional artists in all contemporary practices, art related professions, researchers - even in marine biology. 

Add your CV / Bio and www and a short motivation letter. Timetable, when do you wish to come. 1-3 months, even 2 weeks residency might be possible depending on timing. 

Candy Chang & James A Reeves

http://candychang.com/ http://ritualfields.com/US

In January we organize Open Studio welcome to meet them!

Its  +-0 C. Fresh winds. You can apply any time -  contact [email protected]

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