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 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.

• Matilda

*All photos by the Author

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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.

ENG

The sea does not surrender as object. I spent a week in Korpo, AARK residence. The sea has been my artistic research subject. The sea invites you to the beach and to the very border, where the water and the stones gently rub against each other. The sea is by no means a distant friend. Last summer, the sea ate my phone, with lead my to retreat the social media for some time. Apparently, the sea has not changed its ways. Once again the sea took his son in close embrace and gave me a wet kiss.

FIN

Meri ei antaudu objektiksi. Olen viettänyt viikon Korppoossa, Aark-residenssissä. Täällä on mahtava energia! Meri on ollut tutkimuskohteenani. Meri kutsuu rannalle ja ihan siihen rajalle, jossa vesi ja kivet hankaavat toisiaan. Meri ei ole mitenkään etäinen ystävä. Viime kesänä meri söi minulta puhelimen, jonka myötä päädyin jatkamaan taiteellista työskentelyäni JA some-paastoa. Meri ei ole muuttanut tapojaan. Jälleen meri otti poikansa läheiseen märkään syleilyyn. Kiitos Renja ja Benkku vieraanvaraisuudesta, ja kutsusta käyttämään tätä tilaa.

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!

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DL 25.1.2019

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Application: [email protected] 

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

• A brief, freely formulated working idea / motivation letter, why you want to come to Korpo.
• Your WWW  (or Low Res PDF of recent works, exhibitions views)
• CV /BIO  (incl. nationality, year of birth, gender,  home address)
• TIMETABLE: add clearly when do you wish to come. We work on a full calendar month 1^st to last day of the month. We prefer longer stays but even 2 weeks are possible depending on timing. You can arrive any suitable day we agree in beforehand.

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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 2^nd 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 3^rd 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.

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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.

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AARK is supported by

Korpo Sparbanksstiftelse

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A travel and liability insurance is obligatory.

Happy New Year 2020!

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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. 

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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.

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