I’ve had month-long artist residencies four times in the last seven years, each in a different country. I wasn't sure in the era of Covid that we’d actually get here (my wife, a journalist, joined me for the first ten days here.) Artists love travel and encountering new landscapes, meeting other artists, and discussing new ideas. Genius does not spring forth sui generis.
For me, a month like this offers time, not just to produce new work, but to adjust and refine the focus of my work and my working process. I'm primarily a traditional representational landscape oil painter. But it’s not convenient traveling with wet oil paintings on transatlantic flights so I work smaller, in watercolor, during a European residency. When a new watercolor excites my interest I’ll almost certainly develop the idea in my studio back in New York into a larger oil when I return home. One such example is shown here, a little beach maintained by Renja’s neighbor and made available to AARK artists. Perhaps here i should add that the Renja Lieno, artist and residency director together with the residency co-founder, her husband Bennku, seem to be doing everything in their power to make my stay here as stimulating and productive as possible. I’m planning the larger oil to be approximately 36 x 24 inches back in New York. This watercolor is a mere 16 x 12 inches.
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
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
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!
Our yard is by the Sea Route.
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.
Sea Studio 2nd floor has 2 bedrooms and live/ work space.
This former ferry staff family house has 6 apartments, for AARK there is 4.
Coffee & sometimes ship passing
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.
Korpo island forest
AARK by Lithuanian artist duo Odysseus Atlas. May 2019
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.
Sea Way in front of the residency, Nauvo island opposite side where the connection ship leaves for outer archipelago towards Nötö, Aspo, Jurmo and Utö.
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.
Midsummer night
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.
By the house
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 1st 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.
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.
Ferry between Korpo and Nagu
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.
Thousands of islands
AARK is supported by
Korpo Sparbanksstiftelse
A travel and liability insurance is obligatory.
Happy New Year 2020!
Welcome to Korpo and AARK 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!
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]
