Traditionally, the graduating class of the Fine Arts degree holds a group exhibition to showcase their thesis works. It’s a way for students to come together once more and mark the end of their studies. This year, seven soon-to-be graduates hopes to rekindle the fire of inspiration in their exhibition Embers.
Embers – Fine Art Degree Show
Galleria Himmelblau has held many TAMK Fine Arts degree shows in the past and has featured many TAMK alumni. The exhibition Embers consists of a variety of works of different mediums and themes coming together under the idea of rebirth.
When a fire is dying down, it leaves behind small, glowing coals. Embers are a metaphor for things that are coming to an end, while still retaining the potential of setting something new ablaze. They are allegorical to the memories, stories, dreams, and feelings present within the art of this exhibition – and to the possibility of setting alight matters that have been extinguished.
The inspiration
The future alumni have gathered to discuss complex topics each displaying their own experiences via a multitude of mediums.
Jonathan Carey explores the relationship between human consciousness and spirituality: “I like to go to the edge of my own understanding and see what I find there.”
Natalija Sari Djakovic is chasing the intangible world of emotional experiences. “The characters in my book are in some ways parts of me and my world. Although, by creating a semi-fictional world I also aim to reach what is collective and what is shared among people.”
“I began by working with a story from family history, continued by writing about my own memories of the same theme, and finally collected thoughts from other people online,” comments Janna Lindfors who has centered her work around fear, life, death, and the human mind.
An interest in growing closer to aging family members inspired Anniina Nummela to collaborate with each of her grandparents, to create representations of their fondest childhood memories. “It is an effort to form new connections by documenting facets of my grandparents’ personalities and memories. The fundamental aim is to learn about their lives and create art from and with them.”
Isabella Presnal is investigating women in the video and film industries and the inequality they face. “I have been researching women’s involvement in the film industry for half a decade and I decided that my first documentary should be about this.”
Elizabeth van Schaik focuses on historical heritage in relation to the question of women’s rights and equality, performing traditionally solo men’s dances like sirtaki and zeibekiko.
Seyoon Yoon, inspired by the Korean word describing a Utopia: 무릉도원, translated it means a beautiful paradise that has a lot of peach trees and nature. “I want to describe love: it is self-isolating, bringing us to our own utopia that we build ourselves. Everybody has their own fantasies and wills for one’s romance and usually tries to make them happen.”
Reflecting on our time at TAMK
During our studies, we’ve created art and partied, collaborated on various projects, went on exchange abroad, we even spent half our studies in virtual classrooms. Most of all we’ve learned!
“During my studies in TAMK I have had the opportunity to try several interesting mediums and discover my own technique,” says Janna Lindfors.
“I had the freedom to create anything and candidly experiment and toy with other fields. I became liberated,” Elizabeth van Schaik confesses.
Our studies have taught us valuable technical, theoretical, and entrepreneurial skills and how to structure independent works into larger wholes, making us more competent artists.
“I worked on my core skills while also picking up a lot of new skills,” says Natalija Sari Dakovic.
Embers is the culmination of our studies at TAMK and the final stage before our post-graduation lives – and as the fire of this chapter fades, a warm glow remains, ready to light a new flame. We hope you can join us to celebrate the end of a chapter.
The exhibition Embers will be open until 3 April 2022 at Galleria Himmelblau.
Free admission, family-friendly, wheelchair accessible.
Instagram: @TAMKFineArtDegreeShow
Website: https://tamkfineart.wixsite.com/embers
Galleria Himmelblau, Finlaysoninkuja 9 3B Tampere
Text: Isabella Presnal
Photographs: Yu-Hsuan Yao
