Naapurihmasto (Neighborizome) is a collective established by visual artist Heini Aho, performance artist Eero Yli-Vakkuri and me. We started to work together in 2017 as we got invited to work as residency artists for Kone Foundation’s new manor in Lauttasaari, while the building was still under construction. The aim of our work was to think and try how humans affect the things around us and how they on their behalf have an influence on us. Coexistence was one of the core concepts in our community based participatory working process.
During our intensive work period in Lauttasaari, Helsinki from August 2017 to June 2018 we explored the area by walking around the island and by visiting local homes, asking for advice, talking about neighborhood, thinking the ways to create mutual understanding and peace between neighbors and by listening to many gossips and local stories.
We organized public discussions under the titles Sopua eloon sienten avulla (harmony to life with the help of mushrooms), Lahoaminen ja Unohtaminen (decay and forgetting) ja Unet ja muut yhteiset tilat (dreams and other shared spaces), where we invited local experts to discuss with us about different, maybe bit unexpected perspectives to neighborhood.
Our work in Lauttasaari finished at the Opening party of Lauttasaari Manor, where we presented our solo works and performances based on observations and thematics that had emerged during our work process. See more about my group performance with carpets
Additionally Naapurihmasto was part of the Talks Program of IHME Helsinki (150 Minutes of Public Art).