​The Arctic Arts Summit was a three days event in Rovaniemi just before the Silence-festival. I got to meet new inspiring artists and in Korundi we created a nice happening with cello, cyr, performance art and scenography. I designed the lighting and it all came together nicely. Second event in Valdemari was more traditional concert lighting with Solju. Powerful music with yoik and nice to follow with live lighting, travelling from heavy beats to sound of wind. Some great pictures were taken by the event photographers so I thought to share this nice nordic feeling. 

First set of pictures from Korundi with Lauri Angervo, Mika Formunen and Marita Isobel Solberg.

Second set from Valdemari with Mika Formunen, Solju: Hildá Länsman, Ulla Pirttijärvi, Teho Majamäki and Janne Puurtinen

​What a wonderful week in Kaukonen Silence-festival 2019. My installation was open from 10am to midnight and the lighting conditions were varying from thunderstorm to cloudy, clear and sunny sky. One of the thousands of a few seconds lasting light cues was when the sun went behind the clouds and the stall turned to dark dungeon. The rest of dramatic light performance was going on for 55 hours including butterflies flying against the windows. Thanks to Riikka, technical director, and Joonas, managing director, who were painting the windows with a sour milk. That's how I designed a diffused daylight to meet a haze. Aake´s music was giving a special atmosphere on 30 minutes looping track. I will edit a video with the sound in the next weeks to light up more the mood of the stall. The festival itself is a unique event. One to feel for sure! 

Busy week ahead. I have finished all the premieres in Helsinki finally and I will be focusing to the northern region projects from now on. Arctic Art Summit is the first in line. I am participating two different performances, one in Korundi art museum and the other one in restaurant Valdemar. I am collaborating with Piste Collective artists. Piste is Rovaniemi based union of artists producing contemporary circus, dance and theatre performances. Last but not least I will do the lights for a concert by Solju. Solju provides a dialogue of traditional and modern Sámi culture.

​I am very exited to be part of Hiljaisuus-festivaali. I have collaborated with musician Mikko Perkola (in Licking things 2016) who is an artistic director of the festival with a circus artist Henna Kaikula. I contacted Mikko with this idea and he welcomed me to be artist at the festival. I will be creating an installation to a really old horse stall. This work will continue my work in site specific experiments with haze (f.e. Secret Garden 2018).

Premiere
MUISTIKUVIA – RECOLLECTIONS
Artistic concept and realization: Valtteri Raekallio
Dance: Annamari Keskinen ja Valtteri Raekallio
Composing of the music and performance: Meriheini Luoto (violin, nyckelharpa, vocals, electronics)
Coding of the live electronics: Kaj Mäki-Ullakko
Set design: Aino Koski
Lighting design: Jukka Huitila
Diary texts and archive photos: Valtteri Raekallio
Cinefilms and projections: Thomas Freundlich
Realization of the puppet: Saima Lahtinen
Puppetry consultant: Aati Saarva
Production assistant: Riikka Laurilehto
Production: Raekallio Corp., Zodiak – Center for New Dance

​The second concert of Pekka Kuusisto´s Residency at Wigmore Hall 1st of May. 

Pekka Kuusisto violin
Prof Dr Erik Scherder neuropsychologist
Jukka Huitila visual designer 

​MUSIC+
Performers: Krista-Julia Arppo, Jenni-Elina von Bagh, Hanna Heino, Heini Hermunen, Soili Huhtakallio, Minna Karttunen, Anne-Maarit Kinnunen, Anni Koskinen, Meeri Lempiäinen, Mirva Mäkinen, Satu Rekola, Tuuli Vahtola, Soile Voima 
Artistic working team: Liisa Risu, Mirva Mäkinen, Sonja Jokiniemi
together with
Sound designer: Jussi Saivo
Lighting designer: Jukka Huitila
Production: Zodiak – Center for New Dance, Stoa, Circus Maximus, Liisa Risu
Supported by: Jenny ja Antti Wihuri Foundation, Alfred Kordelin Foundation, Arts Promotion Centre Finland
In collaboration with: Outokumpu Riveria, Vocational Programme for Dance
Residency: Bioart Society's Ars Bioarctica Residency Program (Kilpisjärvi)

​STOA (Teatterisali)
Turunlinnantie 1, Itäkeskus

review (FI)​
Tickets

​Titta Court, Pirjo Yli-Maunula: [mute] 

Existing amidst things that cannot be spoken of is like living next to an active volcano. Refusing to see the risk does not shield one from it.

[mute], the latest performance by Flow Productions, focuses on silence, the avoidance of conflict, shame and the fear of losing one's face. Choreographed for one adult and one child performer, [mute] explores the subject matter in an unhesitating style toned with surreal elements and black humour.

[mute] is performed with a rotating cast of actors that changes from one performance to the next. The structure of the performance is the same for all performers, but each performer brings their own personality, ways of moving and expression to it.

The choreography, made by adults, approaches the refusal to speak from the perspective of children: the figure dressed in furs is unable to utter a single word, while the child inhabits a fantasy forest made of floating plastic firs. However, [mute] is not a made for children, stresses Pirjo Yli-Maunula​, one of the two choreographers and adult performers. 

The makers of [mute] want to show what the behavior of adults looks like through the eyes of the children, who can often only survive through use of imagination. Even though a child performer is seen on the stage with the adult, the themes and the various layers of [mute] belong firmly to the realm of adults.

The adult performers and choreographers of [mute] are Titta Court and Pirjo Yli-Maunula, while the child roles are performed by the 12-year-old Pinja​ ​Palosaari​ and the 8-year-old Marona​ ​Awdishou​. In the performances in Helsinki, the roles are played by Yli-Maunula and Palosaari.

The child performers have been involved in the process as fearlessly and unhesitatingly as the adults. Although the subject matter is serious, it also has an absurd and playful side to it, which the child performers bring to life.

​”On the stage, the open and good-natured child meets a damaged and reckless adult whose actions are strange, unpredictable and questionable. -- [mute] is a deeply thought, dense and very beautiful performance.” – Eeva Kauppinen, Teatteri & Tanssi + Sirkus

”It is consoling to watch a performance that does not offer a single truth, allowing the viewer to read the rich variety of different narrative signals instead.” – Petri Kauppinen, Kaleva

[mute] premiered at Cultural Centre Valve in Oulu on November 4, 2017.

Choreography: Titta Court & Pirjo Yli-Maunula
Rotating cast:
Titta Court/Pirjo Yli-Maunula & Pinja Palosaari/Marona Awdishou
Sound Director: Aake Otsala
Light Designer: Jukka Huitila
Dress and set designer: Heidi Kesti
Composers: George Bandoek Apostolakis & Aake Otsala
Producers: Flow Productions & Titta Court
Trailer and video documentation: Double Deuce Productions
​
Tickets

“Vieras – Främling – Stranger is a polyphonic work which envisages the meaning of strange and uncanny in our time.
The work – an event – is a manifesto of uncertainty, fragility, queerness, drifting, uncanny and love.
More info & tickets

Script, concept, choreography, text, space: Sanna Kekäläinen
Performers: Jonna Eiskonen, Sanna Kekäläinen and Janne Marja-aho
Prologue: Jamie MacDonald
Part 1. Stranger: Sanna Kekäläinen
Part 2. Witness Version 24.2., 28.2., 5.3. ja 9.3.: Jonna Eiskonen, Sanna Kekäläinen and Janne Marja-aho
Part 2. Feminist Version 26.2., 2.3. ja 7.3.: Jonna Eiskonen and Sanna Kekäläinen
Sound design: Jussi Matikainen
Light design: Jukka Huitila
Sculptures and graphic design: Aku Korhonen
Photos: Kristiina Männikkö
Essay: Riikka Laakso

Premiere: 24th Feb 2019 at 3pm
Other performances: 26th | 28th Feb | 2nd | 5th | 7th | 9th Mar at 7pm
Cirko -Center for New Circus, Kaasutehtaankatu 1 (building 8)