Three community window displays made with communities living and working in Turku – November 2021.
I have worked extensively with national and private collections with community participations, festivals and have created site-specific installations across Europe.
INSIDE OUT was a celebratory community art project made for windows in the city centre and Runoskmäki, Turku.
Inside Out reveals the personalities and imaginations of the makers. Local children or community groups worked together to share their personalities through the kind of windows that have separated us from each other during Covid-isolation. These windows are no longer a barrier but an exhibition space for children from Year 1, 2 and 5 from Turku International School and the front windows of the Sibelius Museum. The staff and clients of Yhdessa Association/Runosmäki created portraits for the library windows. Inside Out has helped us to reconnect with each other and grow through creativity and making. Lisa Roberts explained that,
For Sibelius Museum window display
“We used Sibelius’ own childhood drawing of a Finnish Summer idyll which he sketched in a letter to his aunt when he was not much older than the children we worked with. The students were asked to add their own details into the reeds, the family, the sea and in the air. The coast now extends beyond the edge of the original drawing and features huge sandcastles, fantastic animals and cartoon characters who have joined the fun and are joining in with the family group. Applied in white vinyl and hand-drawn in chalk pen, you will also see a sky bison, Sonic the Hedgehog and Among Us characters if you look close enough. The children really had a lot of fun filling the spaces left by Sibelius and drawing while listening to his music.”
For Turku International School window display. (Map)
“We worked with three classes to create personality portraits concentrating on what makes each of us unique. David Hockney’s opera stage design for Stravinsky’s The Rakes Progress inspired the design. Hockney drew his stage sets and so we kept the line nd gesture in this work. We used, vinyl, paper, chalk pens and acetate sheets. All the materials that are used in school. It was so much fun to work with over 60 students and the staff were very supportive and enthusiastic. Their support always helps the children to really get involved with the idea. We looked at shadow theatres listened to music and worked with all kinds of materials during our making sessions. The artworks have been designed to be dismantled so the makers can have their own window displays at home when it is dismantled.”
For Yhdessa Association/Runosmäki library window display. (Map)
“I had the good fortune to work with the staff and clients to create personality portraits. The eyes were so distinct in each portrait that I decided to design large eyes, words and objects for each window to show the different personalities found within.”
All street level windows are open to the public from November 9 till the end of December 2021. As the light outside changes, our window displays transform with the time of day so try and see it in daytime and after dark from inside and out. You will find QR codes at each site that will link to project information.
INSIDE OUT was kindly supported by Turku 2029 Foundation celebrate the anniversary of culture. Turku, the European Capital of Culture, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.
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