Weekend Discoveries

The weekend started off with a graffiti event. Much like in Chicago over the past few decades Finland has had a "no tolerance" policy toward street art/graffiti. So the city sponsoring a gigantic wall in a abandoned power plant complex was a major deal. With a beautiful day, loud hip hop filled the air, while free spray paint brought out a broad range of people from old school 70's and 80's taggers to the families with little kids holding a spray can for the very first time. Afterwards it was on to exploring the cities Design District with all its small boutiques, galleries and various shops. Definitely will take much more than a day to see all the craziness this part of town has to offer. Then Tiki and I saw my first American film in Finland (Angels and Demons)... haha which may explain why everyone here can speak such amazing English. None of the movies are dubbed. And yes inbetween all these happenings there were a varity of bars which were discovered as well ;)


Much of Sunday was spent at the Ateneum Art Museum, viewing an exhibition dedicated to celebrating 160 years of the Kalevala. The Kalevala is a book/epic poem which Elias Lönnrot compiled from Finnish folklore in the nineteenth century. It is held to be the national epic of Finland and is traditionally thought of as one of the most significant works of Finnish literature, as well as, a driving force in the national awakening that ultimately led to the Finnish government's independence from Russia in 1917. It was an eye opening experience to see how the elements within Kalevala art spoke to one aspect of what it means to be Finnish. A representation of the bond between people and natural forces, great emotions and adventures, mysticism and tragedy.

It made me think about the countless artists (over the centuries) who have sought to counteract the restlessness and brutality of life in works that inspire to a genuine and harmonious experience. Especially in our current predicament with a horrible economy and numerous wars wouldn't it be nice to once again search for a connection to the authentic, to an age in which man wouldn't expect to control the world through mere logic.