Immersive art project to be launched in Kuutio space at Oodi with game-inspired piece by Joonas Hyvönen
Joonas Hyvönen's work God’s Flat Earth Is Drowning can be seen in the Kuutio space at Oodi Central Library, 3-29 July 2020.
God´s Flat Earth Is Drowning explores climate change and climate anxiety by linking viewers with a speculative future and propaganda. Employing 3D modelling, the work moves in the interstices of the real and the unreal, of realism and simulation. With a game engine generating the dialogue every viewing experience is unique.
“It’s been raining for days, the earth is flat, all sewers are blocked by waste, and taking a shower, drinking a glass of water, even peeing in the bushes makes the sea levels rise. A small, scattered community comes together in a space resembling the second floor in the Oodi library to try to find a solution and a way to avoid the impending ecological catastrophe,” Hyvönen describes his work.
In his works, Joonas Hyvönen (b. 1990) often examines digital technology in the context of other phenomena by focusing on interaction between user and operating system. Hyvönen graduated with an MFA from the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts in 2016. He has participated in exhibitions in Finland and internationally.
The Media Cube Project brings media art to Oodi
Hyvönen’s work is part of the Media Cube Project coordinated by regional artist Annika Dahlsten. The purpose of the project is to bring immersive media art into Oodi Library’s Kuutio space with its smart glass walls.
The project organised a workshop for six artists to acquaint them with the resources of the space. The workshop leaders and curators, media artist Jukka Hautamäki and creative technologist and producer Marko Tandefelt, selected two of the ideas that emerged in the workshop for implementation.
Joonas Hyvönen and Ami Lindholm will create works designed specifically for the Kuutio space and its groundbreaking technological resources. Exploring topical themes in innovative ways, the immersive concepts centre on the interaction between viewers and the artwork. Joonas Hyvönen’s exhibition will be open from 3–29 July 2020. Examining the theme of parenthood, Ami Lindholm’s exhibition will open in August 2020. The production of the works is supported by Promotion Centre for Audiovisual Culture Finland AVEK and Arts Promotion Centre Finland.
The Media Cube project is a collaboration between Arts Promotion Centre Finland, Oodi Central Library, Artists’ Association MUU, and University of the Arts Helsinki. The Media Cube is a part of the Art Promotion Centre Finland’s development project, which promotes and makes visible new ways of applying artistic expertise. The project’s specific aim in Oodi is to develop the presentation practices of media art in the library. The project coordinator in Oodi is special librarian Sanna Huttunen.
Interview with Joonas Hyvönen online at Helsinki-kanava on 30 June at 13:00
The Helsinki-kanava online service will broadcast a live artist interview with Joonas Hyvönen, who will talk about his practice, his work and its themes. The interviewer is librarian and artist Tuukka Haapakorpi. The interview is in Finnish.
Opening hours
The exhibion is open 3–29 July 2020 Mon–Fri 8–20 and Sat–Sun 10–18. The address is Central Library Oodi, Töölönlahdenkatu 4, Helsinki.
More information
Joonas Hyvönen
+358 50 3808985
email(at)joonashyvonen.com
Regional artist
Annika Dahlsten
0295 330 907
annika.dahlsten(at)taike.fi
Special librarian Sanna Huttunen
Oodi Central Library
+358 40 186 3042
sanna.m.huttunen(at)hel.fi
More of the exhibition at Oodi's pages.