bP: Hi Anna! We absolutely love your work. Before we dive in, could you tell us a bit about where you're from? How would you describe your childhood?
AP: Thank you so much for your kindness. I'm originally from Finland, from a small town called Järvenpää, which translates to 'the lake's end'. That lake drew quite a few of the Finnish national artists, such as Jean Sibelius and Pekka Halonen, to move to this town. A lot of their major works were created in this place and their presence is a strong part of the town's identity. Arts and crafts have always been a part of my family's life, especially through my grandparents' influence and lifestyle. I learned ceramics and curiosity for traveling from my grandmother, who, at 88, still has an active studio practice. It was shared with my grandfather who made silver jewellery. They both travelled extensively in their times. My childhood was mostly spent outdoors, cycling around or by our lake house that my father built himself over the course of 25 years. Indoors I was glued to MTV, obsessively watching music videos hours on end or listening to my big brother's CDs. I went to kids art school after normal school hours, and spent a lot of time at my mom's workplace at a squash centre. I usually had a creative project in progress, whether it was designing an album cover for our band before we ever made a song, creating a handmade magazine... Perhaps as a result of all these influences, it was always clear to me that my journey would take me beyond my hometown.
bP: Within the fashion world, you've collaborated with global brands such as Maison Margiela, MM6, and OFF-WHITE, to name a few. How have these collaborations influenced and shaped your creative style?
AP: When it comes to my practice, my approach is very collaborative as I work in an interdisciplinary way, from sculpture to sound and architecture. Research is also an integral part of my process, and always has been. Nowadays I'm enjoying the fact that I've got time to go deeper into topics via books, papers, etc, and it's less based on visuals. Once I decide I want to realise an idea and have outlined the concept, I would usually start working with an architect and/or a sound engineer/designer or a musician. Sometimes I would need to seek advice from a physicist or psychology PhD candidate to really dig deeper. Most collaborators work on the projects for a short while, but their involvement enriches the process and the outcome. I love learning, and it's really exciting to me when I'm working with someone, who is incredible at what they do, and who may have a technical ability in something that I want to create. When I'm collaborating with musicians and sound designers for example, it starts as a conversation about the feeling I'd see the work and the sonic piece to convey, and we begin to iterate and improvise. I'm able to hold space for the initial vision, as well as for something that a collaborator brings to the table and enforces a slightly new angle too.
bP: Carrara marble has such a rich history in art. What initially drew you to this material, and how do you see your work contributing to its legacy?
AP: I've always been drawn to the intrinsic energy and materiality of stones in general. The material is directly connected to everything I'm forever inspired by: deep time, the cosmos and humanity's relation to it, stone circles of Karelia, Neolithic dwellings, ancient civilisations and the way they combined arts, engineering and spirituality when it came to their built environment. That monumental scale, precise designs and rich symbolism speak to humanity's quest for order and transcending time. My first stone sculpture was a multicoloured totem, made up of different stones but the largest section I carved in Carrara marble, and of course both pieces in the body of work titled DISCOURSE were also in this material. While I'm fascinated by many stones, often even more than Carrara marble, while I was sculpting it I experienced firsthand why this material has been favoured by sculptors for centuries. Currently, I'm developing works designed to engage audiences through an immersive, embodied experience. Central to my practice is the philosophy of Post-Futurism, a concept I discovered through the work of social and cultural critics. I'm applying the ethos to contemporary art, and to all the work I do. I'm working towards expanding the boundaries of sculpture, and reimagine it as a transformative, experiential space.
bP: At Design Miami, Paris 2023, in collaboration with Galerie Scene Ouverte, you unveiled your 'DIALOGUE SEAT,' a truly stunning piece! Could you share the story behind its creation?
AP: My work is conceptually driven, and scale is important. However, as I was at the very beginning of my journey in stone carving, I wanted to first develop my carving skills in a smaller scale while incorporating a conceptual element and explore sculpture as a functional object. What I was seeing in the world, a growing disconnection, polarisation and division, even though we are more globally connected than ever, was reflected on this work. It contemplated on this paradox and suggested that empathy and true dialogue may be what our world would need in order to course correct. I was interested in utilising sculpture as a tool for this and contributing to the conversation that way.
bP: You've had the privilege of spending time with iconic figures. With that in mind, if you could have a one-hour, uninterrupted conversation with any artist in the world, who would it be and why?
AP: Today I would love to spend an hour in the presence of Mary Miss, she's been one of the few women in the land art movement and it would be incredible to hear more about her journey. I'd love a conversation with James Turrell, Michael Heizer, Tadao Ando or Rei Kawakubo, they've all had incredibly long, distinct careers and seem to approach their work, and life, by centring freedom, which is deeply valuable for me as well.
Comments
Leave a comment