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FOKUS FINLANDIA
curated by Sigismund de Vajay,
presents:

KARRI KUOPPALA
”Helsinki Black Book”

(DV on DVD, 10+5+10+5+10= 40 min, 2005,
3-channel video projection)

06.10.06 > 19.10.06
Still from the video installation "Helsinki Black Book". Kuoppala 2005.
     

Helsinki Black Book is interviews on five Helsinki graffiti artists. In the black theme they tell a story of getting caught and/or being arrested by the police or anti-graffiti guards hired by the city of Helsinki, concentrating on events where the authorities used violence or otherwise exceed their authority. The white theme is based on an open interview where the graffiti artists talk more broadly on their lifestyle and about the anti-graffiti policies of the city of Helsinki.

In the graffiti slang black book means a photo album where the graffiti artist places his or hers image of the produced work. The city of Helsinki has been having a strict  anti-graffiti policy since 1998, started two years before Helsinki being one of the cultural capitals of Europe in 2000. This artificial face lift has since continued even if  the highly expensive project with midnight cleanings of every appearing graffiti and the hiring of a private security company has also gained plenty of negative attention lately.

Helsinki Black Book draws a picture of situation where something that is considered as a problem by the authorities but still is a living subculture is tried to be wiped out without being bothered to figure out what the culture is about or why so many young people get into the art of graffiti. Instead in Helsinki graffiti is tried being demonized and graffiti artists put to jail even up to one and half years.

Karri Kuoppala


View of the installation.

 

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KARRI KUOPPALA
Born in Helsinki, 1976

ART AND OTHER STUDIES

2004 Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst, Zurich, Bildende Kunst, Exchange Studies
2001- Helsinki Academy of Arts, Department of Painting
1999-2000 Helsingin Ammattikorkeakoulu, Network Communications
1997-1999 The Surrey Institute of Art & Design, England, Visual Communication
1992-1995 Helsinki High School for Visual Arts

SOLO SHOWS

2003 Kohtauksia/Scenes, Video and Installations, Helsinki Academy of Arts

EXHIBITIONS OUTSIDE FINLAND

2006 Nuevo Estoccolmo, Luna Kulturhuset, Södertälje, Sweden
2005 Generation Vacation, Touring show, Oslo, Lund, Malmö, Helsinki
2005 Bull's Eye, Swell Gallery, San Fransisco
2004 Continental Breakfast, How-2-End-a-Message, Gallery Zvono, Belgrad
2004 Nordur og Nidur, Nordens Hus, Reykjavik
2004 Mare o Monti, Galleries Bollag, Zurich
2003 AVBILD, Galleri konstfack, Stockholm
2003 RestCycling Art, Festival & Exhibition, Berlin

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2006 Art sticker project in collaboration with Taide -art magazine
2006 Young artists exhibtion, Kusnthalle, Helsinki
2005 First We Take Museums, The museum of contemporary art Kiasma, Helsinki
2004 Manifesto, Korjaamo Gallery, Helsinki
2004 Helsinki Hall of Fame, Gallery Myymälä2, Helsinki
2003 Kuvasto, mailorder-catalogue-look-a-like, delivered to 15000 Finnish homes
2003 "Places I wanted to go, Curated by Karri Kuoppala", Helsinki Academy of Arts
2002 Masters of The Universe, Gallery of Helsinki Academy of Arts
2002 Koneisto, festival for electronic music in Helsinki
2002 Galleri Leena Kuumola, Videoinstallations of the students of the Academy of Arts
2002 Muru, video projection, Sörnäinen metro station, Helsnki
2001 Rockin Da North –Graffiti happening, The museum of contemporary art Kiasma, Helsinki
2000 Rockin Da North –Graffiti happening, The museum of contemporary art Kiasma, Helsinki

ARRANGING AND CURATING OF EXHIBITIONS

2004 Helsinki Hall of Fame, Gallery Myymälä2, Helsinki, arranging and curating tha exhibition with 30 graffiti artist from helsinki

COMING 2006

Art Academy Final Exhibition, Kunsthalle, HelsinkiMay
Mänttä Art Festival, June
Prejudice project, Istanbul, September
Rantakasarmi, Helsinki, A Group Show of Nordic young artists
Solo Show: Gallery of the academy of arts, Fall

TEACHING AND ARRANGING WORKSHOPS

2006 Freelance guide in The museum of contemporary art Kiasma
2004- Teaching & workshops in Espoo school of art; Helsinki cultural office, Art center annantalo

WORKS IN COLLECTIONS

Helsinki City Art Museum

 
 

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