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Art performance, Exhibition

Print Matters: Sirkku Ketola, A Body Called Paula

Print Matters: Sirkku Ketola, A Body Called Paula

Sirkku Ketola’s work consists of visual poems and situations. Time and repetition are her main questions – the Universe is an ornament repeating itself. Ketola is extremely happy to present her long-term project A Body Called Paula in Oslo as part of the Print Matters symposium.

A Body Called Paula, is an installation based on repetition and a meditative performance in which Ketola, taking the role of Paula, works on a large ornament on fragile paper. Paula is an allegory of a human as part of the universe and as a builder of technology. With the help of serigraphy, her hands and the space form a human printer, a sensual machine. Paula is enchanted with the ribbons, trapped in the activity and fettered by the body and matter. In Finnish the word paula is a synonym to a ribbon and a trap. The performance parts Light, Passion, Knowledge and Darkness symbolises the elements of full life. Tension is always present in the seemingly calm performance as the characteristics of the matter are in danger of being revealed when the fragile paper gets stuck. The ethereal soundscape of the performance has been created by Ketola.

A Body Called Paula, begun in 2017, is a ten-year long process. Every year three to four ornament ribbons are created in different parts of the world. The performance is physically demanding, and the endurance of the artist’s hands determine the rhythm. The long timeline allows to override the control and lets the work itself find its essential form and dialogue. The task of the artist is only to maintain the movement.

A Body Called Paula performance schedule for the Print Matter symposium in Galleri Katedralen (KHiO, Fossveien 24, 0551 Oslo). You can freely browse the work just for a while, or you can stay with it longer (duration approx. 2,5 hours /performance):

Tue 22 September – Light, starting at 1 pm
Wed 23 September – Passion, starting at 1 pm
Thu 24 September – Knowledge, starting at 1 pm
Fri 25 September – Darkness, starting at 1 pm. Work completes, the process is ready.

Warmly welcome to see the changes during the performances!

Finissage: Friday September 25, 17:00, resepsjonsgalleriet

Sirkku Ketola

Sirkku Ketola (b.1973) is a contemporary printmaker who combines serigraphy with different materials. She is a civilized savage who slows down the digital image stream through handicraft methods, trying to understand the relationship between human rhythm and matter. Time, repetition and sacredness of life are her main themes. Ketola earned her MFA degree from Uniarts Helsinki, and she has taken part in numerous Finnish and international projects and exhibitions. She lives and works in Finland, stays regularly in Belgium and lately also in Benin. As renowned in silkscreen, she is often solicit to teach and lecture in art academies. The artist’s work A Body Called Paula has made her an internationally followed artist.

Instagram: #abodycalledpaula #sirkkuketola
sirkkuketola.com