The NORDPLUS for Higher Education’s Creative Arts Pedagogy and the Environment / The CAPE Network Fern Orchestra, Turku, Finland Webinar, February 16, 2021 Starts at 00:36.
For our spring 2021 kick-off / 1st NORDPLUS CAPE Network Zoom Webinar, we proudly presented Vespa Laine, Light Artist and founder of the Turku, Finland based Fern Orchestra, and Ilona Salonen, Dance Artist who is a Turku UAS, Arts Academy, Dance Program’s graduate, and member of the Fern Orchestra. (see bios below). http://www.fernorchestra.com/en/ Vespa will present the Fern Orchestra and they will both share their experiences about a recent Fern Orchestra performance titled “MARELD” (“Sea Fire”). Vespa Laine (b.1977) is a Light Artist from Finland and the founder of the Fern Orchestra. She lives in the archipelago of Turku and works with plants and microorganisms. She graduated as a Master of Theatre Arts in Lighting Design from Theatre Academy of Finland in 2010. She has worked extensively in the fields of theater, contemporary dance, and circus. Since then, bio- and green art, as well as content- and concept-based productions, have become the focus of interest. She is interested in interdisciplinary and slow processes. In 2021-22, she will work with the support of the Kone Foundation “Quantum Physics as an Artistic Practice in the Design of Ecological Works on the Theme of Hidden Diversity”. Fern Orchestra is an Art and Science Collective that has studied subjects such as photosynthesis, closed biosphere, plant neurology, and taxonomy in their works. Works are characterized by the presence of living organisms other than humans. The orchestra works in various fields of art, making e.g. performances, light, and sound art, publications, and contemporary dance. The concept of the working group and the collective is sliding; in addition to plants and organisms, the band includes experts and artists from various fields who enable the works. Finland’s first bio-light artwork “Breath” was exhibited at the Lux Helsinki light art festival in January 2019. “Breath” consisted of bioluminescent algae dinoflagellate Alexandrium ostenfeldii, and the same algae were also used in the contemporary dance performance “Mareld” (Sea Fire) in Turku City Theatre 2020. With its works, Fern Orchestra wants to focus on the environment and turn attention to concrete phenomena of climate change and biodiversity loss; addressing the relationship between humans, the environment, and light. Ilona Salonen is a freelance dance artist. She has a Master’s Degree in Dance Performance (MA, 2019) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance Education (BA, 2013). She has also complimented her education at the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance, SEAD, Austria (2015-2016). Ilona works on project-based productions in Finland and abroad (e.g. Finnish National Opera, Sebastian Zuber, Lea Moro, Sveta Grigorjeva). She is interested in improvisation-based work, equal collaborations, and working within multidisciplinary artistic processes. Ilona joined Fern Orchestra 2020. She was part of the creative process and performing of contemporary dance performance “Mareld” (Sea Fire) in Turku City Theatre 2020.
The NORDPLUS Creative Arts and Pedagogy in the Environment / The CAPE Network is supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Baltic Countries through the Nordplus Higher Education Programme. The Arts Academy, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Turku, Finland acts as the coordinator of the CAPE Network.
https://www.tuas.fi/en/about-us/faculties-and-campuses/arts-academy-linnankatu/
Contact David Yoken david.yoken@turkuamk.fi