Arttu Merimaa

It’s Not Who I Am Underneath But What I Do That Defines Me

Arttu Merimaa discusses the relationship between artistic actions and objects and the artist. In a video essay, which verges on the documentary, Merimaa remakes a clay sculpture that he made as a child but that was later lost.

The artist tries to recreate the sculpture, which depicts a cave, to achieve the closest possible resemblance to the original, and he uses a hypnotist to restore his memories. Finally, he makes the sculpture from memory using 3D design software.

According to Merimaa, the cave sculpture functions as a metaphor for the interaction between the individual and the surrounding world. He is interested in what of the author is transferred into the sculpture. Or how does the interactive creative relationship change when moving from making something by hand, as with the original object, to printing something digitally?

Arttu Merimaa received his MA in fine arts from the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts, the Time and Space Arts programme, in 2013. Merimaa has worked for a long time with moving images, digital images and installations. Merimaa’s works are acquired to Kiasma’s and Helsinki Art Museum’s collections. Merimaa also runs Alkovi Gallery which is located in Kallio (Helsinki).

The exhibition is also on Facebook.

Exhibition hours Tue–Sun 11–18, Wed 11–20.

Guided tours: Public free-of-charge guided exhibition tour (in Finnish): Sundays 13; conversational exhibition guide: Sundays 14–15. Museum entry fee.

The Finnish Museum of Photography, Cable Factory, Tallberginkatu 1 G, 00180 Helsinki