Pray to the Moon when She is round,
Luck with you will then abound,
What you seek for shall be found
On the sea or solid ground.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

For the Files: Finnish Animism in Contemporary Art


Finnish Animism-inspired Artist Tatu Nikkanen with one of his home gods.
Artist Tatu Nikkanen with one of his home gods.
Image courtesy the RAMM (Royal Albert Memorial Museum).


As I was reading up on the Kalevala for the preceding post, I stumbled across this absolutely fabulous animism-inspired exhibit now showing at the RAMM:


Home Gods


"In pre-Christian Finland it was believed that the world was inhabited and ruled by spirits. Harmonious interaction with these spirits through ritual behaviour such as the cult of the Kotijumalat, or home gods, was of primary importance to the community’s well-being in an often hostile environment. Inspired by these traditions, Finnish artist Tatu Nikkanen has been giving shape to his own home gods using basic tools and scrap materials taken from the urban environment. This display brings together examples of his work with comparative material from RAMM’s World Cultures collections."

Nikkanen has already given his "Lunchtime Talk" surveying the "origins of his work with the cult of guardian spirits," but the exhibit itself runs through March & is free to the public. I don't anticipate making it over to the UK by March, so if you happen to be in the neighborhood, please make a visit for me. (And send pictures!)


Finnish Animist art: "home god" carving.
Finnish Animist art: "home god" carving.
Image courtesy the RAMM (Royal Albert Memorial Museum).

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