Tales from Frontiers is an outdoor media performance consisting of facade video projection, soundtrack and live music performance, composed by artists Marikki Hakola, Jarmo Vellonen, Jone Takamäki and Epa Tamminen.
The visual elements of the project come forth, change and hide in the continuum of lights, shadows and tones of the video projection. Are these the signs of a life once lived, or pieces of a language long since disappeared, or perhaps the remains of structures mangled by war? When looking at our environment, does our perception capture the whole or just the details? The work invites viewers to form their own interpretation.
The project opens the Night Sites series at Media Facades Helsinki Festival 2015, where a new site-specific work is opened each night at a special location. In Tales from Frontiers, the projection is made on the facade of the historical building Helsinki Observatory, originally designed by C. L. Engel and completed in 1834. The building houses the Centre for Astronomy, collaborating closely with the Ursa Astronomical Association, the discipline of astronomy and LUMA Centre of the University of Helsinki as well as the City of Helsinki.
The soundscape is a combination of a soundtrack and instrumental live improvisation for woodwinds, such as duduk and shakuhachi, played by musician Takamäki.
Tales from Frontiers, August 20, 9.00 – 12.00 PM at Tähtitornin puisto, Kopernikuksenkatu 1.
Live music improvisation by Jone Takamäki 9.30-10 PM and 10.45-11.00 PM. The Observatory is open until 10 pm and the Science cafe until 12 pm.
The project was a part of the Observemus event of the Night of the Arts, realized in collaboration with the Runokuu poetry festival.
