The works of Marko include Homeless Olympics, Trash Gala and Homeless Catwalk
Visual artiste Riika with theatre director Marko Ajanki. (Photo: DC)
KOCHI: They are an artiste couple from Finland touring Kochi for the first time. Theatre director-cum-actor Marko Ajanki and visual artiste Riika who specialises in contemporary art including collages, are in the city as part of the ‘Art Residency’ programme of Sara Hilden Academy in the city of Tampere in Finland.
Marko is a social activist who works with drama among victims of alcohol and drug abuse and refugees from other countries and is part of the Joensuu Free Theatre Association.
He believes that art has a purpose to serve. Riika who works as an art teacher in a school was picked Art Educator of the Year-2012 because of her contributions in teaching children the nuances of contemporary art, in which she specialises.
When they arrived in Kochi, their biggest disappointment was that they missed the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. “We have been to Venice Biennale. Now we will tell our people that there is a big art event in Kochi called Kochi Muziris Biennale so that they can come and see it,” said Riika after a visit to Pepper House, one of the key venues of the Biennale which still has remnants of the event.
The works of Marko include Homeless Olympics, Trash Gala and Homeless Catwalk. “The medium of theatre is used to discuss the issues of the homeless linking it to the race in the Olympics where only the ones who finish fast get medals. Likewise the reality is that only the fittest survive to get homes,” said Mako.
Both of them say that Finland ,which was once among the richest countries in the world, is on the downswing now. “Now, India and China are on the upswing. Our country is now beset with the refugee crisis because of the exodus from Syria. A lot of people are homeless. Art that once used to get tremendous government patronage does not get that now nor are there enough wealthy buyers. Our country witnessed a nationwide strike last Friday demanding that economic issues that had been triggered because of belt tightening measures by the government, be resolved. A nationwide strike may not be uncommon in India but it is unusual in Finland,” says Riika.
The couple are familiarising themselves with Lok Dharmi, the famed theatre group in Kochi, the Kashi Art Café, Fine Arts Society.
They will be staging a show for the inmates of Palluruthy Snaha Bhavan.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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