Visit to Suomenlinna - Sea Fortress. 06.04.2010

Finally my planned trip to Suomenlinna ; the morning greeted me with torrential rain threatening to postpone the trip but after a few essential chores the rain stopped and Samantha and I headed for Helsinki, from where we would take a 20 min ferry trip to the Sea Fortress Island. The rain had now been replaced by a dense fog making the journey have a some what mysterious quality especially since the normally visible island was shrouded in a veil of fog.

For the briefest of moments the sun broke through the fog.

Once on the island our first stop was Galleria Rantasarmi who’s rooms and spaces have a strong simalarity in feel as those at Landguard, Samantha commented later that the floor even sounded the same as she walked through the rooms.

It was there that I first made inquires about the use of a space within the islands buildings in order to perform and video my peice for Landguard, they suggested I speak with someone in the new HIAP (Helsinki International Artist-in-residence Programme) offices. I had recently heard that they were setting up new premises on the island but was unaware they were up and running.

Leaving the gallery we spent about 2 hours exploreing more of the islands buildings, stopping off for a hearty bowl of chilli and bacon pasta, on our way to finding the HIAP office which we found situated in one of the best sites of the island.

There I met Virve; artist and co-ordinator of the Suomenlinna residency spaces, and after introducing my project and time schedual to her she immediately proposed a site and offered to show us, the place is Galleria Augusta which is one of the host venues for Art Contact which organizes experimental live art events in Helsinki on a regular basis www.newartcontact.org During the winter and early spring months activities on Suomenlinna are relatively quiet, this being so all I now need to do is contact the studio manager and arrange a time, which will more than likely be in late may........fingers crossed!

Edwina 07.04.2010