Today was our last day in Varia college, Vantaa. Shane and I had a great time and are sad to be leaving. We won't be leaving empty handed though, we got to experience several new skills including furniture restoration, photography, ceramics, photoshop, amongst others. I have been learning how to stitch photographs together using photoshop, to create panoramic views and optical illusions. I've also been learning about good composition in photography, and how to use depth of field to create a better photograph. Everyone at Varia was so helpful and friendly. The students were all really easy to get along with, and were eager to help and make us feel at home.. And they succeeded. Outside of Varia, I have noticed myself looking at architecture and structure a lot more. This is strongly influenced by Ad Reinhardt's travel slides from 1952 - 1967 that I saw in EMMA, and also by the city itself. I have noticed a clear attraction to certain types of art, and being more critical towards the ones that don't catch my attention. I have noticed that I'm far more drawn to Landscape paintings, and have discovered a fondness for a lot of Finnish painters because of the colours that they use, the landscapes that they paint, and the mood that their paintings seem to have in common. This was interesting to me, because I noticed that the paintings more similar to mine didn't grab or hold my attention. I'm taking a far broader interest in other artists and eras. I'm more fascinated than ever with vibrant natural colours. I'm noticing light and prisms, and how it transfers onto surfaces. I have learned an incredible amount about art and artists from going to galleries; I have discovered artists with similar interests to mine, I have formed much stronger opinions and judgement on painting and photographs, and am looking at work in relation to my own. I look forward to going home with a fresh look at my work. I am now clearer about where my interests lie, and I am discovering why, and I am excited to see where this will take my work from here. Everywhere I look there is inspiration! The combination of nature and architecture is really beautiful in Helsinki and has grabbed my interest since the start. I am eager to see how I look at architecture and design in Galway when I get back. I am sad to leave Helsinki, but I feel like I have learned so much in this 3 weeks that I'm curious and excited to see everything from a broader mindset with new perspectives. I have learned the importance of travel and I genuinely can't wait to bring parts of Helsinki home with me.
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Did you ever have that 'penny-dropping' moment in your life, that time when you realise what's been holding you back all along, when you suddenly see everything so clearly and you're left wondering 'why didn't I think this way before?'. I did hope this internship would be a great learning experience but I would never have guessed it could truly open my mind and put my head in the right place to actually make a career for myself (FINALLY!). Just two weeks ago, I left Ireland a stubborn, narrow minded, fourth time student (yes this is my fourth course ), afraid of the real world, afraid that I would never make it, because what I love to design, well let's just say it ain't exactly something you'd wear walking down the street! Let's just call my style 'Avante Garde', a bit too Avante Garde to build a business around. I thought I'd have to sacrifice what I love if I was ever to make a living from fashion, that I'd have to design 'normal' looking trousers and dresses everyday for the rest of my life!!! This would probably be like a slow and painful death for me, so I blindly refused to comply and continued on in dreamworld with my interesting and unique but unwearable designs. Well let me tell you, that silly little woman will not be returning home this weekend, in fact I'm afraid you may never see her again. In her place will be this reasonable, rational, and level headed woman ready to take on the fashion world but realistically this time! And with a clear vision of my brand for the first time EVER! I know I've still got so much to learn of course but what I have already gained since my first day here has been unforgettable and I really plan to take this experience home and use what I've learned to forge an exciting new path in my life! There's a fairly famous saying that we all know; 'Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, feed him for a lifetime'. I could tell you all about the tough first week I had, how my confidence was knocked and I felt like giving up, and how I began the second week getting the best advice at the best time from someone who is now one of my idols, Yat. (What an insightful and knowledgable man!) I could tell you word for word all that I was told but the truth is it wouldn't hit home with you like it did for me. A lot of this conversation held logic I already knew deep down but just refused to accept. Maybe it's being in a new place far away from home giving me an objective view of my life so far, maybe it's the pressure of my first ever internship forcing me to wake up and smell the coffee, I really don't know exactly why but something broke through and I just went with it. Now I'm learning how to create wearable and sellable pieces without having to sacrifice my creativity. Part of me wishes I never had to leave here but there's a big part of me that can't wait to get home so I can start researching everything Yat and Paul have talked about! I'm not sure if you can tell, but I'm a little bit excited.... I can see clearly now the rain has gone Thanks for reading my mini-book! This has been brought to you by...The 'New' Jess We are all told that new experiences are important for personal growth and that's why I jumped at the chance to go on this Erasmus+ programme. I already had a pretty good idea that I would learn loads about the fashion industry from my three weeks interning here in Helsinki but I didn't imagine how much it would change me as a designer or my way of thinking.
Philosopher Socrates once said 'true wisdom is knowing what you don't know'. Taking that into consideration, I now feel very wise!! Even thought I have realised there is so much more to learn, I have gained a better understanding of the next steps I should take to get to where I want to be. I also feel as though my eyes have been opened to all of the roles a fashion designer plays as we have not only been learning about the creative and technical aspects of the job but about the business and commercial sides as well. With all of this new information I find it easier to visualise the kind of designer I would like to be and where I could see myself fitting into this extremely competitive industry. Have a look at the photos below to see a little of what myself and Jess have been getting up to in 2OR+BYYAT.
As the prices were quite high we opted to skip having a starterand moved quickly on to choosing our main course. Jess wanted to get the full finish experience and decided to try the reindeer shank served with mashed potato, cabbage, lingonberry jam and drizzled with a red wine gravy. Jess really enjoyed it and surprisingly said the reindeer tasted just like chicken! I went for the whitefish which was served with mashed potato and garnished with dill and a lemon wedge. The fish was very tasty but the star of the show was the creamy mashed potato, you can take the girl out of Ireland... We decided to 'finnish' (sorry about that) with the dessert of the evening which was crème brûlée. It was topped with lingonberry jam and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was the perfect end to a lovely meal. We would highly recommend Lappi to anyone who can't quite make it all the way north to Lapland.
Helsinki for me so far has been stimulating. Visually and mentally. When all surfaces are white with snow, the sky is still flooded with colour. The lack of conversation amongst the people becomes almost irrelevant when there are so many things that make you think instead of talk. Perhaps perspective changes with geography, but it seems to me like I am amongst a nation of thinkers and feelers. It could be linked to their reigning title as #1 coffee drinkers, or their quiet nature leaving more time to think, but the Finnish mentality is definitely an interesting one. Last week, Shane and I were in Varia college. I dabbled in some good ole' painting to start and then stepped into the tech side of the art world for the first time. Unsurprisingly, I ended my days with obscure photo-shopped images of mismatched body parts and a fair amount of digital doodles. Old habits die hard. There are numerous art galleries in Helsinki, as well as photography, design, nature and history galleries and museums, amongst others. The images below are of work by an Irish artist Tom Molloy which are on display in Kaisma art gallery. The paper crown in the middle consists of six cut out-out dolls which represents one of the victims tortured in Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison. Images of torture and humiliation inflicted on prisoners of war by American soldiers in occupied Iraq leaked into the media in 2004. The hooded figure was published on the cover of The Economist. The images to the left and the right are sections of a two metre long (approx.) piece called "protest". Ateneum art gallery is the largest in Finland, and currently has an exhibition called Japanomani, or Japanmania. Its a beautiful exhibition which shows Japan's influence on Nordic art. The connections and influences are clear and really interesting, but the japanese art is visibly irreplicable. The images below are of t-shirts hanging inside and outside of the gallery. The structure in the middle is of just outside Helsinki university library. I like these three images together, despite little relevance to one another, apart from shape.
Helsinki is known for its design and designers. I spent the first couple of evenings following the attractive architecture and it brought me to buildings that were old and elegant, and to ones that were modern and minimalistic. Both kinds were beautifully symmetric and neither seemed out of place. Last Saturday, some of us ventured into the city to drink, dance and be merry. One of the clubs we went to was called Maxine on the top floor of the Kamppi shopping centre in the heart of Helsinki. There was a beautiful view of the city, generous sized drinks and a spicy hot dog stand. Very hard to fault this place. One of my favourite things to do here is go to a comfortable café, pay double the Irish price for an Americano that's half the Irish size, sit, sip, think and draw. Unfortunately, the drink below is not whisky. Tea is the second best option when you're feeling slightly overstimulated by the caffeine, the colour or the culture of the capital city.
An important element of any museum is a strong interface for people of all backgrounds and countries. So when I was assigned the task today of reviewing Espoo Museum of Modern Art's capacity to cater to English speakers through a kind of mystery shopping style of investigation I was intrigued.
I assumed the role of a clueless English speaking tourist, inspired by none other than myself. Since that is essentially what I am. With no Finnish to speak of I navigated the museum's online presence, as any prospective visitor would to before paying a visit. EMMA's website has a perfectly comprehensible version of their site in English. Then I perused their social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and their Instagram @emmamuseum. Due to the less formal nature of social media, the english translations were less common, but tourists wouldn't often be looking EMMA up on social media. It is geared more towards national and local Finns, not foreign Finns, like me. (hold the applause I'm aware of my comic genius). Then it was time to test out their service at EMMA itself. I was incredibly satisfied with the customer service available to me the moment I walked through the doors of Weegee house. At reception I asked where I could find the Modern Art museum within the complex. Given concise directions and a map of the building with English labels as well as Finnish. Within EMMA I am happy to report that I had virtually no difficulites roaming the museum and viewing the work. All of the staff spoke perfect English and every piece of information was totally understandable in my mother language. However one minor detail was that Interviews with Artists featured in the TOUCH exhibition were conducted through Finnish with no English version or version with English subtitles. If i wanted to learn more about a piece of work from the mouth of the artist themselves I would have to look elsewhere. So in the future I would suggest creating alternate versions of the videos that include subtitles so that English-speaking visitors may also have the opportunity view them. In all honesty, the service for English speakers in Espoo Museum of Modern art is nigh on impeccable. But that was the task I was given and I was happy to carry it out and learn more about the museum. It gave me a chance to scrutinise my placement and study the facility. I would consider EMMA to be one of the finest establishments in terms of language Fynn. MM I may have a great love of ice skating, but i cannot say much about possessing much talent in the sport. In the typical Irish spirit we tried and had great craic sliding and falling around the Jaapuisto Ice rink right outside Rautatientori, the central railway station. It doesn't get much better than this. Moi. It's Fynn, who is not Finnish but wishes he was. After a few icy patches I've found my feet firmly on snowy ground and I'm ready to grab Helsinki by its frosty horns. The first week anywhere new is always tough but tough times make tough people, so here I am. I've never lived so independently before so this whole experience is entirely fresh for me. But I'm surviving and will soon begin to thrive. I've got so much to tell you all. Espoo is a suburban region adjacent to Helsinki, a mere twenty minute bus ride from the Kamppi bus station in the city centre. Filled with apartment complexes of intelligent design and architecture and pine forests it is particularly pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately I only have 2 more weeks there, and I'm too busy with the work and training to explore too much. But the work and learning is incredibly fascinating. As an aspiring artist it's interesting to see how the work is stored, handled, displayed and documented. I'm given opportunities to branch into every faculty at EMMA which is a very unique opportunity that I will be grateful for for years to come. So far I have been involved in 3 different areas of work. I have been placed with technicians, cataloguing works of art for storage and assisting in the preparation of an exhibition space. Weegee House is a massive building complex, home to several unique museums each with something to offer. But the Modern Art Museum is by far the largest, encompassing almost the entire second floor. A vast collection of nearly five thousand unique pieces by both Finnish and international artists can be found here. Half is EMMA's very own collection and the other belongs to the Saastamoinen Foundation which aims to collect and preserve artwork at EMMA. It is a wondrous place with so many nooks and crannies. It has also been a great chance to see art that is coming out of Finland that I would otherwise have never come across. Artists like Tuula Lehtinen, Petri Ala-Maunus and Jani Leinonen. You can never find too many artists to enjoy, the more art you see the more inspiration you can find. Seeing all of these works in the collection and seeing them being handled is humbling and stimulating. Expect plenty more updates on our adventures both inside and outside work. Now, off to explore the city! Moi moi.
Us fashion interns have been in the design district of Helsinki all week at 2OR+BYYAT, a high end fashion boutique and design studio. Founding designer, YAT, has already been teaching us so much valuable information about this very competitive industry. His assistant Amanda and long term intern Camille have also been extremely helpful answering our hundreds of questions!
We are very fortunate to get to see both creative and commercial aspects of the industry all under one roof. At the front is a luxe boutique displaying all the edgy ready-to-wear pieces for the customer to explore. In the next room, you'll find the studio where all the beautiful garments are created. Amongst rails of recent collections and rolls of luxurious fabric two irish girls are sketching away like mad! YAT has set us a brief of designing and making evening gowns that are to be both dynamic and commercial while reflecting the 2OR+ brand. This project is really exciting and we are quickly learning that it's much more difficult than we first thought. Wish us luck! Jessica & Lisa Have a look at our photos for quick peek inside the intriguing world of 2OR+BYYAT. I'll try to keep the puns to a minimum. Hyvää iltaa Helsingistä! Or good evening from Helsinki! Landing and getting to our apartments proved rather tiresome. It's difficult to make a blog post when you feel as if you're the verge of death and addled with jet lag, but I digress. Now that we've settled in we can get the show on the road. 16 students between the 'Drawing and Visual Inquiry' and the 'Animation' class of 2016 at GTI took off from Dublin Airport to Finland with the airline Finnair. We took absurdly early buses in order to catch our 10am flight and needless to say it was hard-going. Before we knew it though, we were touching down on cold ground at Helsinki Airport. Greeted with a white dreamland of scenery I was immediately enchanted. Alas, no time to stop, we went through customs and luggage collection in an orderly fashion...more or less. It was then that we divided into our three respective groups; six to Raahe, five to Pori and five to Helsinki, the latter including yours truly. Our group, bound for Helsinki, boarded the underground train into the city. Glimpses of the winter landscape caught my attention repeatedly as we travelled. Helsinki greeted us with chilly arms and our efforts to discern where we needed to go were akin to headless chickens running around. Eventually, after the longest day I've ever experienced we reached Herrtoniemi, on the outskirts of the capital. Our apartments, in Forenom House are cosy, efficient and our facilities are more than satisfactory. I do believe we will be comfortably sustained over the three weeks of our stay. |
Art+Animation 2016Jess Buckley Map of Vantaa |