HAM's autumn exhibition schedule will include an algorithm-driven robot bus, a pioneer in Finnish alternative art, and a prominent figure of international contemporary art, who combines visual abstraction with diverse sensory experiences. In November HAM's arched halls will be filled with works by internationally acclaimed Korean artist Haegue Yang. She often makes art using industrially manufactured everyday domestic items, transforming them with laborious handicraft techniques into finished sculptures and installations.
The Erkki Pirtola exhibition will present an extraordinary drawer and an artist portrait of sincerity and a deeply human sense of humour. In autumn, a self-driven R-bus robot bus will operate in the Kalasatama district. Using algorithms, the bus will randomly choose its route.
Erkki Pirtola: Works on Paper / 8 September 2023 – 4 February 2024 HAM Helsinki Art Museum
Erkki Pirtola (1950–2016) was a diverse visual artist who was also known as a writer and documentarist. Pirtola's roots lie in the University of Helsinki's Art Room, where he studied in the early 1970s. By his own admission, drawing was the mode of expression that suited him best.
The Works on Paper exhibition spans Pirtola's entire career. The pieces for the exhibition were selected from thousands of works and sketches. In addition to drawings, the exhibition includes other works on paper, such as collages and watercolour paintings.
The exhibition not only presents an extraordinary drawer but portrays a time of innocence. It presents an artist portrait of sincerity and a deeply human sense of humour, as well as a manic need for self-expression and documenting.
The exhibition was created in cooperation with Erkki Pirtola's sons and curated by Veikko Halmetoja.
In connection with the exhibition, a book by Veli Granö will be published as part of HAM Helsinki Art Museum's publication series. Erkkilys Pirtomas Suomen taidetta pelastamassa – Erkki Pirtolan värikäs elämä, Kustannusosakeyhtiö Parvs, 2023.
Laura Beloff & working group: R-bus / Kalasatama District 17.8.–3.9.2023
This autumn a self-driving robot bus will navigate the streets of the Kalasatama district. R-bus utilises algorithms and chooses its routes randomly. On board the bus passengers can hear the sounds of imaginary living beings. Created using machine learning, these sounds resonate on a different frequency from other sounds, human or non-human, in the area.
The bus has four stops in the Kalasatama district, indicated by the R-bus symbol. Passengers step on board not knowing what their destination is. R-bus examines how experiences and memories are formed in a world where digital data streams blur the boundary between the physical and algorithm-based space.
Laura Beloff & working group Marko Tandefelt, Petri Ruikka, Jani Hietanen, Sebastian Schlecht, Calvin Guillot, Andrea Mancianti, John W. Fail, Esther Saraste, Metropolia / Smart Mobility, AuVe Tech OÜ
In collaboration: HAM Helsinki Art Museum, City of Helsinki, and Helsinki Festival. R-bus is part of the curatorial concept A Stream among Streams curated by Aleksandra Kiskonen and Kristiina Ljokkoi, Public Art Curators at HAM Helsinki Art Museum.
Free entry with a prebooked ticket. Info about booking starting 10 August 2023, stay connected with Helsinki Festival and HAM on social media. Experience the artwork: The Night of the Arts 17 August 2023: operating times 2pm–5pm and 7pm–10pm. Helsinki Festival 18 August–3 September 2023: daily from Tuesday–Sunday, expect Mondays: operating times 11am–2pm and 4pm–7pm. Duration of the ride 10–15 minutes.
HT
Source: HAM
