In anticipation of TEK.village opening on September 11th, we are excited to introduce three of the artists involved!
We’re rapidly approaching the opening of TEK.village (11.9 – 13.9)! TEK.village is an art and technology project rooted in the unique environment of Elektroniikkatie. In anticipation of the opening, we’re excited to introduce you to some of our participating artists! Find out more about the TEK.village programme as it evolves on our website: www.translationflowers.org/tek-village and on our instagram page: @translation_flowers_collective
We have held several rounds of open calls, inviting artists from across Oulu and Finland to participate in the project in different capacities.
Our first open call invited artists to engage in an extended process of creating artworks specifically for Technology Village. The amazing selected artists from this round are Luumu Tursas, Shima Salehi and Katja Juhola. Over a period of 6 months the artists have been developing their artwork – researching, engaging in playful explorations of the site (both physically and digitally), and meeting as a group to brainstorm and discuss their ideas. Read on to find out more!
Luumu Tursas
Luumu Tursas is a multidisciplinary visual artist who works with installation, sculpture, and technology. Luumu Tursas’ work processes often begin through interest in different techniques and materials. Physical labour is important in their work, and it leans on body memory and intuition. Thematically their works have earlier spoken of nostalgia, power, feminism, queerness, forests, folklore and animal philosophy. Luumu Tursas is soon finishing their studies (MFA) in the Academy of Fine Arts Helsinki, and has exhibited their works in several joint and group exhibitions in Finland and in Germany.
Tursas examines the site-specific qualities of the Teknologiakylä area through localized materials and physical, locally conducted labour. Some of the collected materials are made by nature, some by human hands. Luumu Tursas’ piece explores decay of matter and the relationship of human and nature.
www.luumutursas.com
Instagram: luumuseo
Shima Salehi
Shima Salehi is an activist and multidisciplinary visual artist, and founder of Shima Art Studio Company. Her work focuses on gender justice, environmental sustainability, and cultural awareness, often bringing traditional influences into dialog with contemporary artistic approaches. Working across painting, mixed media, installation, and conceptual art, she explores themes of identity, societal expectations, human relationship with the environment and technology, and the resilience of women. She seeks to challenge perceptions, create dialogue, and invite new way of seeing and experiencing familiar subjects.
For TEK.village, Shima is exploring technology as part of the environment we live in, and how our perception and experiences are shaped by technological infrastructures.
Instagram: shimasalehi.art
Katja Juhola
Katja Juhola is a visual artist, curator, and founder of the International Socially Engaged Art Symposium (ISEAS). Her practice focuses on socially engaged art and community interaction.
For TEK.village, Katja is creating a community artwork that reflects on our connection to both nature and the future. Scientific leaps, such as the discovery of antibiotics from moldy bread, have often happened by accident. Today, technology ultimately strives for the same rapid connectivity and information exchange that trees and fungal mycelia have perfected through collaboration. Consider the complex communication networks within a coral reef, an anthill, or the human nervous system. From this perspective, human technology is still in its infancy, despite reaching the moon nearly 60 years ago. Yet, due to climate change, we are at a turning point: technology is now tasked with enabling a sustainable, good life on Earth for centuries to come.
Sanctuary of the Technology Village invites you to step into this ancient network. Participation is free and designed as a low-threshold encounter. Drop by during exhibition hours or make an appointment at katja.juhola@gmail.com. Come spend a brief moment—perhaps 20 minutes—and leave your mark on the shared artwork.
The work consists of two parts:
The Tree of Wishes: Focusing on selflessness, this tree invites you to write a wish for someone else—a friend, an animal, or nature itself—on a fabric ribbon. As we hang the ribbons together, we build a growing, visual network of care.
Living Mandala – A Study on Impermanence: At the foot of the tree lies a shifting pattern of natural materials. You are invited to dismantle the previous symmetry and spend a few minutes creating a new one from autumn leaves, twigs, and stones. It serves as a brief mindfulness break and a reset in the middle of a busy day.
Instagram: @katja_juhola
