by Finland Independence Day
Hyvää Itsenäisyyspäivää to my Finnish readers! (“Happy Independence Day” in Finnish).
Finland is celebrating its 88th Independence Day tomorrow, Tuesday, December 6th. It is a national holiday, an official flag-raising day, and in every home, two candles are normally lit to honor the day. Festivities in Helsinki begin with
raising the flag, a festive divine service at the Cathedral of Helsinki, where by tradition, the President is also present. In the evening the President receives guests for the gala occasion which is held at the President’s Palace in Helsinki. Approximately 2000 people are invited to this banquet every year, and war veterans attend as the guests of honour. The event is broadcast on television, and although it is a very popular happening which collects millions of Finns in front of the TV every year, it also keeps the police busy due to demonstrators gathering in front of the President’s Palace.
(from finnguide)
If you are interested in learning more about this holiday, see my last year’s post.
UPDATE Dec.6th, 2005: Here’s how Finland celebrated.
December 5, 2005 in Culture, Finland, Estonia & Finno-Ugric by Marja-Leena
Happy independence Day, Marja-Leena! Thanks to you I know slightly more than zero about Finland now, and feel a warm rush of affection anytime anything about the country is mentioned! Have a very happy day tomorrow.
Aw, Beth, that’s sweet! And I don’t really celebrate it, living in Canada, and I haven’t experienced it in Finland. I’m learning more abour Finland too and I like to give my best wishes to Finnish readers back “home”.
As I listen to CBC here in Michigan celebrating Finnish Independence Day and coming across your site, my Finnish roots are nurished. Paljon Kiitoksia.
David
Hi David,
Ole hyvä! Kiva tavata! How nice to meet you! I’ve just been corresponding with a Finnish blogger in Michigan! Are you actually celebrating Independence Day there?!! How?
Hi Marja-Leena,
is Matti a Finnish Name?
http://www.mattauvinen.com/
Hi Bill! Yes the whole name is very Finnish – the “nen” ending in last names is very common, like “son” or “sen”. My maiden name has the “nen” ending too. I looked at his website and it is very beautiful, as well as his concept. I’m not too sure about the work though, it seems a little too pretty at first glance. Maybe if I saw it in real life… What do you think of it, Bill?
I am very impressed by the complexity and the rigor of detail and in one or two, an outright riot of richness. The sensibility, gestalt I do not get, but I am very impressed with his carving as it appears on my computer screen. Trompe l’Oiel seems a questionable goal to strive for. I prefer less schmooze and enjoy play of the medium; where the language may mention what is depicted…
Dang Marga-Leena! This is really difficult to write about.. I cannot do it! “What do I think” is a very strong question. I like thing more transformed perhaps? Where a thing might be recognized in its everyday funtion, but a language of color, shape and texture has created a non-everyday magic. The objects presented in Matti’s works seem unleavened fact, I suppose so they may have enhanced credibility in their role as actors in his play of surrealism of collaged comparisons and challenging disjunctions. I suppose I think of the bland literalism of Magritte or De Chirico or Delveaux. This conclusion is quite opposite of the “prettiness” you found, I think, but then, thinking, I find, is hard to do!
You have incited the critic in me and I am enemy to the hard-working artist I would prefer to treat as brother. Are you a believer in freely spoken criticism? It can seem so ruinous. I have pangs of stinging regret that visit me daily for past critiques I have offered, at first reluctantly and at the behest of much urging, and then all too generously…
I am entirely neutral on this work but I am sure it is all to the good: that seems like a safe thing to say, but of course, is not really enough to say, nor enough to have thought. Pacificsm offers no sure protection from critical thought’s swinging sword! Honesty can be so violent! Honesty is hard work’s lazy brother, carping and snipping the streaming fabric of bounty of the labors of others into the gathered bundle of a cold-proof,cushioned nest, and leaving hard-won weavings in tatters. This is only ordinary and natural I suppose.
Well, Bill, for someone who says this is difficult to write about, I think you did a great job with your way with words! I agree that criticism can be damaging to an artist, yet over the years, an artist usually learns to deal with it, starting with those art school profs. It is part of being an artist, writer, musician etc, that we expose ourselves to the public. It can leave one cringing in abject fear (as I did in art school). I think if the artist is honest with him/herself about the motivations behind the work, he can withstand the criticism. Of course, the artist can’t possibly please everyone, art being such a subjective thing for viewers as well as the artist.
Oh it is so ghastly. Two people in a room saying to the other, “You know, you’re not my thing. As a matter of fact I don’t fancy you at all!”. Can you, Marja-Leena really do that? I know the politic path of doing so, the mannerly way. That is what broader issues and schools of thought are conversationally handy for. I am perhaps stunted this way, abjectly trying to please. I am way the grossest flatterer. And I do think I come up very short on the intellect, the verbalization of meaning. At some point one takes up the challenge of words and the art of words should one wish to prosecute these descriptions of chimera further. I think visual artists can’t be expected to be high achievers at lanquage. Their muteness may indeed be the nidus where sensual perception is concieved into round eggs of visual thought.
No, I can’t do that, I’m much too polite! I try to find something good in everyone’s work, and usually there always is. Maybe it’s flattery, but if it’s sincere then it’s ok. Again, Bill, I think you DO have a way with words…”round eggs of visual thought” = wow!
Oh dear, how nice. Oh my. That Matti fellow has served his purpose in this happy moment. Happy Finland Independence Day!
But still I have not said what I wished to say about the metaphoric and the actual. Matti’s work stresses the actual, the thing-ness, objectness, quidity of his imagery. I would that things were melted and recast in memories mold.
“quidity” – what a lovely word – off to the dictionary I go – quiddity = the real nature of the thing; the essence. Yes, Bill, I know what you mean.
I would say that art that appeals to me has a bit of mystery, things left unsaid, on the edge of the real and the abstract, something that makes me stop and think about my feelings and reactions. It’s a bit like the difference between an essay and a poem.