LETTERS FROM AN ISLAND

Letters from an Island takes the audience around Seurasaari, to performances of artists with different backgrounds. Each artist´s viewpoint to Finnishness is based on his/her personal history, and how Finnishness looks like in that light. Irony, roughness and carnivalism are present, as typical to the ensemble’s works.

– Finnishness has, throughout ages, been branded in the name of uniform culture. Finland is, however, not an island. People have always moved from place to place, and also Finland is quite a compost of nations. When our national story was formed, many stories remained on the wasteland of history. The buildings of different age, gathered to Seurasaari Open-Air Museum are like a theater with massive coulisse, says the art director Roni Martin.

By anvil, hammering the new Finnishness are seen dancers Marlon Moilanen, Kaari Martin and Sari Pikkarainen, performance artist Bakr Hasan, musicians Ali Saad, Pekko Käppi, Sanna Salmenkallio and Roni Martin, and author Rosa Liksom. The work is carried out in cooperation with Seurasaari Open Air Museum, a part of Finnish National Museum.

https://www.kansallismuseo.fi/fi/tapahtumat/kirjeita-saaresta

Team Letters from an Island

Performers: Bakr Hasan, Pekko Käppi, Rosa Liksom, Marlon Moilanen, Kaari Martin, Roni Martin, Sari Pikkarainen, Ali Saad, Sanna Salmenkallio
Direction and dramaturgy: Atro Kahiluoto, Kaari Martin, Roni Martin
Music: Pekko Käppi, Roni Martin, Ali Saad, Sanna Salmenkallio, trad.
Choreography: Bakr Hasan, Marlon Moilanen, Kaari Martin, Sari Pikkarainen
Texts: Rosa Liksom, Roni Martin, Marlon Moilanen, Nizar Qabbani
Costumes: Erika Turunen
Costume coordinating, dressmaking: Anja Behm, Aki Luomanpää
National dresses: Seurasaarisäätiö
Make-up design: Tuija Luukkainen
Make-up and hair: Tuija Luukkainen, Jessica Picasso, Johanna Kotro
Translation into Latin: Aulikki Vuola
Production: Compañía Kaari & Roni Martin
In cooperation with: Seurasaari Open Air Museum of Finnish National Museum