A VERY PERSONAL REPORT
by Kelyne Reis

It took a while till I was ready to write about the amazing time I’ve had during my second Kaputa ry’s Art-Residency in Hämeenlinna this past month. I had too many impressions to process, besides a couple questions to get answered: Where should I start?! By the end, and work my way back till the day I arrived in Finland?! or by the very beginning ?!

I decided to try both ways, and see later which one I would use .

I am Kelyne Reis, Visual Artist born in Brazil, leaving and working in Germany.

With this report, I want to give you a little insight into my one-month routine as a resident artist in Hämeenlinna.

Coming to Hämeenlinna this time wasn’t that difficult/complicated anymore, it was already my second Art-Residency here. I came to Helsinki’s airport knowing where to get the train, and also knowing I had to connect in Tikkurila… What a Bless!!!

My feelings were kind of “nicely weird”. I was coming back to a city I already knew…was going to reencounter friends and acquaintances, do my groceries in the same supermarket chain, cross streets and bridges I’ve crossed last year, as well as going to teach about shapes and colors again… But, even having these “familiar repetitions” happening, I was a little anxious (and curious), I knew this year was going to be different, I only didn’t know the amplitude of the Difference yet.

Like last year, I was welcomed at Hämeenlinna’s train station by Minttu Saarinen and Pirjo Nieminen …. it was a very warm, and comforting “Coming Home” feeling!

Talking about “home”, this time my accommodation was just next door to the Theater, in this amazing culture complex – VERKATEHDAS, and across the street from a supermarket (what a joy!!).

It was a small apartment with a nice size room, a toilet and a kitchen…… Where was the shower?!?! Not in the room! It was downstairs, together with a sauna (we are in Finland!!!!). So I was settled!

Since I spent a huge part of the day traveling from Hanover/Germany to Hämeenlinna, there was no work planned for that evening, just a nice “welcome” dinner.

The expected “Differences” started showing next morning, there was no time to get to know my new neighborhood. After having breakfast, I went straight to Minttu’s studio, which was going to be my workspace from now on, and was introduced to a very packed timetable for the next four weeks.

I realized that Summer in Hämeenlinna is synonym of “Culture”! it is the time of the year when lots of cultural events (in and outdoor) happen. Music Festivals, and Art exhibitions, among others. This year was no exception! So there was lots to see and do during my stay here.

After that short introduction to our schedule, I went straight working on a new painting to the collaborative Project Minttu and I have initiated last year. This work was going to be part of the exhibition “SOMEWHERE A WHILE AGO” in Hämeenlinna’s City Library Gallery, which were going to start in a couple of days, featuring not only ours, but also Elina Vänttinen’s works. So there was no time to wast!!

In case you’ve forgotten: I am here for work, not for fun!!

Have I’d already told you about our collaboration?! No?! Ok, then it is time to talk about it.

Minttu Saarinen and I have started an interesting collaboration last year.

It works a little bit like this: One of us starts a painting (also, mostly, decides the subject), goes as far as she wants, then pass it to the other one, who will continue to paint, in her own style as far as she wants to. If both agree the painting is ready after this first exchange, it is ready. If not, we will keep working till it is finally done.

My first workday was intense, actually as all other days were going to be.

Surprise, Surprise!

Besides painting every day for at least 6 hours, I also had other activities planned!!!

We attended concerts at the Hauho Music Festival ( by Virtuosi de Khumo, Iro Haarla, ISBU-Trio & Co, and Django Collective Helsinki), as well as at the LinnaJazz Festival ( by Iro Haarla Trio, Sami Sippola Trio, Otto Willberg, and Emilia Sisco & The Northern Lights Band) in various venues around the city and surrounds.

Not being a music connoisseur, gave me the freedom to just listen to the music, no need to analyze nor understand it, but only enjoy it. For sure, it was a very unique experience….. so many concerts in such a short period of time….. lots of Impressions (acoustic, as well as visual) for me to process.

One of my days here started with a visit to the historical Textile Archive of the Wetterhoff Institute.

Oh my goodness, what an excitement !!!

We had access to sketches, and samples from beginning of the 20th century. I loved them,
specially the “Art Decor” ones (I am a great fan!), If it was allowed!

There, I learned about Fredrika Wetterhoff (name giver, and founder of the institute end of 19th century), and was amazed by how she dedicated herself to help other women, mostly poor girls, to be independent, and to be seeing!

For sure, I will be using some references of what I’ve seen there in my future works …. very Finnish!

I also hold a Talk in Hämeenlinna’s Museum of Art about Brazilian’s Folklore/Costumes, as well as about my displayed painting ”All About Legends”, on which I’ve worked guided by changes in the way I started perceiving my surrounds, after being impressed by how Finnish people relate to nature, legends, and traditions, in my last time here…. I decided to bring something similar to Hämeenlinna this year, something from Brazil.

This painting was also to be seeing in the Exhibition I’ve mentioned already.

Two evenings were spent sharing a little bit of my enthusiasm about shapes and colors with a very interested group of art lovers in a workshop. I hope they’ve enjoyed it as much as I did!

There were also visits to art exhibitions in Hämeenlinna, as well as in Tampere, when I had opportunities to chat with some participant artists, as Satu Kiuru, to mention just one of many.

I am sure I’ve forgotten to mention a lot, but I assume you already had an idea about how I’ve spent my days here. Hadn’t you?!

Not only the residency was different this year, but also my approach to the city and its residents. I wanted to know more about Behavior, Clothing, Food….

I kept bombarding Minttu with questions like:

• Where are the bakeries here?! In Germany there is at least one in every street corner!
• Why don’t you stop with friends you meet on your way, and chat a little?! We Brazilians are always very talkative and mostly happy to meet a friend (if we have the time, for sure).
• Why nobody talks when dinning out with friends?! Eating together is an opportunity to exchange experiences one had during the day, or since last time they’ve met. Don’t you think so?! ……. And it went on, and on, and on…

Because I was interested in knowing what “Finnish people eat”, Minttu introduced me to a couple of traditional dishes, as “home backed cheese”, Summer Soup, Spinach soup, baked Lanttu, Karelian Pies ….. I am still completely amazed by how Minttu Saarinen managed to cook all that Feast for me, even though she was very busy with her own work, as well as with my residency.

As already had happened last year, I’ve met, and interacted with, so many nice people during my stay … as the cashiers in “my” supermarket – a couple of them laughed and congratulated me when I said “Kiitos” instead thanks; the nice lady behind the counter in Cafe Hoffi; members of the Finnish-Germany Association of Hämeenlinna (which presented me with “the” Fiskars Scissors ); the two nice and helpful Museum’s employees; the amazing Workshop attendees (we worked hard, but had fun!!); peer artists (as the ones running an Art Cafe in Iittala, and the talented owner of Bohemian Insanity – Heli Kuula (who presented me with an amazing self-designed and handmade pair of gloves), among so many others ……

I am just citing a very few here ‘cause I shouldn’t write a book, but a “short’ Report.

All these encounters, brief or long, brought me closer to a culture which is still very unknown and fascinating to me.

Ah, I almost forgot to mention two “coincidences” which happened…. I was greeted by a “Carnival parade”at Hämeenlinna’s main square in the second day of my stay, and was kind of farewelled by some Brazilian’s delicacies in a Cafe named “Dois Amores”, just two or three days before I left the city. Do you believe in coincidences ?! I myself am not very sure!!

Last but not least, I have no words to thank Minttu Saarinen for all her support and hard work making this residency possible. She organized a crazy timetable, talked to people arranging meetings (making them possible for all of us), guided me through the city, let me join her to concerts/events she was attending to write critics from, gave me her studio space and also access into her life…..all this parallel to putting her own two exhibitions together, besides a lot of other chores.

I am not leaving without letting some work to be continued…..This year Minttu and I started a series of small works – “CHAPELS” – as part of our collaboration. A couple of them were already painted by me and were left in Hämeenlinna to be finished by Minttu. Others I brought with me to Germany, and as soon as I am done with my part, they will be sent back to Minttu, to get them finished in her very own style…. So, our collaboration goes further, and our friendship too!!!!

I know, after being somewhere for awhile, everybody wants to have a summary done…..I am not going to be the one not doing this…. There is a word to describe how I feel: GRATITUDE !