EATNAMAT:LEANGO

Lada Suomenrinne

On earth, surrounded by whispers from the underground. Rooting myself to a soil that is coloured with red. Mother tongue of mine shadow-made, takes me to the landscape of ancestors that is no longer their own. Seeking a path in the mountains that leads to where the circular flow of blood ceases. Yet, I am not dead. There is a family thread in the landscape of wilderness on indigenous land. Me, trying to fit into that frame and maintain culture by living the bloodline that is not in my veins. Birthing new lights without the bloodline of Father Sun. Will I destroy the balance of the underground kingdom, or will the northern lights abduct my children one by one until they see me screaming their names that used to belong to this landscape of mine? Am I a stranger in the future?

Lada Suomenrinne

Lada Suomenrinne is young Sámi visual artist from northernmost point of Finland. She works with several mediums from filmmaking to photography and writing. Her work has been on covers such as in “Nuori Voima” (a Finnish literature magazine) and in “Vastatuuleen” (book by Kukka Ranta and Jaana Kanninen). “Nuori Voima” also awarded her in December 2020. She was the very first visual artist who received the award in their magazine ever. The most recent exhibition where her works are shown is at Sven-Harrys Konstmuseum in Stockholm in a group show called “Bakon Hörnet vindens jojk” (Around the Corner, the Wind's Joik). She is currently working on several cover projects and starting to work on a feminist essay with a group funded by the Kone Foundation. Her Bachelor's project will be her very first self-published photography book later this early spring.

Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

I would like to be in my home village as a gallery owner and a freelance artist. I would live in a marvellous cottage next to the river offering residency possibilities for indigenous artists. In my free time, I fish.

What was the most challenging experience during your studies?

Becoming aware of your strengths in photography and generally in creating.

Who or what inspires you?

The bad and good days, my fellow artist friends and nature back home where I grew up.

How do you approach a new project?

Usually, with the personal projects especially, I begin by writing sentences down and quite often I call my friends and talk about the subject.

What advice would you give to students who just started studying in your programme?

Create, create, and create. Try out many different things, take advantage of the studio and other supplies that the arsenal offers.

Have you changed during your studies? How?

In many ways as a person, but most definitely in how I see art as a tool.

What are you not going to miss in your studies?

Mondays.

How are you going to celebrate your graduation?

By drinking wine and ice fishing, hopefully.

Say hi!

Chonchanok Sattayatham