MIIA AUTIO

HOW TO PICTURE CONSTANTLY FLOWING WATER

How to picture constantly flowing water

Installation in the Kuvan Kevät MFA-degree show (2021).

Time-based works for tap water in the capital region

Developing tray, water, backdrop stand, paper

Stone sculpture (22 x 23 x20 cm)

Envelope

UV-print on glas (25 x 23 cm)

Text on A4-sheet

fri 8.1.2021, 11.27 a.m. Miia Autio <miia.autio@uniarts.fi>wrote: Hello, I am studying at the Academy of Fine Arts, and I am currently preparing a work for my master's theses project. My work focuses on water, and Lake Päijänne is the lead character in it. The work has been inspired by rivers that have been granted legal personhood. As part of the work I have planned to engage in dialogue with the Silvola Reservoir. I would like to talk to the water that has been drawn from the Lake Päijänne and ask for its permission to be used as a theme of my work, as well as having its consent to be photographed. I would therefore ask Helsinki Region Environmental Services, could I be given a chance to visit Silvola Reservoi for this purpose? I would be extremely grateful if you could make an exception to your standart policy this time ans consider allowing me to visit the area. I can assure you that my intention is only to talk to the reservoir. Kind regards, Miia Autio

tue 19.1.2021, 7.13 p.m. Miia Autio <miia.autio@uniarts.fi> wrote: Hello, thank you for your answer. I understand the current restrictions. At the moment I am in the process of planning rather than the realisation of it. Perhaps, we could already have a discussion for the future? I often feel that the water between me and Lake Päijänne is without a location. I am fascinated by the Silvola Reservoir because it is the closest place to where I can locate the freshwater that I use. Interestingly the concept of time is related to both photography and water – albeit differently. I see the attempt to picture constantly flowing water as an aspiration of humans to see themselves on a larger scale. I also find it interesting that the surveillance cameras are continuously observing Silvola. They produce independently visual information, which is not intented to be viewed by anyone. My collegue sculptor Laura Dahlberg and I, are making a camera obscura that is carved inside a stone. I would like to inquire, if this stone camera could be placed in Silvola area? The placement of the stone could coincide with my dialogue visit. Sometime after the restrictions are lifted again. It would be very nice if you were interested in this collaboration. I would be very grateful. Kind regards, Miia Autio

mon 22.2.2021, 5.30 p.m. Miia Autio <miia.autio@uniarts.fi> wrote: Hello, it's okay. Water doesn't answer right away either when asked something. I can understand your response to my request to place the stone camera piece in the Silvola area. The work cannot be public in a traditional sense for the reason that Silvola is not a public space for human audiences. In principle it would not be a work meant for people. In practice it would be just a regular stone, which would have an infinite photographic process inside of it. This process would not be visible to anyone. Together with my collegue I am exploring alternative locations for this geological observer. I will get back to the dialogue later! Kind regards, Miia Autio

wed 31.3.2021, 1.04 p.m. Miia Autio <miia.autio@uniarts.fi> wrote: Hello again, greetings from the Lake Päijänne! I once read somewhere that the journey of water from Lake Päijänne to the Silvola Reservoir takes seven days. I have now spent a week here and I have negotiated with Lake Päijänne about its consent to be used and photographed. I have attached a letter that I wrote to Silvola. Since it is not possible for me to visit Silvola right now, I would like to ask if you or one of your employees could read it on my behalf to Silvola while visiting the area? It would be really kind and mean a lot to me. Kind regards, Miia Autio

mon 19.4.2021, 2.06 p.m. Miia Autio <miia.autio@uniarts.fi> wrote: Hello once again, my attempt to picture constantly flowing water is on show in the Kuvan Kevät MFA-degree exhibition 12.5–6.6.2021. In my work I have been pondering how to represent and photograph water. I have been inspired by the rivers that have been granted the same legal rights and duties as human beings. I have tried to imagine all the aspects that this could entail. I have been thinking if water, or for instance Silvola, could have the right to privacy. In other words, I have tried to imagine a world in which an informal negotiation of permission with the subject would take place before taking a photograph. However, water might not even be interested in human laws. I propose that asking for permission for photographing would rather be a respectful gesture than a legal duty. I have been sending these messages to you, because in the human world HSY is the representative of the water that I use. I would like to ask your opinion about the fact that I have thought to publish some parts of this discussion in the exhibition. You are warmly welcome to visit the exhibition if the restrictions allow. Thank you for this conversation and I wish you a nice spring time. Kind regards, Miia Autio