As a student in Helsinki (but also as a regular tourist) it's really worth checking out the various free-entrance-days. I like to keep myself informed by facebook, or rather I let facebook inform me about all the free-admission days to Helsinki's museums, zoo, or other fun activities. So on October 2nd (it's been a while, I know) my roommate and I went to the 'night at the museum' at Kiasma - Finnish National Gallery. The exhibition is called 'School of Disobedience' and features Jani Leinonen who wants to promote critical thinking with his art. The title piece of the exhibition invites the audience to question the basic assumptions of society and to change the world. For his art, Leinonen uses elements of packages, logos and mascots of famous brands. Like pop artists in the 1960's, he recycles images of popular culture and gives them new meanings. Through his work, Leinonen criticises corporate practices and the market economy. Although he is said to have admitted that he is himself part of the capitalist system.
Here's the main piece of the exhibition:
Here's the main piece of the exhibition:
The gigantic text piece proclaims: "The most terrible things war, genocide and slavery have resulted not from disobedience but from obedience."
The sentence is originally from the American historian and human right activist Howard Zinn. Leinonen has magnified the text so that it is readable from as far as Mannerheimintie (street) or the Parliament building.
The sentence is originally from the American historian and human right activist Howard Zinn. Leinonen has magnified the text so that it is readable from as far as Mannerheimintie (street) or the Parliament building.
There's another work that shows an installation that resembles the counter of a Burger King restaurant. This 'restaurant' is called Hunger King. The name refers to a global problem and the names of the soft drinks refer to mortal sins. This installation is a variation of a project that Leinonen carried out in 2014 in Budapest. He opened a Hunger King restaurant in a vacant office space. There were two entrances to the restaurant: one for the poor, one for the rich. The poor stood in line to receive burger boxes with money inside. The amount equalled the Hungarian minimum wage for 6 hours of work. The rich could walk in on a red carpet and buy Leinonen's Burger Art.
The work was a statement that criticised a new Hungarian law that criminalized homelessness. Inside the restaurant visitors were offered information about the plight of the homelessness in Hungary, and could even send messages to the Hungarian government. The works are not only relevant to Hungary alone. Income disparity divides people all over the world.
The work was a statement that criticised a new Hungarian law that criminalized homelessness. Inside the restaurant visitors were offered information about the plight of the homelessness in Hungary, and could even send messages to the Hungarian government. The works are not only relevant to Hungary alone. Income disparity divides people all over the world.
Food is the biggest cause of climate change, lifestyle diseases, and economic as well as social inequality in the world. When we solve the food problem, we solve everything.
Jani Leinonen