toinen laji/different species
joint exhibition with milka luhtaniemi
Forum Box gallery, Helsinki July-August 2021
poem publication, custom programs in unreal engine 4, processing and supercollider, computer, raspberry pi, two lcd screens
all photographs courtesy of anna autio

Different species is a spatial poem and a digital video installation. The installation consists of poetic fragments – written by Luhtaniemi and composed by a programming language – shown on LCD screens. The poems composed by programs are generated into chance compositions and generate visual and kinetic poetry on the screens.

Different species refers to the question of whether some other way of being a human could be perceived behind, in place of, or between the human parts. The fragmentary and emergent poetics of the work map out this possibility of different ways of being.

The text moving by means of a kinetic poem is programmed into 2D and 3D environments, allowing the textual movement to appear in two different ways. One location in the work is the sea and an archipelago: water, landscape and sun are programmed into digital space. The installation also includes a printed publication of poetry, and the exhibition visitors are welcome to read it while watching the video.

The spatial nature of the work includes a sound installation utilising a so-called soundshower speaker. Ultrasonic technology allows sound to be heard very subtly only at a specific point in the room.

The work is Siren’s and Luhtaniemi’s third collaboration and first joint exhibition. Previous joint works are the performances BLÄNK (2017) and OFF (2018). The completion of the work has been supported by Arts Promotion Centre.