Art in Valkea
Get to know the works and artists of the event Valkea 2024 – Light and Art Festival.
1. Chasing BEAMS (Näsinneula), Secret group
Chasing BEAMS is a light installation where powerful and dynamic beams of light dance at a height of 110 meters in Näsinneula, like beacons of light communicating between the sky and the earth. The movement of these beams creates a spectacular and magical element that spreads across the entire festival area, illuminating both distant and nearby places. The rhythm of the light and its strong yet delicate movement make the space come alive, inviting viewers to look up and feel how the light envelops its surroundings in a soft glow. Chasing BEAMS not only fills the sky with light but also gives the entire festival a magical and powerful visual heart.
2. BLOSSOM, STUDIO TOER / NETHERLANDS
Studio Toer is a creative design studio based in the Netherlands, focusing on interactive art and design projects. The studio was founded in 2011 and is known for its innovative, multi-sensory artworks that often combine technology with traditional design.
Studio Toer's works have been showcased in public spaces and art galleries worldwide. The studio's working philosophy is rooted in play, creativity, and exploration. Their projects range from interactive installations to light art and sculptures designed for outdoor spaces. The aim of their works is to spark curiosity in the viewer and offer new experiences, often involving the audience as part of the artwork.
3. LIGHTSPHERE, OPUS COMPANY / AUSTRALIA & FINLAND
Lightsphere is an interactive light art installation created for the enjoyment of the whole family. This captivating exhibit features large, glowing spheres that fill the space with a sense of wonder and excitement. The spheres are not just decorative; they are designed to respond to interaction, coming to life through touch, movement, and play.
4. LEARNING COLORS, KARI KOLA / FINLAND
Learning Colors is a light installation by Finnish light artist Kari Kola that explores the impact of colors on space and human experiences. Kari Kola is known for his large-scale, impactful light art projects, where he utilizes the relationship between light and color in both natural and built environments.
In Learning Colors, colors blend, accentuate, and influence the perception of space in various ways. The purpose of the work is to teach viewers about the effects of colors and raise awareness of how different shades can alter the perception of the surrounding space and its atmosphere. The artwork focuses particularly on how the color of light changes the appearance of materials. Colors are not just visual elements but actively shape space and mood in a way that affects viewers on an emotional level.
Kari Kola's Learning Colors has been praised for its simple yet profound approach. Kola's art often aims to create a connection between people and light, evoking emotions and insights about our environment and the effects of its colors.
5. HALL OF MIRRORS, Mikko Kunnari / FINLAND
Mikko Kunnari's Hall of Mirrors is an interactive video artwork in which the viewer becomes part of the work's continuum, a piece of a collective digital dream. The movement of the viewers in front of the artwork generates unpredictable changes in real-time. Human figures detached from everyday life create a new relational reality. Hall of Mirrors also plays with the relationship between humans and space, as the human-like figures in the artwork are physically larger than life.
The piece is a unique commissioned work for the Valkea event.
6. VECTORS OF LIGHT, ANTTI KULMALA / FINLAND
Vectors of Light is a work by Finnish light artist Antti Kulmala. The art piece explores the directions, movement, and dynamics of light in space. Kulmala, known for his light installations and works that transform spaces, focuses in this project on the geometric movement of light and its impact on the surrounding environment.
The piece uses precisely arranged beams of light that form "vectors" — straight, clear lines — that extend in different angles and directions, creating a constantly shifting visual experience. Light functions not as a static element but generates movement and transforms the appearance of the space as the beams intersect with each other and surrounding structures. The directions and reflections of the light create a multi-layered effect that alters the scale and atmosphere of the space.
Vectors of Light provokes thoughts about the relationship between light and space, and how light can create entirely new dimensions and geometries. The artwork has often been presented in large public spaces or at light festivals, and it has been praised for its minimalist yet powerful way of handling light movement.
Kulmala aims to highlight the physical presence of light in his works and its ability to influence our perception of space. Vectors of Light exemplifies his ability to seamlessly combine light art with architectural spatial experiences.
7. Lights of Pispala, Matti Jykylä / FINLAND
Lights of Pispala is a minimalist light installation that cleverly utilizes the surrounding artificial lighting. The work exists at the intersection of light and visual art, framing a piece of the landscape as a three-dimensional tableau.
Lights of Pispala is a site-specific commissioned artwork created for the Valkea event. It is part of Jykylä's Lights of series, which began with Lights of Helsinki, first showcased at the 2018 Reflektor Festival in Kivinokka, Helsinki. Subsequent works in the series include Lights of Kuusamo and Lights of Heinola.
Matti Jykylä is a light artist and curator originally from Tampere. Currently, he lives and works in Helsinki and Tokyo. Jykylä is the founder and creative director of the Sun Effects collective and serves as the curator for the Reflektor festivals.
8. OUMUA, Circus Lumineszenz
Oumua is a light/sound installation, a three-dimensional object that one can move around and beneath. Its eight arms, each 6 meters long, contain 130 meters of LED strips that present a specially created light cycle for the artwork. For the premiere of the piece, a musical composition was also composed, which, together with the light installation, creates a beautiful meditative space. The installation stands 6 meters tall and has a diameter of 10 meters.
The installation is named after the first known interstellar object that passed through our solar system (1I/2017 U1), and it "reflects the way this object is like a scout or an ambassador sent from far in the past to reach us."
In 2022, the piece was updated, adding several additional meters of LED strips with diffusers that complement the diamond shape of the artwork. Now, the piece is brighter and softer!
9. KAIKKI VÄRIT (ALL THE COLORS), VALKEA TEAM / FINLAND
Colors are like a silent language through which the world speaks to children. They don’t need words to tell stories, evoke emotions, or invite play in the realm of imagination. In a child’s eyes, colors are powerful forces that open doors to new experiences and allow them to see the world with curiosity and joy.
Bright colors — such as yellow, red, and blue — bring joy and energy. Yellow, like a ray of sunshine, brings a smile to the face and increases optimism, inviting play and exploration of the world with courage. Red ignites passion and energy, encouraging the child to express themselves sincerely and forcefully. Blue, like the gentle embrace of the sky, calms and brings a sense of safety, allowing for peaceful dreaming.
Green, a color associated with nature and growth, is like a serene cradle that helps the child feel connected to the surrounding world and their own emotions. It invites exploration, experimentation, and growth while providing a sense of safety and harmony. Purple, the color of mystery and imagination, opens the gates to magical dreams and creativity, encouraging the child to see beauty and wonder even in the ordinary.
Colors are not just beautiful surfaces or decorations; they are expressions of emotional states, invitations to joy, and participants in the play of life. They awaken curiosity in children and help create a safe space where they can grow and develop freely. Each color carries different energy and power, which can positively influence a child's mood and behavior. When colors surround a child, they do not merely bring walls or toys to life; they fill the heart with warmth and joy. They provide the opportunity to experience the world in all its glory—joyful, playful, and full of light. A child does not just see colors; they experience them with their whole being, and these experiences lay the foundation for creativity, imagination, and lifelong joy.
Kaikki värit (All The Colors) is an art project designed for children, where colors and structures intertwine to create a joyful and engaging environment. The purpose of this work is to highlight the versatile power of colors, especially inviting children to notice how colors can change space, mood, and perceptions. The play of colors in space is not just a visual experience; it is also a way to explore how different shades and shapes can transform their environment in entirely new ways. The project encourages children to discover the joy and impact of colors in the surrounding world in a fun and interactive manner.
10. LUCY, IVO SCHOOFS & PEPE HEIJNEN / NETHERLANDS
LUCY is an art installation designed and created by Ivo Schoofs and Pepe Heijnen, exploring the interaction between light and space. Ivo Schoofs, known for his art projects focused on light and scientific phenomena, specifically designed the LUCY light installation to create an impactful visual experience where light serves as the main element.
LUCY consists of large mirror-like surfaces that reflect light and move mechanically, constantly changing the direction of the light, creating a dynamic and lively play of light and shadow in its environment. The light beams can split the space, forming geometric patterns and abstract shapes, offering viewers a meditative and sometimes even surreal experience.
The installation is designed to be both aesthetically impressive and technically ambitious, inviting viewers to contemplate the nature of light and movement. LUCY has been showcased at various art festivals and exhibitions, reflecting Schoofs' effort to merge science, technology, and art into meaningful visual experiences.
Ivo Schoofs is known for projects that combine engineering with artistic concepts, and LUCY is a prime example of how technical innovation can be transformed into a work of art.
11. THE CONNECTION, MARKO HÄKKINEN / FINLAND
Marko Häkkinen's artwork The Connection is a Finnish light installation that explores the interaction between people and space through light. The piece creates a multi-sensory experience, allowing viewers to feel the connection between light and the environment. Häkkinen, a light artist known for his ability to create spaces where light is a central element, imbues his works with a strong emotional impact. In the installation, light serves as a medium of communication, linking viewers with the environment. The rhythm, color, and intensity of the light continuously change, creating shifting moods and visual experiences. The audience can feel the physical presence of the light and how it transforms the dynamics and atmosphere of the space. The artwork aims to provoke reflection on how we are connected to our surroundings and to each other, with light acting as a symbolic bridge between these connections. The Connection has been presented at various light festivals and in public spaces, receiving praise for its meditative and interactive nature. Through his works, Marko Häkkinen demonstrates how light art can transform our experience of space, highlighting the power of light to create connections on both a physical and emotional level.
12. ALCHEMY OF ATHMOSPHERE, JANEZ GROSELJ / SLOVENIA
Alchemy of Atmosphere is an art project created by Slovenian artist Janez Grošelj, exploring the connection between light, sound, and the environment. The project focuses on the visual and auditory interpretation of atmospheric and climate phenomena, offering a fascinating way to reflect on the relationship between nature and technology.
Alchemy of Atmosphere combines art and science in a way that raises awareness of how environmental conditions impact life and our experiences. The installation uses various light sources and sound effects to create a dynamic environment where viewers can experience atmospheric phenomena, such as wind, light, and humidity, through artistic expression. Grošelj's work is particularly interested in revealing the delicate, invisible changes in the atmosphere through an artistic experience.
The project often employs space-responsive technologies, such as sensors and programmable lighting, which alter the installation's appearance according to environmental changes. This creates a unique and interactive experience for the viewers, where the interaction between the environment and the artwork is constantly present and evolving.
Alchemy of Atmosphere addresses profound themes about changes in nature and the climate and their impact on us, blending art, science, and technology in ways that invite viewers to reflect on their relationship with the environment.
13. VISUAL SOUND, ANTTI KULMALA / FINLAND
Visual Sound is an interactive artwork where sound transforms into a harmony of light and image. The microphone at the core of the piece captures every sound and converts it into a visual landscape in real-time, bringing the nuances of sound to life in a shimmering light. Every whisper, laugh, or song generates unique and diverse patterns that dance and change according to the intensity and rhythm of the sound. Visual Sound is a dialogue between sound and light, where abstract sound takes on a concrete form and offers participants the chance to see how their voices paint the space.