Research Catalogue

This artistic research project deals with Indaba, a performance for young audiences. Indaba is an isiZulu word for a meeting or discussion where the right people meet at the right moment to figure out things that concern them. Our performance Indaba explores questions like: How does it feel to be Finnish, or African, or both? How do many identities fit into one person? This artistic research and performance investigate important and underrepresented topics in the Finnish context: a sense of shared space and questions of mixed identities. The research question addresses shared space as follows: “What kind of tools and skills are helpful in creating a sense of shared space in a performative setting?”. The research takes a closer look at a series of five alternating and interconnected indabas and reflection sessions with the performer-trio: Pietari Kauppinen, Kasheshi Makena, and the author of this exposition. This written work also maps out some key conversations and concepts that our indaba and this artistic research connect to, such as third space and intersectionality. The main research findings are a practical tool for establishing a way of sharing space and the importance of the performer's responsibility in making meanings. Relevant skills that emerged from these findings include observation skills such as being alert and sensing what meanings things carry in the context at hand, and proactive skills such as the ability to respond in the moment.

50 A3 drawings black and coloured markers, including: 3 A3 collages on paper with newspaper cutouts and printed photos. 12 A4 drawings on paper with coloured markers, glued on A3 paper + 1 A3 with black ballpoint pen and markers, glued on A3 paper. 13 A3 drawings on paper with black marker, and red, pale blue, gold, pink and orange markers +1 A3 two-sided. 17 A3 drawings on paper with coloured markers. 1 drawing on sketchbook cover with red nail polish. 1 text drawing on sketchbook cover inside. 1 drawing on sketchbook cover back inside with black, orange and gold markers. 22 A4 drawings with ballpoint pen. 62 pocket sketchbook black marker and ballpoint pen drawings. Some of the above is preparatory work for 4 large prints and 13 paintings. The 12 A4 glued on A3 are preparatory work for a collage on panel. I made the art between 2023-2024, from the perspective of the observer. Most of the research material came out of crime and fraud reports. I started writing the blog afterwards, since the summer of 2024. I adopted the visual vocabulary of the graphic novel, which I partly studied and read a lot about, looking at different graphic artists' work, when I was attending classes at the University of Malmo, Sweden, in 2012, to familiarise myself with elements of game design. Much of this work is, amongst other, about children: how they love, amongst other. I wanted to emphasise that element, by intentionally applying stylistic elements from children's drawings, in a naive and loose architectural composition, using heavily the black marker and stick figures. Adopting this visual approach, I also wanted to evoke a comically sharp, but intimate twist, as commentary, in the British tradition of political satire, to the otherwise dark subject matter. Finally, this artistic style refers to the populist character of actors. The text is written like trip-hop songs: two of the pseudonyms I gave are the artistic names of musicians of colour from the British band "Massive Attack", formed in Bristol. I use heavily popular culture signifiers, names of fictional characters from film, television, music and painting, as reference to actual individuals. Parts of the analysis is inspired by Saul Kripke's interpretation of Wittgenstein's example of mathematical calculation. I used plenty of popular and less popular literary and philosophical references, for the visual art and in the writing. Saul Aaron Kripke was the inventor of the possible worlds philosophical hypothesis, which was seminal for philosophers working in the area of contemporary analytic metaphysics, including the theory of counterparts and the theory of names. He died in 2022. Lauren Berlant was a cultural theorist and gender studies scholar. She died in 2021. The exposition is underpinned by an underlying Marxist interpretation that, in my view, is relevant not just to economists and political philosophers, but also to people working in different sectors of our modern economies of advanced capitalism, such as banking and cybersecurity. In the style of art, as painting, I was inspired by Jean-Michel Basquiat's drawings and paintings, which are laden with input from popular media sources, like jazz music and television, recorded in an automatic and naive drawing manner, turned into abstracted paintings. For Nikos ('Ramadan', 'Julien', "Mr X"), Filip ('Philip'), and Brandon ('Magna') - August, September, and October 2024. For "Daddy G" ('Isaac'), 'Eric' ("Her Man"), 'Prudence' ("'Rachel''s Beau", or "Her Man's alter-ego"), 'Moussa', 'Gaetan', 'Mohammed' ('Onzedouze'), 'Hermando', and 'Nessim' - December 2024, January 2025, May, June, August and September 2025. Four men of colour and seven white men - or, more accurately, four and six, or six and four. Who were also targeted, directly and indirectly. Who are not politicians, except for a current one and a former one, but are doing something political, so they must take good care of what they do. See also exposition "The Loot", under 'Art and Activism Exposed as Research Blog'.

Focaris parte de la conexión entre el fuego y el hogar como espacios de encuentro, protección y transformación. La obra se desarrolla a través de un diálogo entre la expresión individual y el encuentro colectivo, representado por la reunión en torno a una mesa o una hoguera. Cada bailarín expresa su "fuego interno" en solos apoyados por el grupo, generando conexiones y contrastes a través de la coreografía. La narrativa de la obra está construida bajo la estructura del teatro griego, donde el coro acompaña, enfatiza y dialoga con las acciones individuales. La accesibilidad está integrada en la dramaturgia, transformando la LSC, la audiodescripción y los elementos visuales en recursos estéticos.

This research explores an interpretative approach to Dialogue de l’ombre double by Pierre Boulez, a key work in the contemporary clarinet repertoire. Motivated by my decision to perform this piece in my final master’s recital, the study goes beyond its technical demands to examine its historical context, Boulez’s compositional style, and the interaction between live clarinet and electronics. The research is structured around four objectives: contextualizing Boulez’s contributions to contemporary music, analyzing the structure of Dialogue de l’ombre double, developing an interpretative framework, and offering technical solutions. Following the introduction, Chapter 1 explores Boulez’s impact on contemporary music, particularly his use of electronics and spatialization. Chapter 2 provides a structural and musical analysis of the work, examining how its elements create a cohesive sonic narrative. Chapter 3 presents interpretative and technical strategies for engaging with the electronic part, focusing on phrasing, articulation, and dynamics. Chapter 4 offers practical solutions for technical challenges, including alternative fingerings and exercises for complex passages. Based on bibliographic research, recordings, discussions with clarinet professors, and personal experimentation, this study highlights how a deeper engagement with the score and Boulez’s stylistic intentions can lead to a more informed and compelling performance.

This exposition continues the series The Sonic Atelier – Conversations with Contemporary Composers and Producers, dedicated to exploring the evolving role of the composer today. Through a Q&A format, the project examines how contemporary creators integrate composition, production, performance, and technology into their artistic practice. This interview features Robot Koch, an award-winning composer, producer, and performer whose work spans electronic music, orchestral writing, and immersive audiovisual performance. Koch reflects on his hybrid identity as a creator, discussing the interplay between writing and production, the role of technology as an expressive tool, and the potential of spatial audio and immersive formats. The conversation also addresses the transformations of the music industry, the impact of artificial intelligence, and the importance of authenticity and craftsmanship in the creative process.

This exposition inaugurates the series The Sonic Atelier – Conversations with Contemporary Composers and Producers, dedicated to exploring the evolving role of the composer today. Through a Q&A format, the project investigates how contemporary creators integrate composition, production, performance, and technology into their artistic identity. This first interview features Luca Longobardi, who reflects on his hybrid practice across classical and electronic music, immersive performance, and sound design, offering insights into the fluid boundaries between writing, production, and live interpretation.