Tasha Aulls & Rauha Hartt, Synthesis, 2021

Show, workshops and events 14.1–14.2.2021 Viherkäine Garden Centre , Lensunkalliontie 3, Rauma.

Residency: January-February
Tasha Aulls (Longeuil CA), Susanna Autio (Järvenpää FI), Luis Cascante (New York US), Rauha Hartt (Espoo FI) and Katariina Mannio (Rauma FI)

The Synteesi – Synthesis project considers the many levels of humankinds’ relationship with nature and the diversity of life. At the centre of the project - which began incubation in January 2020 - is a group show at Viherkäine Garden Centre in Rauma. This group of artists started to work together and via monthly video calls the group coalesced, clarifying each artist's own work through conversation while expanding the whole - hence the exhibition name Synthesis. (“The act of combining different ideas or things to make a whole that is new and different from the items considered separately”Cambridge Dictionary) .

The exhibition space itself offers a great frame to investigate the subject further; Viherkäine Garden Centre is a humid oasis in the midst of deep winter. A variety of plants, flowers and canary birds coexist in the space, which during the day is bathed in light from the roof windows and by afternoon gets swathed in velvety darkness.

The group show consists of an international team of artists, whose different backgrounds and approach to the creation of art offers an exhilarating diversity:

Canadian artist Tasha Aulls explores the possibilities of ecological thinking through painting and drawing. She highlights microbes living in the soil and their importance in the garden as well as in commercial agriculture. Aulls will be working together with Hartt at RaumArs residency during Jan-Feb 2021.

Finnish artist Susanna Autio from Järvenpää contributes to the show her humoristic warmth through her delicate animal sculptures, created using dried vegetables. “We are all part of nature, people and animals”.

Born in America to Costa Rican and Puerto Rican parents, New York artist Luis Cascante comes from a background in fashion design and illustration. He is exhibiting surrealistic digital paintings with human and plant motifs. He will participate in audience talks via Zoom.

After studying and working in London for 16 years, Finnish artist Rauha Hartt now lives in Espoo. Having practiced Conscious Dance for many years, she combined her love of visual arts with dance and created the Dance n’ Paint method. For this show, Hartt has created energetic paintings in which dance movements are shown in abstract brush strokes.

Finnish artist Katariina Mannio is from Rauma. Her contribution to the show deals with the history of the architecture of winter gardens. Through large charcoal drawings, “Le jardin d’hiver / Winter garden / Talvipuutarha” details the birth of winter gardens and their popularity at the turn of 20th century Europe.

A number of the exhibiting artists will work on site. The public is invited to participate in this work, as well as through workshops and other events. Corona restrictions are being taken into account and the number of participants is limited.

SYNTHESIS ART SESSIONS.

Dance n’Paint, teacher Rauha Hartt. Wednesday 20.1.2021 at 14.00–15.30 and Tuesday 9.2. at 16.30–18.00 .

Pineapple stove – Wardian case , teacher Katariina Mannio. Wednesday 27.1. at 16.30–18.00 and Sunday 7.2. at 12.00–13.30.

Creatures and Codes, teacher Tasha Aulls. Saturday 30.1. at 13.00–14.00.

Artist talk Saturday 6.2. at 15.00. On the spot Tasha Aulls, Luis Cascante (zoom), Rauha Hartt and Katariina Mannio.

DROP IN & participate with Tasha Aulls:

Thursday Jan 28th, Friday Jan 29th, Wednesday Feb 3rd, Thursday Feb 4th , Friday Feb 5th, all from 4-5:30.

*As a drop in, you can come anytime between these hours, and stay the full time or just a few minutes, as you wish and within the restrictions for COVID numbers. No pre-registration.

The number of participants in the sessions is limited to 8.

Maksuttomien tuokioiden osallistujamäärä 8.

The work of the artist group is supported by Finnish Cultural Foundation/Satakunta Foundation and Erkki Paasikivi Foundation..