Art meets Finnish #grainfarming or It takes a village to plant a rye field
Part 4 / MÄMMI/MEMMA
A participartory #soundperformance

In the spring chapter of our project series #PRESERVED we designed a sound performance celebrating the traditional dessert "#mämmi" served at #Easter. For those who are not Finnish - mämmi is dark-brown pudding made of rye flour and rye malt, served with cream and sugar. The performance was planned as a participartory project where the people of #Andkil (#Vörå) were invited to join and contribute.

The central meeting point of the project - the Plaza del Råg, located in the middle of the #rye field which was planted in August 2024 served as a stage. An active/powered speaker system was used to present an experimental (sound) interpretation of the terms „mämmi“ (fin.) and "#memma" (swed.), inspired by #Dadaism or artists and writers like Ernst Jandl and Josef Beuys. The active speaker enabled us to put different layers of sound on top of each other and repeat them in loops to eventually creating a space of sound based on the constant repetition of the declination of the terms „mämmi“ and "memma". Philip (@(@arteluce23) started the performance by repeating the declinations and then we handed the microphone to the people from the village. We had a blast. After the performance mämmi was served in the newly restored barn of #Abramsgården.

[Our project deals with the question of the identity-creating significance of rye for Finland - especially in the region of Vörå, resp. #Ostrobothnia - and how this relationship can be reflected artistically ("Rågens rike" means "Kingdom of Rye" and describes this very region - Finlands #granary) The project is hosted by Abramsgården in Vörå (Vöyri) in Finland-Sweden.

Fotos: Kim Blåfield

With the support of: #finnlandinstitut #mikkofritze #finnlines
#Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse
#grannaslantbruk #perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund

#art #conceptualart #finland #performance

Mämmi Mämmi Mämmi
About yesterday

We were lucky and the rain didn´t fall while we were performing. And we were lucky to have a photographer because the one that we usually work with (Erik Åhman) turns out to be the brother of one of the singers of the band KAJ who will represent Sweden at the ESC. And understandably he is very busy at the moment travelling with them. Funny enough the whole band is from the area and the whole area is going nuts about it. We found replacement in Kim Blåfield who will send us the official performance documentation next week, so for now its just the afterwards mämmi feast. It was great that so many people came. Stay tuned for more.

And thank you @Pejuksu@mastodon.social for the lemon and orange slices. That was a great addition to the mämmi/memma.

Fotos: Scheibe & Güntzel and Dorothee Schulte-Basta

The project is hosted by #Abramsgården in Vörå, supported by #Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse #Finnlines #finnlandinstitut #grannaslantbruk #perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund

#art #contemporaryart #conceptualart #participartoryart #finland #finnland #zeitgenössischekunst #konzeptkunst #partizipativekunst #ostrobothnia #österbotten #Vörå #Abramsgården #rågensrike #rye #performanceart #preserved #scheibeundgüntzel #farming #grainfarming #finlandsweden #participartoryart #sowing #sowingseeds #spring #easter #mämmi #memma #malt #ostern #erikåhman #esc #kimblåfield #soundperformance #performance #kaj

Preparing for tomorrow

Today we went to Vasa to buy mämmi. A traditional Finnish pudding made of rye malt. We will serve it tomorrow after our sound performance. The performance will deal with the term "mämmi". In Swedish and in Finnish (since we are in Finland-Sweden). Dorothee, our host also prepared her legendary eggnog. It will be wild.

The project is hosted by #Abramsgården in Vörå, supported by #Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse #Finnlines #finnlandinstitut #grannaslantbruk #perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund

#art #contemporaryart #conceptualart #participartoryart #finland #finnland #zeitgenössischekunst #konzeptkunst #partizipativekunst #ostrobothnia #österbotten #Vörå #Abramsgården #rågensrike #rye #performanceart #preserved #scheibeundgüntzel #farming #grainfarming #finlandsweden #participartoryart #sowing #sowingseeds #catsofpixelfed #spring #easter #eggnog #mämmi #memma #malt #ostern #eierlikör

The hut in the middle of the rye field..
... is progressing. Philip used more wood shingles and finished for now. The space will be used tomorrow for our upcoming sound performance and has been used in the last months already as a meeting point. We are only using material that the neighbours provided or that we found. The next part will be build when we are back in July. We called the space "Plaza del Råg" and the small path that leads to it "Råg Boulevard".

The project is hosted by #Abramsgården in Vörå, supported by #Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse #Finnlines #finnlandinstitut #grannaslantbruk #perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund

#art #contemporaryart #conceptualart #participartoryart #finland #finnland #zeitgenössischekunst #konzeptkunst #partizipativekunst #ostrobothnia #österbotten #Vörå #Abramsgården #rågensrike #rye #performanceart #preserved #scheibeundgüntzel #farming #grainfarming #finlandsweden #participartoryart #sowing #sowingseeds #spring #shingles #schindeln #plazadelråg

About today

We made it and arrived in Vörå at Abramsgården. Spring is here and our rye field is slowly awaking. We are now continuing to build the meeting point in the middle of the field (which we startet calling "Plaza del Råg") using material that we get from the neighbours. Today shingles. The cats are still tiny.

The project is hosted by #Abramsgården in Vörå, supported by #Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse #Finnlines #finnlandinstitut #grannaslantbruk #perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund

#art #contemporaryart #conceptualart #participartoryart #finland #finnland #zeitgenössischekunst #konzeptkunst #partizipativekunst #ostrobothnia #österbotten #Vörå #Abramsgården #rågensrike #rye #performanceart #preserved #scheibeundgüntzel #farming #grainfarming #finlandsweden #participartoryart #sowing #sowingseeds #catsofpixelfed #spring #shingles #schindeln

PRESERVED // Rågens rike / Finnland 2024/25
sowing

In our current project in Vörå/Finland we planted a rye field in August 2024 and developed a series of interventions, cooking events and performances related to the importance of rye for Finland. The whole project is a participartory project carried out with the cooparetion and help of the whole village. We will now go back to Finland for Easter for the next event and are so excited to see how the rye has grown. Stay tuned.

Foto: Peter Lüttge

The project is hosted by #Abramsgården in Vörå, supported by #Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse #Finnlines #finnlandinstitut #grannaslantbruk #perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund

#art #contemporaryart #conceptualart #participartoryart #finland #finnland #zeitgenössischekunst #konzeptkunst #partizipativekunst #ostrobothnia #österbotten #Vörå #Abramsgården #rågensrike #rye #performanceart #preserved #scheibeundgüntzel #farming #grainfarming #finlandsweden #participartoryart #sowing #sowingseeds

HIMMELI II

In the frame of our project PRESERVED // Rågens rike / Finnland 204/25 we dealt with the traditional himmeli objects that are made of rye straw and are now used as a traditional Christmas decoration. In the former days they would be used to ask for a good harvest. In our winter chapter (November 2024) we asked the people of the area where our project is taking place (Vörå in Finland-Sweden) to join us to create a detail of a huge himmeli by using light tubes. The village came and in joint forces the ephermeral himmeli installation was created.

The whole project is carried out with the help of the village.

Our next stay will take place soon, stay tuned.


Fotos: Erik Åhman

The project is hosted by #Abramsgården in Vörå, supported by #Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse #Finnlines #finnlandinstitut #grannaslantbruk #perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund

#art #contemporaryart #conceptualart #participartoryart #finland #finnland #zeitgenössischekunst #konzeptkunst #partizipativekunst #ostrobothnia #österbotten #Vörå #Abramsgården #rågensrike #rye #performanceart #preserved #scheibeundgüntzel #farming #grainfarming #finlandsweden #himmeli #eijakoski #lightart #illumination #winter #erikahman #lichtkunst #lichtinstallation #lightinstallation #light #winter #snow #participartoryart

PRESERVED // Rågens rike / Himmeli, 2024

Our current project in Finland will probably go on for a whole year. We started with the preparation of the rye field in August 2024 and came back in November for the winter session.

In the winter chapter we worked with the so called "himmelis", traditional objects made of rye straw, orginally applied to ask for a good harvest, today mainly used as Christmas decoration. We projected the structure of a classic himmeli onto the facade of a grain dryer and examined the abstract pattern. This particular himmeli is a work of the famous himmeli artist Eija Koski whom we had the honour to meet.

The dryers belong to our cooperation partners in Vörå.
Thank you @Katrin-Bethge for your great overhead projector!

With the support of: #Finnlandinstitut, #Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse #Finnlines #grannaslantbruk #perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund

#art #contemporaryart #conceptualart #participartoryart #finland #finnland #zeitgenössischekunst #konzeptkunst #partizipativekunst #ostrobothnia #österbotten #Vörå #Abramsgården #grannaslantbruk #rågensrike #rye #performanceart #preserved #scheibeundgüntzel #farming #grainfarming #finlandsweden #himmeli #eijakoski #lightart #illumination #graindryer #winter

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO PLANT A RYE FIELD
Our current project in Finland:

The project PRESERVED // Rågens rike / Finland 2024-25 deals with the question of the identity-creating significance of rye for Finland - especially in the region of Vörå, resp. Ostrobothnia - and how this relationship can be reflected artistically ("Rågens rike" means "Kingdom of Rye"). The project is designed as a joint project in which different actors from the village community, such as farmers, neighbours, and other villagers, are involved as a significant part of the realization process: „It takes a village to plant and harvest a rye field“. The events and projects are planned in dialogue with the people of the area and are based on research and exchange with experts linked to the topic. The project is hosted by Abramsgården Vörå and carried out on the very site as well as in selected locations in the area. To achieve this, Scheibe & Güntzel cultivated a rye field in Vörå in August 2024, with support from Andkil village.

The artists also began constructing an abstract installation resembling a hut with a seating area, designed to serve as both a communicative platform and a space for contemplation. The installation is build with material provided by the community.

In the course of the project, which is aligned with the rhythm of the seasons, Scheibe & Güntzel are presentig an artistic series consisting of interventions, performances and cooking events related to the history and significance of rye for the Finnish people, as well as events related to the growth, harvest and use of rye.

With the support of: #Finnlandinstitut, #Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse #Finnlines #grannaslantbruk #perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund

#art #contemporaryart #participartoryart #finland #finnland #ostrobothnia #österbotten #Vörå #Abramsgården #grannaslantbruk #rågensrike #rye #performanceart #preserved #scheibeundgüntzel #farming #grainfarming #finlandsweden