Mikko Kuorinki & James Prevett

An exhibition in the form of a publication by Mikko Kuorinki for Patsastellaan: Parties for Public Sculpture

It began with a passing conversation in a public sauna about public sculpture in Helsinki. Mikko Kuorinki’s fascination with Kalle Räike’s Bas Relief / Kohukuva led James Prevett to invite Mikko to make a Party for a Public Sculpture for it. This started the process ending with this thing you have in your hands. It could be described as a party for a public sculpture in the form of a group exhibition, exhibited in the form of a publication. This difficult to define object seems apt for a sculpture with little information about it and what it actually is. We gained almost nothing from our research in the archives (Architecture / Helsinki / Public Art) and what we found concerned the Icehall / Jäähalli and only mentions the sculpture as a side note. What we are left with is the fact that the sculpture is designed by the architect Räike for his own building (Jäähalli), and that it currently overlooks a parking lot with a Drive-Through restaurant cabin placed in front of it.

The exhibition / booklet was convened by Mikko Kuorinki for the Patsastellaan: Parties for Public Sculpture project. It features Eeva-Maija Pulkkinen, Tuukka Kaila, Maarit Mustonen, sidony o’neal, Anna Tomi and James & Lempi Prevett.

Patsastellaan is an ongoing project by James Prevett where artists are invited to make a new public work (party) for a public sculpture in Helsinki. They re-activate public sculptures and ­stimulate­ their public consciousness. What do we choose to mark/celebrate/commemorate and why?