Interview with Linda & Aura

Helsinki, 2.8.2019

Q: Why / when / how did you start to work with performance, what is your background, how did you arrive at doing performance?

We both began studying at the Fine Arts Academy in Helsinki 2001 and during the first year we took a course in performance art. None of the other students were interested in continuing with performance after the course, just us, and since we didn't want to make performances alone we began working together. Our background is in painting, which we studied as our main subject.

Q: What is your process like when you make a performance, from idea to actual work?

In the process of making a performance we begin by throwing ideas around. Most of our performances are a mix and match of many different kind of ideas, some very vague and abstract and others more concrete. Then we try to see how the ideas could be built up into a real performance, taking audience, time and space in consideration, too.

Q: Can you tell us about your latest project?

We have worked for some time with two figures called the Birchwomen. They wear body paintings that look like birchbark and sometimes carry birch branches in their hands. The Birchwomen do different birch rituals. The Birchwomen stand for connection with nature, femininity, sexuality, spirituality and innocence.  In 2018 they went to Paris and performed on the street outside of 59 Rivoli Gallery.

Q: What role does performance art have in your life / artistic praxis? Do you also work within other fields, like installation, sculpture, drawing, and other expressions? How do they influence / inform each other?

We both work with painting in our own artistic praxis. That affects our performances, our starting point is often in visual aspects, such as colors, materials and figures. Also narrativity in the way it is used within painting acts as a significant role in our performances.


<< Back

---