This exhibition displays five projects inspired by the Kokemäenjoki river in Pori and the phenomena of urban fishing. They were created during the “Situated Urban” course at Aalto ARTS, while actively exploring the river and reflecting about the stories around it. Each project looks at the river and fishing from different angles, merging physical, personal and social dimensions via artistic approaches.
What these projects have in common is not just a simple idea of “urban fishing” i.e. studying fishing practices in the cities as a one-way action — something only human beings do. Instead, urban fishing is seen as a two-way relation between the river and the human beings. Both have a power over each other: the river is often an obstacle, it can flood or erode, while human beings can dam and redirect the river, pollute or litter it. But at the same time both parties give something back to each other: the river provides the fish, a place to live by, wade and swim in, to live in. Human beings bring life into the river, honour it, appreciate it, let it flow, help it to flow. This exhibition shows Urban fishing as a relation between human beings and river, explored through the lens of six project participants.
PUPA - Aalto University`s co-operation platform in Pori: taide.aalto.fi/en/pori
Elävä Pori Project:
Urban Fishing blog: