Year of the Rabbit – With a Juniper
HD video 16:9, 20 min. 10 sec. 2012
Wrapped in a green scarf I visit a juniper growing on the southeastern shore of Harakka Island on Sundays 3 pm during the year of the rabbit between February 6, 2011 and January 22, 2012.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/year-of-the-rabbit-with-a-juniper/
Year of the Rabbit
two-channel video installation (2x) 20 min. 10 sec. 2012
1. left. Year of the Rabbit – By the Bird Shed https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/year-of-the-rabbit-by-the-bird-shed/
2. right. Year of the Rabbit – With a Juniper https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/year-of-the-rabbit-with-a-juniper/
Looking for a Juniper – Clare Island
HD video 16:9, 15 min. 19 sec. 2013
In July 2011, wrapped in a green scarf, I am looking for a juniper on the slopes of Clare Island in Ireland.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/looking-for-a-juniper-clare-island/
Becoming Juniper – Ismolas
HD video 16:9, 19 min. 45 sec. 2012
In February 2012, wrapped in a green scarf, I am spending time with junipers in Ismolas in Sardinia.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/becoming-juniper-ismolas/
An article describing the project Year of the Rabbit and especially the experience of blogging realted to it is published as
“Immediate Mediation – On the Performativity of Blogging” in Bruce Barton, Melanie Dreyer-Lude & Anna Birch (cur/eds.) Experiments and Intensities Vol 3 Mediating Practices(s) Performance as research and – in – through – mediation 2013.
Immediate mediation - on the perfromativity of blogging
ANNETTE ARLANDER
Year of the Rabbit
Video works, Gallery Janva
9.1 – 27.1.2013
How to perform landscape, not only represent it? Can you have a meaningful relationship with a singular element in the landscape? How can you relate to a living being that you do not easily recognize as your kind? A plant is hard to see as a partner in interaction although plants are actually our collaborators with regard to production of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Plants are our allies, since they, via their photosynthesis, produce the basic ingredients of our food. They are the true creators of our world. There is a kind of symbiotic relationship between plants and animals, in this case a shrub and a human being. Most plants are stationary, reliable to be there for us. A plant knows what it means to be site-specific. A certain shrub in a particular place is an entity with a distinguishable individuality, something to relate to and to visit.
During the year of the rabbit 2011 I chose a juniper growing in the southeastern part of Harakka Island to acquaint myself with and as my partner within the project ” Year of the Rabbit with a Juniper”. A juniper seemed to me a strange creature comparable with the hare in Arto Paasilinna’s novel, together with whom I could search for a new contact with the environment. I ended up visiting the juniper once a week and “holding hands” with it wrapped in a green scarf. I invited passers-by and colleagues to witness my performance and wrote a blog about the project http://aa-katajankanssa.blogspot.com/. While travelling I encountered other junipers to make acquaintance with. In the Turku archipelago and in South Häme I found handsome junipers and later I looked for them on Ireland, Sardinia and Ibiza. In the year 2012 I have spent time with junipers as well. Am I perhaps “becoming juniper”?
The Year of the Rabbit is one part in a series of twelve one-year projects videoed on Harakka Island. The series, which I began in 2002, is based on the Chinese calendar and its cycle of twelve years, with each year named after a specific animal. Works videoed in the year of the rat (2008) were shown in Katarina gallery in November 2009 and works videoed in the year of the ox (2009) were shown in gallery Muu in September 2010. Works videoed in the year of the tiger (2010) were exhibited in gallery Jangva in January 2012. Every year I have looked for a new perspective on the landscape, a new aspect of the environment and a new kind of relationship between the human body and the place. My working method utilises the traditions of performance art, video art and environmental art, moving in the borderland between them.
Becoming Juniper – Kökar
HD video 16:9, 30 min. 42 sec. 2012
In June 2011, wrapped in a green scarf, I am spending time with junipers on the island of Kökar.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/becoming-juniper-kokar/
Becoming Juniper – Ses Salines
HD video 16:9, 6 min. 44 sec. 2012
In October 2012, wrapped in a green scarf, I am spending time with junipers in Ses Salines on Ibiza.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/becoming-juniper-ses-salines/
Above a short version of the video, Year of the Rabbit - With a Juniper (short) 6 min 51 sec.
A longer version of the work is Year of the Rabbit – With a Juniper (long) 2 t. 21 min. 5 sec.
Works by Arlander (projections from left to right)
1
Looking for a Juniper – Clare Island / Katajaa etsimässä – Clare island
2013 (15 min. 19 sec.)
Becoming Juniper – Kökar / Katajoitumassa – Kökar
2012 (30 min. 42 sec.)
2
Becoming Juniper – Kalvola / Katajoitumassa – Kalvola
2012 (16 min. 50 sec.)
Becoming Juniper – Ismolas / Katajoitumassa – Ismolas
2012 (19 min. 45 sec.)
3
Year of the Rabbit – By the Bird Shed / Jäniksen vuosi – lintupiilon luona
2012 (20 min. 10 sec.)
4
Year of the Rabbit – With a Juniper / Jäniksen vuosi – katajan kanssa
2012 (20 min. 10 sec.)
5
Day and Night of the Rabbit – In the Year of the Dragon 1 & 2 / Jäniksen vuorokausi – Lohikäärmeen vuonna 1 & 2
2012 (20 min. 10 sec.)
6
Becoming Juniper – Rovaniemi / Katajoitumassa – Rovaniemi
2012 (37 min.)
Holding Hands with Junipers– Ibiza / Käsikkäin katajien kanssa – Ibiza
2012 (15 min. 6 sec.)
7 (small room):
Holding Hands with a Juniper – Seili / Käsikkäin katajan kanssa – Seili
2012 (7 min. 9 sec.)
Holding Hands with a Juniper – Osaka / Käsikkäin katajan kanssa - Osaka
2012 (4 min. 8 sec.)
With a Juniper – Crete / Katajan kanssa – Kreeta
2012 (6 min. 54 sec.)
Becoming Juniper – Ses Salines / Katajoitumassa – Ses Salines
2012 (6 min. 44 sec.)
Becoming Juniper in Rain / Katajoitumassa sateessa
2012 (3 min 52 sec.)
Becoming Juniper – Kalvola
HD video 16:9, 16 min. 50 sec. 2012
On a summer day in 2011, wrapped in a green scarf, I am spending time with junipers in Kalvola.
Holding Hands with Junipers– Ibiza
HD video 16:9, 15 min. 6 sec. 2012
In October 2012, wrapped in a green scarf, I am spending time with junipers on Ibiza.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/holding-hands-with-junipers-ibiza/
Year of the Rabbit – By the Bird Shed
HD video 16:9, 20 min. 10 sec. 2012
Wrapped in a green scarf I stand next to the bird shed situated on the southeastern shore of Harakka Island on Sundays 3 pm during the year of the rabbit between February 6, 2011 and January 22, 2012.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/year-of-the-rabbit-by-the-bird-shed/
A longer version of the work is Year of the Rabbit – By the Bird Shed (long) 2 t. 21 min. 5 sec.
Becoming Juniper – Rovaniemi
HD video 16:9, 37 min. 2012
In the beginning of May 2012, wrapped in a green scarf, I am spending time with junipers below Ounasvaara in Rovaniemi.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/becoming-juniper-rovaniemi/
Holding Hands with a Juniper – Osaka
HD video 16:9, 4 min. 8 sec. 2012
In August 2011, wrapped in a green scarf, I am holding hands with a juniper in Osaka.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/holding-hands-with-a-juniper-osaka/
Day and Night of the Rabbit – In the Year of the Dragon 1 & 2
HD video 16:9, 40 min. 20 sec. 2012
Part 1. Wrapped in a green scarf I visit the juniper growing on the southeastern shore of Harakka Island with three-hour intervals on June 16 at 1 pm to June 17 at 1 pm.
Part 2. The juniper on its own video recorded on the same occasions. Voice over in Finnish, with English subtitles.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/day-and-night-of-the-rabbit-in-the-year-of-the-dragon-1-2/
Day and Night of the Rabbit – In the Year of the Dragon 1 & 2
HD video 16:9, installation (2x) 20 min. 10 sec. 2012
Part 1. Wrapped in a green scarf I visit the juniper growing on the southeastern shore of Harakka Island with three-hour intervals on June 16 at 1 pm to June 17 at 1 pm.
Part 2. The juniper on its own video recorded on the same occasions. Voice over in Finnish, with English subtitles.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/day-and-night-of-the-rabbit-in-the-year-of-the-dragon-1-2/
Holding Hands with a Juniper – Seili
HD video 16:9, 7 min. 9 sec. 2012
In August 2011, wrapped in a green scarf, I am holding hands with a juniper on the island of Seili.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/holding-hands-with-a-juniper-seili/
With a Juniper – Crete
HD video 16:9, 6 min. 54 sec. 2012
In October 2011, wrapped in a green scarf, I am spending time with a juniper on Crete.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/works/with-a-juniper-crete/
Becoming Juniper in Rain
HD video 16:9, 3 min 52 sec. 2012
In October 2011, wrapped in a green scarf, I am spending time with a juniper on Crete, in rain.
The bilingual blog Year of the Rabbit with a Juniper - Jäniksen vuosi katajan kanssa
"During the year of the rabbit on Sundays at 3 PM, starting on the 6th of February, I will spend a moment with a juniper on the island of Harakka, next to the shed used for bird watching and video film that moment. Welcome to wonder at the changes in the landscape!"
A pdf of a powerpoint presentation of the images included in the blog Year of the Rabbit with a Juniper http://aa-katajankanssa.blogspot.pt/