Laura Dahlberg
C6H12O
Galleria Huuto Jätkäsaari – Pikkujätkä
7.-29.4.2018
Contradiction and artificialness arise when examining our relationship with nature. Our behavior takes on strange features when nature is organized to suit our purposes.
My installation is a sort of simulation where the absurdity of our relationship with nature becomes concrete. The steaming machines keep running nonstop. The industrial landscape of the installation may seem threatening but, on the other hand, the equipment creates a meditative atmosphere. Is industry, which is threatening our living conditions, the foundation of the security achieved so far? Could it also guarantee security in the future? Perhaps it is also possible to find hope in a hopeless landscape.
The space is a speculative future view. The installation mainly has green vegetation in the form of artificial turf and the relaxing smell of freshly cut grass comes from man-made chemical compounds. Leaf alcohol, C6H12O, is one of the odor compounds released when grass is cut.
We are able to reproduce a large number of natural elements for our own use. Will nature be, in the future, fully organized to our preferences? However, if the experience of a synthetically produced grass smell is as relaxing as that of real grass, does the origin of the scent matter?
Creating imitations of reality is common in human activities. Where do we draw the line between natural and unnatural activities and what does it say about our relationship with nature? Is all this just natural to humans?
Thanks to Helsinki Hacklab for their assistance with the technical implementation of the installation and Jari Tuominen (Kenzen Oy) for creating the scent.
Laura Dahlberg (b. 1991) explores the surrounding world through its strong sensory experiences, illogicality, quirks and surprises. The artist is fascinated by the absurd things happening around her. She feels that they represent the unpredictability of the world, freedom and the moment when people lose control. Dahlberg earned a BA in fine arts from the Saimaa University of Applied Sciences, including exchange studies at the St Lucas School of Arts in Belgium. She has had exhibitions in both Finland and Belgium. She currently lives and works in Helsinki.
Laura Dahlberg
+358 50 310 1563
dahlberg.laura(at)gmail.com
www.lauradahlberg.com
