Helina Hukkataival

Born 1941

Studies: Tampere Polytechnic, School of Art and Media, professional specialisation studies in video art, 2002 and photography 2003
Miniforum, International Performance Workshop, Turku 1998
Gestalt Art Therapist studies by Ihmissuhdetyö Association, Helsinki 1993-94 and 1985-87
Performance Workshop By Derevo Theatre, Leningrad, USSR, 1990
Institute of Arts and Crafts, Helsinki, 1962-64 (art teacher education)
Lindenwood College, Art Department,
St. Charles, Mo,USA 1961-62

Solo exhibitions and group exhibitions since 1997

1987-2002 about 70 different performances e.g. in Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Mänttä, Dreieich, Oslo, Bern,
Mainz, Darmstadt

Teaching and Workshops:
University of Art and Design, Helsinki, visiting lecturer in the Further Studies Programme 1999
“Ett Mångkulturellt Norden”
(= A Multicultural North), a Scandinavian Art Project for Youth

Art teacher of comprehensive and upper secondary school 1966-2001

Mark me

For me performance is a living picture, based on presence. Performance is a way of involving myself as deep in the picture as it is possible by being physically a part of it. It is creat-ing the picture right there under the eyes of spectators and for them. At the same time I do it also for myself in order to find out what the performance, which consists of objects, movements and actions, the clothes I am wearing, sounds and lately also audiovisual parts, all that I have beforehand carefully chosen, tell me of life. Sometimes I understand it only by listening to the thoughts of the audience, if people are willing to share them.

At it’s best I would like my performance to work out a little like a Zen koan, a kind of impossible riddle, which can suddenly give new insight to life. Often I deal with everyday objects and issues and work with quiet actions and sudden contrasts.

Sometimes the interaction with audience is crucial for the performance to happen at all. This is also the case in my performance MARK ME, where I am acting as a living guest book for the visitors in Vogelfrei 5.

Performance im gesamten Straßenbereich von Vogelfrei 5

Vogelfrei wird gefördert von Müller & Müller, Weine und Delikatessen, Darmstadt