disCONNECTION – Jenni Eskola, Henrik Wetterstrand

disCONNECTION is an exhibition consisting of two works, each made up of sound and image. On the lower floor, there is a video projection just under four hours long, focusing on separation, clarification, and the dismantling of connections. On the upper floor, a nearly three-minute and over twelve-meter-long sound/paper installation exploring and testing the connection between sound and image is on display.

Sound and image are almost opposite forms of expression, but it is precisely because of this contrast that we are interested in exploring how strong a connection can be formed between them. Sound is perceived linearly and, in its immateriality, can fill any space, while image is usually perceived at a glance, has physical boundaries, and is mute. What kind of connection can be made from these starting points, if any? How far can we understand each other’s speech?

The work on the upper floor consists of music that defines the structure of the image: One beat is represented by a 3.8 cm wide strip of colors, which are determined by the instruments/sounds being used at the time. The composition of the image plays with the form of the piece, like a translation or interpretation into another language: We are talking about the same thing with different words, as we often do in everyday communication. The image spans the upper floor of the exhibition space, and the sound can be heard in one location through headphones, making it impossible to experience both the listening and viewing of the piece simultaneously. Together, however, they form a whole, much like the two sides of a coin.

What the works on both floors share is repetition, or more specifically, the variations that arise from it. In our work, we are interested in the subtle differences that are revealed when sound, rhythm, line, or movement is repeated endlessly. Our fascination with delicate nuances and variations is something that connects us, even though our working methods differ from one another.

Jenni Eskola is a visual artist who recently moved to Pori. Her works have previously been exhibited at Oksasenkatu11 Gallery, Amos Anderson Art Museum, Galerie Anhava, and the Helsinki Art Museum. Pori-based Henrik Wetterstrand’s sound works have most recently been exhibited at Röda Sten Konsthall in Gothenburg, Sweden, where his band Sink did the sound design and opening performance for the visual artist collective IC-98. The exhibition at Poriginal marks their first joint exhibition and performance in Pori.

The exhibition is supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation & the Pori City Culture Committee.

Translated with ChatGPT