ARCS – Johanna Pöykkö

What do we carry with us? What do we see when we look at the same view?
Through what lens do we perceive it?

There is a time before the pandemic. A time before Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. A time before worry.
A time before joy. There is this moment.
Humanity in relation to our own experiences and those of the people walking alongside us.
Humanity, our relationships with others, is an integral part of my artistic practice.

These are the thoughts that occupy me as I paint and cut fabric. My process often begins with plain white bedsheet fabric, which I work on using screen printing, painting, coating, cutting, and sewing. From these fabric elements, I construct spaces and spatial artworks. Recently, I have been creating large-scale spatial installations. The scale of childhood bedsheet forts has grown in proportion to the artist.

Is art a documentation of existence or a means of self-expression?
For me, creating art is a way of spending time with my thoughts. I strive to capture a vision that I want others to see as well. We observe the same scene, each from our own perspective.
How far back can I remember? How far forward can I imagine?

Translated with ChatGPT