Veli-Ville Sivén

I’ve had the privilege to design the set, lighting and video for this stage work about writer Eeva Kilpi, based on the book by Anna-Riikka Carlson. “Nämä juhlat jatkuvat vielä” (The Celebration Continues) tells the story of a friendship between an editor and an aging author — about intergenerational memories, hidden stories, memory loss, motherhood, love, nature conservation and activism. It’s both tender and raw, and full of Eeva Kilpi’s poetry, beautifully set to music by Maija Ruuskanen. The stage concept is what I call a “museum of memories.”
If memory illness blurs the whole picture, what if the remaining details were displayed — like in an exhibition — and through these objects, stories begin to fill in what’s been lost? On stage we see real photographs from Eeva Kilpi’s archive, projected large, and new video material from Piskola cottage, the place she so often wrote about. Light from a filmed window spills into the physical space, connecting what’s real and what’s remembered. For me, this piece continues my exploration of how light, space and video can merge — how digital and physical realities meet through light. And somewhere in that, I found a connection to my own memory of my late grandmother, and the soft light that stayed with her until the end. Text: @kookatinen 
Original work: @annariikkacarlson Carlson
Music: @maijaruu 
Lyrics: Eeva Kilpi & Kati Kaartinen 
Director: @korsmamaki 
 Set, lighting & video design: @veliville Cast: Eija Ahvo, Jonna Järnefelt & Maija Ruuskanen 
Sound: Mika Hiltunen 
Photos: Veli-Ville Sivén & Otto-Ville
 A co-production by Turku City Theatre & The Finnish National Theatre

About Baritone Waltteri Torikka and choreographer Jorma Uotinen have created a dramatic stage work combining sound, light, and movement around the music of J.S. Bach. The piece is a tribute to Jorma Uotinen and his life’s work as a choreographer and dance artist, while also celebrating his 75th anniversary year. About light and Space The starting point of the work was Bach’s music, as well as the theme of death, approached through choreographer Jorma Uotinen and baritone Waltteri Torikka. The work had to be created in such a way that it could be transferred to different spaces, primarily church settings. The working process was associative: a branch, a cross, an egg, harvesting, grain, light or stone emerged during the process, introduced by Jorma Uotinen alongside the choreography. The choreographer’s assistant, Riku Lehtopolku, said the word “common reed,” which immediately struck me. Soon, I had already designed a wall made of reed and framed with light. The reed wall created a beautiful backdrop for the dancers’ movements and harmonized wonderfully with the church’s stone wall, forming a material contrast. This work focused precisely on the associative and interpretive dimensions of materials. The materials themselves spoke around the theme of death—and thereby also of life. A dialogue emerged between the organic and the hard, the movement of life and the solidity of earth, also light and shadow. With the aid of light, all the events of the performance, the details, the music, the performers, and the audience became part of a whole that could only be experienced in person. An abstract and powerful use of coloured light, brings forth an entirely new dimension and interpretation—both to the performers as well as to the reed wall or the church’s structures. Credits Director Choreographer @jormauotinen Concept and Baritone soloist @waltteritorikka Choreographers assistant Riku Lehtopolku Dancers @sofiaruija , @niart_na , Antti Keinänen ja @kasperikolehmainen Light and Set Design @veliville Music conducting Matias Häkkinen Costumes @_tinja Make up Tuija Luukkainen @ensemblenylandia 📸Marleena Potila

Avaruuden nurkka (a corner in space) is a stage performance inspired by the aesthetics of video games and social media, that offers an overview of modern day power structures. In an episodic performance, NPCs (non playable characters) seek their own agency. ABOUT THE DESIGN: In the set and video design, I was interested in continuing the thematic exploration of my exhibition Squares and Chairs, where I investigate Kazimir Malevich’s Black Square and the visual language of the De Stijl movement. I was particularly fascinated by the relationship between video and stage design — how the physical space of the set could “extend” into the artificial world of the video, and vice versa. Light played a central role in achieving this goal. It became a tool that allowed the lighting conditions of the 3D-animated video landscapes to continue seamlessly into the stage space. For instance, the bluish hue of the cityscape in the infinite pool sequence was extended into the physical space through lighting alone. The role of light was subtle — often it was perceived as if it were coming directly from the video itself. Director and manuscript: Liila Jokelin @liilajokelin On stage: Emma Castrén @castrenemma ja Inkeri Raittila @inkerirai Lighting and scenic design: Veli-Ville Sivén @veliville Video design: Veli-Ville Sivén & Timo Tikka @thiimou Sound design and music: Janne Masalin @jannemasalin Costume design: Riikka Mäntymaa @mantymaanriikka Pictures: Noora Geagea @noorageagea and Veli-Ville (second and fourth).

I had the honor of being part of a wonderful team, contributing as the lighting and set designer as well as a furniture designer. In fact, I designed the black-and-white chairs featured in the photos. I’ve named the chairs Kaksi hölmöä (Two Fools). Although the performance is a comedy about the potential of idleness, its visual world doesn’t follow traditional comedic aesthetics. Instead, it serves as a harmonious frame for the adventures of two fools. The space is airy and offers plenty of room for the imagination to build entire worlds around the characters. World Premiere: April 15, 2025 A performance accompanied by live music, telling the story of fools waiting for the small and big turns in life. On stage: Anna Airola @konviramur , Eeva Mäkinen @eevanneli , and musician Arppa Airola @arppamusic Music by Arppa Airola Lighting and set design by Veli-Ville Sivén @veliville ;) Costume design by Mirva Mietala @mirvavrim

ABOUT THE PLAY A warmly humorous play about the successful Imatra-born author Hilja Valtonen, whose vast literary output tackled issues of inequality under the guise of humor. In her work, Hilja Valtonen gave a voice to the middle-class working woman, and that voice was sharp. This is hardly surprising, given that well into the 20th century, a woman's right to education, work, and even ownership was legally in the hands of her husband or father. However, despite the inequalities of her time, Valtonen found an equal and loving partnership with her husband, Kosti. Hiljan päivät is an imagined portrayal of this love. ABOUT THE VIDEO The video design incorporates archival material from the 1920s, photographs compiled by Hilja’s grandchildren, and films scripted by Valtonen. From these video materials, I created a short documentary that was shown at the beginning and end of the play. Artificial intelligence was also used in the creation process to bring photographs to life, allowing us to imagine and immerse ourselves in the past. Through AI, we could see the trees and bushes sway in the wind in the yard of Hilja’s 1970s home or freeze a fleeting moment from a 1920s video—capturing Hilja in mid-turn, making eye contact with the camera and, in turn, the audience, as if she were truly present. Working on the video felt like working with ghosts. CAST Script: Asta Honkamaa Director: Maia Häkli @maiahak Set and Costume Design: Maarit Kalmakurki @kalmakurki Video Design: Veli-Ville Sivén Cast: Anna-Kaisa Makkonen, Eppu Pastinen, Ulla-Maija Järnstedt, Marko Kurikka Performance Rights: Nordic Drama Corner Oy Pictures Veli-Ville Sivén

PWR NAP @p_w_r_n_a_p is a Finnish-German experimental post-pop band consisting of Veli-Ville Sivén and Mikko Gaestel. The band’s first album, Shall we go up to the mountain, is a concept album based on imaginary landscapes of nature and space, where pop elements are deconstructed and rearranged into a completely new order. The result is a unique combination of Finnish, German, and English languages, as well as visual elements, creating a self-contained world that invites the listener to dive in. Veli-Ville Sivén and Mikko Gaestel are primarily visual artists specializing in the field of performing arts. Their collaboration in music began with jam sessions in hotel rooms using a phone and a pad, where music also serves as a medium for conveying visual imagery. The making of their album began during the COVID year, and now the finished work is finally available for everyone to hear. You can listen the music from Spotify for example. #music #postpop #alternativemusic #visual #art

Here are some pictures of my lighting and set design for the Tove Teuvalla opera. During the Korsholm Music Festival in the summer of 2024, the world premiere of the opera TOVE TEUVALLA took place at the church in Teuva. The events and theme of the opera revolve around Tove Jansson's only sacred work, the altarpiece "The Ten Virgins" at Teuva Church. The cast and artistic team represent the pinnacle of Finnish talent. This poignant and enlightening work, which connects Tove and Teuva, the individual and the community, operates on multiple levels, highlighting beauty and hope amid the pain points of the surrounding world. The bilingual TOVE TEUVALLA opera will be performed six times during the summer of 2024. The work is composed by Uljas Pulkkis, with a libretto by Gunilla Hemming. CAST Libretto: Gunilla Hemming Composition: Uljas Pulkkis Director: @jormauotinen Conductor: Anna-Maria Helsing Orchestra: Vaasa City Orchestra Choir: Vaasa Opera Choir Lighting and Set Design: Veli-Ville Sivén Costume Design: @marja.uusitalo Makeup Design: Mari Vehkaoja Assistant Director: Riku Lehtopolku Lighting Assistant: Matias Mukari Soloists: @mia_heikkinen , @johannarusanen , @ellivallinoja , @tuomassmi , Niklas Spångberg, Minna-Sisko Mutanen, @nikander.mika Photographs: Veli-Ville Sivén

"Place to be" is an installation combining light, smoke, and sound. In the space of the old Anttila store, there is a breathing light condition where an oval-shaped light sculpture cuts through the room amid the smoke. A drone composition, heard in the space, wanders among the sounds of the structures and the creature-like light. The whole creates a composition not only of light, sound, and space but also of the other visitors. The piece can be experienced either by moving through the space or sitting on benches. True to its name, "Place to be" is literally a place to be, alone, together, in the upstairs of the old Anttila, and somewhere else. Place to be is part of SLASH @slashfestival summer exhibition by Art Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) CREDITS ​Light installation – Veli-Ville Sivén Sound and drone compotition – Atte Kantonen @atteelias

Squares and Chairs is an exhibition consisting of wooden sculptures incorporating light, a sound piece, a VR piece, and two chairs where vertical and horizontal lines and strong colors are arranged into abstract compositions. The sound piece aims to create the impression of vertical and horizontal lines using two synthesized sound waves. However, the centerpiece of the exhibition is a 3D animated video loop called Toinen galleria (Another Gallery), experienced through VR glasses, which creates a kind of background story for the works. In it, the animated exhibition pieces explore spaces reminiscent of the backrooms aesthetic. This piece was created in collaboration with Pori-based artists Mika Rättö and Pasi Salmi @salmipasi . The exhibition was previously held in Helsinki at redukt_studio in May 2024. "I have long been fascinated by geometric shapes and primary colors. To me, abstract forms contain a mystery and have an indescribable vibration. At times, it feels as if the shapes are communicating with me. It is precisely from this observation of communication and encounter that the exhibition's name, Meetings – Squares and Chairs, was born. In the exhibition, abstract forms and compositions, especially those consisting of vertical and horizontal lines, acquaint themselves with the viewer, and the viewer with them." (Sivén 2024)

Post-Kabaree saa lisäesityksiä marras-joulukuussa Oulun teatterissa! Nähdään siellä! Luvassa on 360 asteen spektaakkeli ja rapistunutta, dekadenttia 1920-luvun tunnelmaa tuotuna tähän päivään. Pikisalin keskelle on rakennettu kabaree-karuselli, jonka ympärillä katsojat saavat kuulla toinen toistaan upeampia ja ainutlaatuisempia sävellyksiä sekä nauttia kokonaisvaltaisesta elämyksestä. Baari on auki läpi illan! Post-Kabaree on esitys, joka käsittelee unelmia. Esitys luo maailman, jossa jokainen voi hyväksyä itsensä ja toisensa sellaisena kuin on: epätäydellisenä ja keskeneräisenä: kokonaisena! Lisäksi esityksen äänisuunnittelija-muusikko, Härkösen luottotyöpari Veli-Ville Sivén on yhdessä työryhmän kanssa säveltänyt näyttämölle 15 uutta biisiä, joita esiintyjistä muodostettu bändi tulkitsee soittaen perinteisten soittimien lisäksi romumetallista valmistettuja instrumentteja!​ CREDITS Konsepti Joel Härkönen, Kalle Nurminen, Veli-Ville Sivén Ohjaus Joel Härkönen @joelkonstaaleksi Lavastus ja pukusuunnittelu Kalle Nurminen @nurminenkalle Musiikin sävellys ja sovitus Veli-Ville Sivén ja työryhmä Äänisuunnittelu Veli-Ville Sivén Maskeeraus- ja kampaussuunnittelu Veera Anttila Valosuunnittelu Aarne Turunen Sirkuskonsultit Jenni Lehtinen ja Sasu Peistola Kuvat Janne-Pekka Manninen Rooleissa: Heli Haapalainen, Henri Halkola, Elina Korhonen, Antti Laukkarinen, Joose Mikkonen, Timo Pesonen, Merja Pietilä, Anne Syysmaa, Tuula Väänänen, Veli-Ville Sivén (muusikko) , Jere Virta (sirkustaiteilija) ja Ira Oinonen (sirkustaiteilija)

Lauantaina saatiin ensi-iltaan uuden teatterin @nordic_theatre_company esitys Taide. Taide on Yasmina Rezan kirjoittama hauska ja koskettava esitys taiteesta ja ystävyydestä. Olen odottanut tämän esityksen valmistumista jo kaksi vuotta ja tuntuu uskomattomalta, että se on nyt valmis ja että siitä tuli paljon hienompi kuin olisin voinut kuvitellakaan. Loistavaa näyttelijävetoista teatteria, mutta siinä on silti tinkimätöntä ja tarkkaa visuaalista kerrontaa. On ollut huikea päästä mukaan tämän uuden teatterin ensimmäiseen juttuun, jossa on ollut aivan mieletön ja huippu työryhmä. Käykää katsomassa! Työryhmä Lavalla: @akuhirviniemi @ahoeero ja Taneli Mäkelä Ohjaus: @paavowesterberg Tuottaja: Pete Eklund Lavastus: Markus Tsokkinen Valo- ja videosuunnittelu: @veliville Äänisuunnittelu: @laineenkasperi Pukusuunnittelu: @annasinkk Maskeeraus: Marjut Samulin Kuvat: @veliville

Otto Gabrielssonin kirja Rikkaruoho: Viimeinen kirje isälle (S&S, 2020) kertoo katkeran totuuden lähisuhteesta, jota ei koskaan ollut. Vuonna 1981 Tukholmassa syntynyt Gabrielsson sai äitinsä sukunimen. Henkilötietoihin ei merkitty isästä mitään, sillä vastasyntyneen lapsen isä oli tahollaan naimisissa, äiti ei. Isän nimi oli Jörn Donner. Näyttämöllä Vilma Melasniemi, Ella Mettänen, Juho Milonoff, Niko Saarela ja Miiko Toiviainen Otto Gabrielssonin kirjasta (suom. Laura Kulmala) dramatisointi ja ohjaus Laura Mattila @korsmamaki Lavastus Julia Jäntti @juliajantti Pukusuunnittelu Mirva Mietala @mirvavrim Valo- ja videosuunnittelu Veli-Ville Sivén Äänisuunnittelu Jani Rapo @rapo_arts Maskeeraussuunnittelu Leila Mäkynen Ohjaajan assistentti Tiiu Poikonen @tiiunhetket Kuvat Noora Geagea @noorageagea Yleisötyö Jenni Bergius, Rosa-Maria Perä ja Maaretta Riionheimo