MEET THE SAARI FELLOW: Vellamo Ikonen
Dance artist
I intend to spend my time at the Saari Residence working on my live art project ‘Valma’, which I started in the spring of 2024. ‘Valma’ explores the interfaces of artisanry and dance art; I am especially interested in how artisanal traditions stemming from hands and homes fit into the performing arts and the modern world. My goal is to create more sustainable ways of making art by incorporating the practice of recycling knowledge and material, which is typical of traditional artisanry, into working with the contexts of dance and live art.
I see my time at the Saari Residence as an opportunity to work on dance, writing and artisanry alike, studying and documenting ways of working that are inspired by association, mental imagery as well as spontaneous physical and literary expression. My methods include movement improvisation, automatic writing and associative fibre arts such as free-form crocheting, knotting and knitting.
Vellamo Ikonen is a dance artist from Nurmes whose works explore multiple disciplines from dance to artisanry and writing. Her professional fascination lies in long-term processes and the exploration of intimacy and the sharing of intimacy through live art expression. Vellamo works as a freelance artist in performing arts contexts and as a dancer with the contemporary dance group Välissä. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in dance from the University of the Arts Helsinki’s Theatre Academy in 2023 and with a diploma in professional dance from the Tampere Conservatoire in 2020.
📸: Jussi Virkkumaa
#saarifellows #saariresidence #artistresidency #vellamoikonen
"Valmat syleilee, tanssii, pehmeän karvan läpi tuntuu pulssi, elintoiminnot. Pienillä eläimillä pienet lämpöiset kallot, painautuvat kohti, niillä on tapana olla lähellä toisen kehoa."
Keltaisen taivaan alla on teos ruumiin ja kielen poetiikasta, muistoista ja virkkaamisesta. Teos on Vellamo Ikosen Valma- esitystaideprojektin toinen sooloperformanssi.
Koreografia, tanssi, puvustus, teksti sekä siimainstallaatio: Vellamo Ikonen
Ensi-ilta: 11.01.2025
Klo 14.00
Ikolan pirtti, Nurmes
Kiitos @taikegram@nurmeksenmuseo
Iso kiitos lämminhenkisestä SLURPS Kuopiosta! @slurpsnayttamo Oli ilo olla mukana Valmalla!
❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
Lokakuussa jatkuu työskentely sooloteokseni Valman aihemaailmojen parissa ja tammikuussa 2025 jaan työskentelyäni Ikolan museossa, Nurmeksessa. Kiitos Taikelle taiteeni tukemisesta!
Kuvat: @aurorasuhonenphoto
#taiketukee
Valma
"Valma ei talvihorrosta, se vaihtaa turkkinsa ja loistaa talvikarvassansa betonin keskellä, citykani."
Syvisfest 2024: Kaivos
24.-27.5.2024
@ Outokummun Vanha Kaivos
Kuvat: Aino Karstinen
