NOBA Nordic Baltic contemporary art platform

Aspen music log, 2017

30 x 100 cm

Reclaimed untreated wood, wooden dowel, glue (First of three sculptural music logs, part of Three Voices/Kolme Ääntä installation)


Konkelo, an old Finnish word rarely used by urbanites, describes when a fallen tree is caught in the limbs of a standing tree. Even in low winds, the trees rub against each other producing a distinct sound, or ääni, a voice. The existence of the word konkelo implies a culture connected to forests, forestry, as well as one of listening. The phenomenon of one tree remaining stuck in another implies an unrushed forest, slowly changing. In an industrial rushed forest, teollisuusmetsä, what sounds are lost? In a landscape of alternating monocultures of pine and birch, is the absence of certain ääniä, sounds, voices, votes. Through instruments that Linda invented and built within three different cut trees, koivu (birch), haapa (aspen) and vaahtera (maple), comes a chorus of diversity. Linda’s video and sculpture installation, explores the pace of trees’ natural rhythms, humans’ capacity to listen, and the music, song and resilience that comes from diversity.


More art by this artist

Installation

Birch music log by Linda Ciesielski
Birch music log  
44 x 80 cm
Maple music log by Linda Ciesielski
Maple music log  
25 x 60 cm
Three Voices/Kolme Ääntä by Linda Ciesielski
Three Voices/Kolme Ääntä  
100 x 100 cm