Sweep, 2026

Modular scrap metal sculpture / Steel tube, cold-rolled sheet steel, scrap metal, solid shield alkyd paint, clear coat, binding wire, slotted screws, acorn nuts

“I watch the current from safety, at the edge of a small island. What I see is mine. An asp leaps to the surface, it can’t be fooled, boasting. Nor can anyone fool me. Just try. Even the Vikings tried here, and back then, the beacon fires were lit on the hillfort. Later, the State Aircraft Factory was dug deep into the bedrock. Beneath the Iron Age dwellings, they’re now servicing fighter jet engines. The asp dives, disappears. The defence industry’s key low-profile surface vessel glides through its seascape, blending into the island. From its shelter, I observe the events unfolding around me. In scrap metal, I captured a landscape – my very own, from my grandma’s island. Everyone’s Finnish landscape.” In this work, I explore the current state of the world and my own relationship to national identity through humor and fantasy. News of war, and even more so of new defense procurements, prompted me to mentally escape to my grandmother’s small island and build a defense vessel of my own. Capable of traveling on water, through the air, and across land, the vessel reflects a recognizable Finnish lake landscape. The accompanying text describes the environment and history of my grandmother’s island, interwoven with a wandering defense fantasy. Work is currently on display at BFA exhibition 2026. 
Price negotiable*