ABANDONED LAND – Simo Saarikoski

”Abandoned Land” is a documentary, experimental and poetic video which captures abandoned places, infrastructure and phenomenon in Finland. The video uses Finland as an allegory to approach recent changes of the European society with visually effective images, prosaic narration and music. With the abandoned phenomena the video explores history and its relation with today. Abandoned can be seen as a window to the future.

The video has been shot in different locations around Finland during 2015-16 and previously screened at exhibition in Trondheim, Norway (Babel Art Space). During the autumn 2017 the video will also be screened at the subsequent festivals: Channels Festival (AU), Rivne International Film Festival (UA) and Jacksonville Documentary Film Festival (US).

Simo Saarikoski (b.1980. Lives and works in Helsinki) works extensively in different fields of visual art. In his works he explores time and it’s phenomena, as well as human impact on the environment and how to find mercy for yourself in the era of social media. Saarikoski uses video, sound and watercolor painting as separate media or in the form of installations. He has also presented performances with the group – Messianic Research Centre for Visual Ethics around Europe and US. The MRCVE Artists Group was founded in 2002. The group’s modus operandi is to openly incorporate both scientific and artistic methods in its works. With the state art price winner (2011), art collective – T.E.H.D.A.S. he has realized several projects and exhibitions and worked as a performance art event organizer and curator in Pori, Finland.