SÍM Gallery - boundless

“In a singular, dynamic whorl, dissolving in a complex, fluid circulation.”

Water, as a life-giving force, possesses the potential to heal and renew those who choose to honor it. Reflecting on water as a connecting and transcendent element, boundless in its essence, suggests the notion of water as an antidote to the human ego, which incessantly seeks separation. The ego, driven by its desire to attach itself to a form, can be closely linked to the root causes of the mental dysfunction in our world and the degradation of our natural environments. By perceiving water as a dissolving agent, capable of transforming and transcending boundaries while being integral to our bodies, this work proposes embracing a planetary perspective and dismantling the illusion of separateness.

Drawing from hydrofeminist philosophy, inspired by Astrida Neimanis, the work aims to foster solidarity among watery selves, across bodies of water. The flow and flush of water not only sustain our human bodies but also connect us to other beings and worlds beyond our human experience. The exhibition delves into the body as a transitional form, a space of becoming. Boulders are not mere objects but actions, not static entities but dynamic processes.

The exhibition combines works from the artist's two ongoing projects stemming from 2021: one centered on water as a connecting element and the other on deforestation in Finland. By intertwining these projects, it initiates a broader conversation on environmental change, highlighting the scenario where the loss of vegetation is intricately linked to water circulation on Earth.

Through analog and darkroom-based processes, the work scrutinizes the materiality and physical formation of a photograph. In the fluid process of cross-pollination, the installation draws influences from fellow artists at the residency, with crochet pieces symbolizing existential entanglement and the perpetual process of becoming-with.

Jenni Toivonen (b. 1993) is a Finnish visual artist currently working as an artist-in-residence at SÍM Residency. Her practice revolves around the interconnectedness of life, ecology, and impermanence, often explored through the materiality of the human body and the natural environment. Through corporeal and performative methods, the artist endeavors to cultivate reciprocity and reinforce her bond with the Earth and the non-human world.

The pop-up exhibition showcases a work-in-progress created by the artist during a three-week residency at the Ljósmyndaskólinn darkroom, made possible by the Nordic Analog Network darkroom exchange program.

Opnunartímar / Opening hours: 22. maí kl 17:00-19:00 23. maí 12:00-18:00 24. maí 12:00-18:00 25. maí 13:00-17:00 26. maí 13:00-17:00