“Thirty years ago, I read the book “Everything is an Illusion” by an Indian spiritual teacher. Nisargadatta Maharaj. I got to page 81 and stopped reading. I could not accept Maharaj´s teaching, which my mind had simplified to the form “I am you”. Now, in my eighties, I see many things differently. In the performance, I return in a concrete way to that teaching, which used to be so incomprehensible to me.

“When I look at you, do I see myself?” is a durational performance and media installation that happens when the exhibition guest wants to take part in it. In the performance, the participant sits opposite to me or another participant. Their face is projected on my or the other participant´s face, while a camera records the faces. By moving their head, the participant can find the right angle, and when correctly focused image is found, the features of the participants merge into single entity. The process can be recorded with e.g. phone´s camera.

In the studio space, similar portraits are presented. Portraits created during the performance can also be on display.”

-Helinä Hukkataival
Tampere

We encourage to participate in the When I look at you, do I see myself? performance with a friend, partner, etc. The performance takes place each weekend at following times:

Sat, 30 April 2022 12–2 pm
Sun, 1 May 2022 gallery is closed due to May Day
Fri, 6 May 2022 12–5 pm
Sat-Sun 7–8 2022 May 12–4 pm
Fri 13 May 2022 12–5 pm
Sat-Sun 14–15 May 2022 12–4 pm
Fri, 20 May 2022 12–5 pm
Sat-Sun 21–22 May 2022 12–4 pm

Please note that the light from the projector is strong and the person who is facing the projector must keep their eyes closed during positioning. Everyone participates in the process at their own risk.

Helinä Hukkataival has worked as a visual artist since 1969. In Hukkataival´s practice, personal is political; her works often examine universal phenomena through personal experiences. Since 1990, Hukkataival´s works have been mainly performance art. Since 2002, she has also worked with video art, and since 2011 with photography. Hukkataival´s works have been featured in exhibitions and festivals in Finland and abroad. Hukkataival was awarded the State Prize for Fine Arts in 2004.