ANNA ARHO


ELIN KARD (EK): Why an artist should tackle with the topic of exile? Why would it be interesting (necessary etc) to make an artistic comment on theme of exile?

AK: Of course these themes are actual and important in our global world. And artists should take part on the conversation about the problems. There are refugees in and from all places. But artists usually comment on things that they have some kind of personal experience or position. And so it has more credibility. A refugee from Somalia who lives in Finland can comment this subject on another level than for example I do.

EK: Whether the media of graphic fine art enhances or diminishes the signification of the notion of exile.

AK: How should a media change the meaning of the word? The idea is the one which is going to change (or not) something. Media is just artists tool to express the idea. Or do you mean that graphic art is refugee, outsider in the art world? May be, but I do not think that in a art-peace this idea works. Maybe as a title of the graphic exhibition, yes...????

EK: What is the main connotation of the word ‘exile’ for you? Does it mean lifelong status of a refugee, of self reduction and homelessness or, on the contrary, big freedom ?

AK: It can be all those things. Depends of the context. For young European people being in exile can have quite positive meanings too. We are not leaving our homes because we have to but because we are exploring the world, we want to go and see different cultures, meet different people etc... You can bare some difficulties as well because you know that there is always a possibility to go home.
At the same time we are getting used to people who have come to our home countries because they did not have other options.
You can be a refugee also in your own country. In Finland the generation of my parents remember very well how people from “Karjala, Viipuri” were sent to other parts of Finland and how they had to leave their homes. This was very difficult for many people.

EK: Do you have any personal experience of exile?

AK: A few times in my life I have been living in another country for a longer time. But always because I wanted to. These have been good experiences, not always vary easy but anyway useful. For past two years I have been living in Estonia.

EK: What kind of impact has the world of globalization, that evokes people to adapt with new neighbourhoods and emerges cultural backgrounds and ethnicities, on your work?

AK: It gives me more information about myself. Seeing different cultures helps us to understand our own. It gives perspective.

EK: Is it necessary to leave one’s country to experience being in exile?

AK: No. Like in Finland refugees from Karjala.
But also you can be socially refugee or outsider in your own society.

EK: What does the word nation signifies for you? Does the nation join with concept meaning of yourself when it is dispossessed of traditional characteristics ?

AK: In different cultures and countries word “nation” have very different meanings because of the history. (Here in Estonia you can here the expression “eesti rahvas” all the time. It would sound pathetic in Finland to talk about “Suomen kansa”) For me being Finnish means quite a lot I guess. It means that I have had possibilities to live in safe environment. But word nation brings to my mind words history, war, old war veterans and even nationalism. In contemporary world the meaning of word nation is changing or even disappearing.

EK: What kind of ideas and emotions evokes in you the following words:

· Communication ...communication does not mean only speaking but to understand and to be understood
· Generations ...Past generations made us to be what we are. Sadly we are not making very much effort for that the future generations would still have world where live
· political violence ... I am not shore what it means, sounds bad: war or a dictator comes to my mind
· multicultural society ...Could be culturally rich society, but like we have seen, it is problematic society.
· language ....you miss your own language if you are away and you have to express yourself in another language for a long time. Mothers language is part of identity, I guess.
· territory – home....privacy
· tourism...”beach and hotel”-stereotype. Sometimes does harm to the local culture.
· crimes against humanity – war crimes ... very actual subject. Happens all the time but now it is news because of what Americans - “savers of the world” have done to their prisoners.
· Religion ...always been important thing for human beings (we are looking for answers). I guess religion should be private thing. Everybody has right to believe what ever he or she likes, also have right to not to believe.


EK: Does art possess refugee-like status in the society?

AK: No. Art has an impact even on the people who deny arts meanings