ART CENTER AHJO, KYTÖ/LIEKKI-ROOM; ANTTI TOLVI

ANTTI TOLVI - LIGHT, TIME, MANTELIA 5.3.-23.3.2025

Light, time, mantelia
Light, composition, sound, wood
2025

Light, time, mantelia is a multisensory light composition/installation that resonates with colors, sounds, and bodily sensations. The word "composition" tells us that the piece uses time as its material. Light speaks of a fundamental phenomenon in the universe: electromagnetic radiation. Sound is the vibration of air and matter, and wood is the material on which we rest our bodies and let the artwork color our minds. The slowly evolving light of the piece is experienced while sitting comfortably on Tolvi's developed and custom-built low-frequency sofa. The sofa is equipped with bass shaker speakers that produce both audible sound and a sound that is not directly heard but instead experienced as a subtle bodily sensation (similar to a massage). The piece lasts 20 minutes.

The exhibition is supported by the TOP Foundation.

Antti Tolvi (b. 1977 in Panelia) is a sound artist based in Turku and Kemiönsaari. He has been actively involved in Finland's experimental music scene since 2002 and has performed on three continents (over 400 performances). He has released 14 solo albums. From 2016 to 2024, Tolvi held 25 solo exhibitions (18 of them solo). His works have been displayed at institutions such as the Rovaniemi Art Museum (2022), Helsinki Festival (2021), Helsinki Biennale (Teemu Lehmusruusu workgroup 2021), and the Pori Art Museum (2020), among others.

Tolvi's artistic practice has been focused solely on the art of listening for the past 20 years. By "listening," he does not only mean hearing with the ears but also listening with the entire being, both the inner and outer aspects of the body. His practice of listening is inseparably tied to the practice of relaxation. It is very difficult to listen openly if our minds are focused elsewhere. In other words, the practice trains sensitivity and the ability to notice even the smallest movements of the mind while remaining aware of the particularities of space and form.
www.anttitolvi.com