For Children up to 99 Years Old

Column by Elise Gegauff


I have seen a lot of art in my life already.
Most of the time we think that art is something that we need to go to a museum to see. However, sometimes we get a feeling of art that surrounds us everyday, usually in nature, but sadly that feeling doesn't always last for very long.

There’s one type of art though that I feel that many people tend to look down on or even forget about. A lot of people see it almost daily and takes it for granted; I am of course talking about the art of animation.

A lot of people forget what an amazing and complicated form of art animation is. I for instance, love animation, and I have always admired the people behind it.

When I heard that Tennispalatsi was having a PIXAR exhibition I was absolutely thrilled! When I went there I was met with a wonderful world of colour, excitement and inspiration. The exhibition shows how PIXAR and Disney Studios has created some of the best known animated characters in the world.

PIXAR (with Disney's help) has made films such as Ratatouille, Cars, Toy Story and Finding Nemo. Their final animation is computer made, but it was nice to see the sketches and ideas behind the final product, and to see that a wonderful film, story or painting always starts with a simple line.

The exhibition includes 500 original pieces of art, like sculptures, paintings, sketches and drawings.

PIXAR is a company that was founded in 1986 and started working for George Lucas making special effects. After that it moved on to making short animated commercials, before they in 1991, made a deal with Disney to release three feature films, the first of which was Toy Story.

After that, PIXAR and Disney had their ups and downs and didn't always agree, especially since PIXAR was doing most of the work while Disney got most of the money. In 2006, Disney bought PIXAR Animation Studios.

To tell you all some info about the exhibition:

It is until the 27th of april 2008, and it is in Tennispalatsi (Finnkino by Kamppi).

Address: Salomonkatu 15, 2nd floor, 00100 Helsinki.
Tel.; +358 (0)9 310 87001

On Fridays it is free admission, but the regular price is 7/5 Euros, children under 18 are free of charge.

The museum is open Tue-Sun 11-20:30.

Check out other information at: www.artmuseum.fi

Take your family there! Or go alone. You will enjoy it!

-Elise Gegauff

HIAA news

Dear Artists

HIAA is starting the new year with big plans. We're soon to be an official association and thus we're going to go ahead and have our own logo, web site, membership card and of course, group exhibition.

The web site will include, among other features, members' gallery where all the members will have own "exhibition space". We will work on deals with art supply stores in order to get our members discounts by showing their membership card. And all the members are entitled to participate in our group exhibitions, by sharing the possible extra costs. HIAA is working to bring together international artists in Finland, but also to bring forward international artists in the Finnish art scene.

All this is yours by returning the membership registration form and paying the memberhsip fee of 25 euros to HIAA bank account (you'll find the number in the registration form) or at the March 18 meeting. When you have paid the fee, you will receive your membership card and be a fully fledged member of the association.

We have also elected a logo for the association. Hong Liu graciously agreed to do the design and the board elected one of the many options at its first meeting of this year. The logo will feature on our website, membership cards and any printed materials the association will give out.

At the moment we are selecting a web site service provider in order to create a site for us. The web site should be our common space in the internet, so don't hesitate to tell your ideas of what it should include and, indeed, participate in the design, planning and realisation of the site!

The group exhibition has as a theme "HOME", which is a working title. There are several ideas of what the exhibition place should/could be. All this should come together in the near future as the exhibition is planned for the autumn.

Let's talk more of these things at the HIAA meeting on Monday 4th February in Café Strindberg at 18.30, where everybody is most welcome to come!

Best regards,

Susan