how is she supposed to know there is a silent h in ‘hjem’, so it is spelled ‘hjem’ and not ‘jem’
how would she know how to spell it right if she didn’t know it meant ‘home’
and if she googled ‘jem’, only a hardware store would show up.
– Kirke Meng / Forlaget Gestus

ikkööhäik – I’m ok by Maarit Mustonen and Anne Naukkarinen is a site-specific project, consisting of a performance and an artist’s book. The works originated from listening to Danish, which Mustonen and Naukkarinen do not understand. The book is a parallel to their performance which took place at Forlaget Gestus (Gesture Press) in Copenhagen this autumn. The book brings together verbal material, artists’ translations, gestures developed for the work and an essay by curator and editor Karin Hald. 

The verbal material of the work is written by Mustonen in Copenhagen. She has listened people speaking in public spaces and written down what she hears and how she hears it: hils stiine – de baiju omsii – oukei – de ee megafiiert – ikkööhäik ikkööhäik. Naukkarinen, who has background in dance and performance arts, approached these words as scores: she has interpreted the words by voice and movements, and created gestures for each utterance. Mustonen and Naukkarinen are interested in the familiar yet strange quality of language, its embodiment, and imaginative dimensions. They examine how meaning emerge and sway. Who is the body which moves and talks? What kind of world language creates?

In the event at Publics Karin Hald will read from her essay and Naukkarinen and Mustonen will do a performance based on their book.

Maarit Mustonen and Anne Naukkarinen are Helsinki based artists who have collaborated since 2014. Naukkarinen has a background in dance and performance art, Mustonen in working with language and lens-based images. When collaborating, they combine their working methods and knowledge through installations, performances, sound pieces and publications.

Forlaget Gestus is a site specific exhibition concept working with artist who use text and language as an intergrated part of their practice. Forlaget Gestus is based in Copenhagen but works within a Nordic contexts.

ikkööhäik – I’m ok was supported by Finnish Cultural Foundation / Uusimaa Regional Fund, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, The Finnish Cultural Institute in Denmark, The Finnish-Danish Cultural Foundation, Nordic Culture Point, Statens Værksteder For Kunst, Frame Contemporary Art Finland