In my production people of North Karelia are delineated as occupants in a historical continuum. Characters and surroundings are contemporary, but detective eye meets also clues of the past. As a person who relocated to the countryside, I am inspired by the local traditional lifestyle: old ways and means are still part of everyday life. In here, I have recovered my own roots and longing for the world of past generations.
Very often the old ways of working are eco-friendly and do not cause severe damage to environment. Workhorses were conveyed to my life alongside with my interest in the Karelian culture. The Finnish horses of our own labour in the fields and forest at all times of the year. In our farm we organize courses for all interested in traditional agriculture and forestry work carried out with horse-drawn equipment. My atelier, called "Hurmio" is open for tourist groups according agreement in advance.
"Middle of the woods, deep in the outback, there is a red ocher-painted cottage and a croft to till potatoes. This is such a naive and absurd fantasy, but still it means on the personal level aspiring toward perfection. You must have a strong belief in your own doings and in validity of your choices. To live in the countryside feels like a poised decision and experiences during these years here have corroborated my vision of the future. Actually - I can't see any other way to fulfil my dream, so powerful is this emotion that we ended up to right outcome. Ardent, romantic agony of life - real "lebenschmertz" emanates from forests of the wilderness."
(Anssi Mikael Okkonen 2002)
Contact info
Anssi Mikael Okkonen+358 (0)50 575 8469
amokkonen@gmail.com
Kuokanvaarantie 47
FIN-75500 Nurmes
Finland
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