Anja Kurikka: Studio G: Inherited Lines and Patterns
“Fragile sheets of tissue paper rustle, carry a scent, and glow with translucence. The past becomes visible; the patina reveals a connection between generations. A journey into heritage and dreams.”
My work is rooted in observations made within my own life—in powerful emotional experiences. The viewpoints within the artworks alternate between my own personal viewpoint and the visual notes and those of an observer walking alongside. In the installation *Inherited Lines and Patterns*, I reflect on my identity as a visual artist and as the daughter of a Karelian evacuee (Karjalan evakko), while also exploring how handwriting, handcrafting and various ways of living and being are inherited. The starting points for the artworks—both material and investigative—are the garment patterns my mother created as a young adult, along with the markings found on them. The lines, letters, and numbers drawn onto the pattern paper decades ago offer a gateway to exploring that handwriting. These markings provide a unique path into my mother’s personality and life; they also offer an opportunity to discover the traits we share.
The patinated tissue-paper garment patterns created by my mother offer me a route to the weight of my own memories—to those tangled threads that my subconscious works through, whether I wish it to or not. In my latest installation, the *Inherited Lines and Patterns* series, my own lines seek a connection not only to my own but also to my mother’s dreams. A red cotton thread plays the role of a compositional line, anchoring me to my mother’s history while simultaneously weaving me into my own future. A need arises to make the invisible visible through the coordination of hand and eye—revealing something that my body’s nervous system miraculously remembers.
Free entrance