Again, it seems I don’t have enough time to keep maintaining this blog as often and to the extent I’d like to; therefore I recommend you also follow more regularly updated pHinnWeb’s Twitter for further news on Finnish artists and labels.
Only in Finland, pt. 4277: the proposed nap blankets (torkkupeitto in Finnish) for MPs (paid with the tax payers’ money, naturally) have caused quite a political furore recently.
Apollo (from the left: Edward Vesala, Harri Saksala, Heimo “Holle” Holopainen ja Eero Lupari) by Alvar Kolanen, 1969
Alvar Kolanen (1921 - 2007) was a photographer, whose portraits of Finnish iskelmä, pop and rock celebrities were a permanent fixture in magazines and on record sleeves from the 1950s to the mid-1970s, when a stroke interrupted Kolanen’s career. An exhibition at Helsinki’s Laterna Magica gallery and a newly published book dedicated to his photography celebrate Kolanen’s works.
Alvar Kolanen photo gallery @ Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31359054@N02/sets/72157622800849572/
Links in Finnish:
Konsta Jylhä: ‘Konstan parempi valssi’ (Jazz version) (1967)
In Finnish fiddling, Konsta Viljam Jylhä (14 August 1910 Kaustinen – 13 September 1984) was a folk virtuoso who made the traditional pelimanni-style folk music a Finnish cultural phenomenon of wider currency, bringing his natural genius and traditional style to a burgeoning nationwide television audience, thus laying the foundation for a rich and popular traditional music scene in Finland.
A third generation Central Ostrobothnian master pelimanni (Mestaripelimanni), in the 1960s Konsta’s band Konsta Jylhä ja Purpuripelimannit became a mainstay of the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, and iconic both in popular culture, and within the generation of master pelimanni to follow in his footsteps.
His best known pieces of original composition are Konstan Parempi Valssi (“Konsta’s Major Waltz”) and especially the hauntingly beautiful Vaiennut Viulu (“Mute Violin”).
Studio Julmahuvi: “Roudasta rospuuttoon” (“From Frosty Grounds to the Icy Lands”, with English subtitles, 1998)
Finnish TV comedy with actors Petteri Summanen and Tommi Korpela.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_Julmahuvi
Via We Worship Bears blog on Finnish culture.
“Anteeksi” means “Sorry” or “Excuse me”
Submission by Chiara Meluzzi
One of the most useful words to know…
http://www.dvoted.net/Films/Film/?video=1244
Janne Rehmonen: Poke (“The Bouncer”, 2008)
Some music from Tampere hard techno man Tuomas Rantanen is featured in this short film.
Directed and written by Janne Rehmonen. Cinematography by Jussi Toppari. Sound design by Rauno Mynttinen. Edited by Pilvi Hämäläinen and Janne Rehmonen. Produced at Turku AMK/Taideakatemia 2008.
Actors: Jussi Helminen, Jonna Savolainen, Taina Silkkola, Sauli Heilimö, Petteri Rainiola, Jussi Järvinen, Elina Hurme, Tuomas Koivukoski, Oula Kitti, Iiro Heikkilä, Mia Jussinniemi.
No English subtitles, but basically the film is a quasi-documentary style of account of a Finnish bouncer’s typical working night, with some situations familiar to any local club-goer: the usual circus with IDs when entering, people trying to bribe their way in, having to babysit and occasionally wrestle drunkards, drunken female punters’ attempts to pick the bouncer up, listening to insults, primitive reactions…
![scandinaviansky:
citoyen:
via Strange Maps:
Suomi-Neito is a distant, but weirdly parallel echo of ‘Paula’, the personification of Brazil’s Sao Paulo state (discussed in #471). Female like most other anthropomorphic representations of geographic entities, this Finnish Maiden shares with Paula the extra distinction of not only symbolising her nation, but also literally coinciding with its geographic shape. […] The map and the maiden were produced in 1948 by Finnish artist Olavi Vepsäläinen (1927–1993).
Come to Finland is a book all about Finnish travel posters and travel history (fullscreen view):
Come to Finland is a high quality coffee table book filled with vintage travel posters from Finland. Check for yourself, enjoy Come to Finland in full screen. The book has been published in five different language editions. For over two years the project team dug for vintage posters in dusty archives, museums and contacted poster collectors all over the world.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l66t2eNNJo1qa8541o1_400.jpg)
via Strange Maps:
Suomi-Neito is a distant, but weirdly parallel echo of ‘Paula’, the personification of Brazil’s Sao Paulo state (discussed in #471). Female like most other anthropomorphic representations of geographic entities, this Finnish Maiden shares with Paula the extra distinction of not only symbolising her nation, but also literally coinciding with its geographic shape. […] The map and the maiden were produced in 1948 by Finnish artist Olavi Vepsäläinen (1927–1993).Come to Finland is a book all about Finnish travel posters and travel history (fullscreen view):Come to Finland is a high quality coffee table book filled with vintage travel posters from Finland. Check for yourself, enjoy Come to Finland in full screen. The book has been published in five different language editions. For over two years the project team dug for vintage posters in dusty archives, museums and contacted poster collectors all over the world.
![From Wikipedia -
“National Sleepy Head Day (Finnish: unikeonpäivä) is celebrated in Finland on July 27 every year. Traditionally on this day, the last person in the house (also dubbed as the ‘laziest’) to wake up is woken up using water, either by being thrown into a lake or the sea, or by having water thrown on them.[1] It is based on the story of the Saints of Ephesus who slept in a cave for some 200 years during the Middle Ages whilst hiding from persecution by Decius, the Roman Emperor at the time.[2]
In the city of Naantali, a Finnish celebrity is chosen every year to be thrown in the sea from the city’s port at 7 a.m. The identity of the sleeper is kept secret until the event. People who are chosen have usually done something to the benefit of the city. Every city mayor has thus far been thrown to the sea at least once, but other sleepers have included the president Tarja Halonen’s husband, Dr Pentti Arajärvi, the CEO of Neste Oil Risto Rinne, along with many writers, artists and politicians. The celebrations continue into the evening in Naantali and include activities for people of every age.”
(Image: National Sleepy Head Day 2008 celebrations in Naantali, Finland.)](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l67o597wzZ1qzkb5co1_500.jpg)
From Wikipedia -
“National Sleepy Head Day (Finnish: unikeonpäivä) is celebrated in Finland on July 27 every year. Traditionally on this day, the last person in the house (also dubbed as the ‘laziest’) to wake up is woken up using water, either by being thrown into a lake or the sea, or by having water thrown on them.[1] It is based on the story of the Saints of Ephesus who slept in a cave for some 200 years during the Middle Ages whilst hiding from persecution by Decius, the Roman Emperor at the time.[2]
In the city of Naantali, a Finnish celebrity is chosen every year to be thrown in the sea from the city’s port at 7 a.m. The identity of the sleeper is kept secret until the event. People who are chosen have usually done something to the benefit of the city. Every city mayor has thus far been thrown to the sea at least once, but other sleepers have included the president Tarja Halonen’s husband, Dr Pentti Arajärvi, the CEO of Neste Oil Risto Rinne, along with many writers, artists and politicians. The celebrations continue into the evening in Naantali and include activities for people of every age.”
(Image: National Sleepy Head Day 2008 celebrations in Naantali, Finland.)
