In 2010 we were invited by Pro Artibus to spend two summer months responding and interacting with the small Finnish town of Ekenäs. Initial impressions and observations led us to an investigation into the notion of Finnish privacy, and the effect this condition has on local social structures and communicative patterns.
Intervention #1: An open studio and the privacy questionnaire
An invitation to join an open studio event, taking place in the small gallery adjacent to our residence, was used as an opportunity to conduct research into the way in which local residents respond to the notion of Finnish privacy. Visitors were asked to fill out a questionnaire about privacy that was left in the gallery, playfully subverting a cultural condition.
‘Do you currently live in Ekenäs?’ ‘How would you describe the word ‘privacy’?’ ‘Is life becoming more or less ‘private’, and how?’ ‘How important is privacy to you, and why?’ ‘What is your favourite place in Ekenäs, and why?’ and, ‘How would you describe a perfect holiday?’
To balance the situation we installed a small peephole into the separating door between the gallery and our living room. Visitors could take a look into our residency, sometimes catching a glimpse of us as we tried to complete our jigsaw puzzle.
