In a near future, child labourers and working streetchildren have formed their own unions. They refuse to be represented by adults, and have organized to demand better working conditions – not an end to child labour. It's a pragmatic adaptation to the present conditions, where families are dependent on the extra income (as are the streetchildren). Even today, there exists a trade union for child labourers in Peru (Manthoc) and one for streetchildren in India (Bal Mazdoor Sangh).

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George Orwell’s Big Brother was outdated a long time ago. In the 21st century questions like “Who supervises who” and “What are the boundaries of public and private areas” aren’t easy to answer anymore.

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In autumn 2008 Paul Murnaghan travelled through Finland and some of its neighbouring countries on a utopian endeavour, to compose a universal hymn. He set up meetings using arts groups, databases, media and word of mouth and asked the question: ’if you had the opportunity to compose the opening line of a universal hymn, what would it be and how would you sing it’?

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Berlin based artist Wolf von Kries' public installation and the accompanying exhibition at Platform are derived from his immediate surroundings in Vasa, namely the old soap and candle factory and the nearby forests. Using the raw materials at hand he formed sculptures that seem to resemble surreal landscape models or islands.

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All the works for the exhibition by Barry Sykes have been conceived and completed in the five weeks since he arrived. Barry works with a wide variety of methods; primarily sculpture and drawing but also singing, stealing, fitness, forgery and lies. Recent projects have led him to impersonate a part-time police officer, make a series of sculptures blindfolded and redesign British currency. His work asks questions about usefulness, experience and appropriate behaviour.

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For the third performance festival, Platform invited the artists:

Irma Optimisti (FIN), Pekka Luhta (FIN), Lauri Luhta (FIN), John Court (FIN/ENG), Juha Valkeapää (FIN), Ladyburst (GR), Dimitris Halatsis (GR), Marianne Saapunki (SWE) Marina Ciglar, (FIN/ SWE), Helena Eriksson (SWE), Nina Boas (NL), Rasmus Hedlund (FIN), Stephan US (DE), Mattias Olofsson (SWE), Elina Harzell (FIN), Mark Ward (FIN/ IRL), Herman Hiller (DE), Willem Willhelmus (FIN/ NL), Maurice Blok (FIN/ NL), Seppo Salminen (FIN), Tanja Koistila (FIN), Leena Kela (FIN), Christian Rupp (AT), Fredrik Willberg (FIN),Tom Backström "KÅL"-gruop (FIN), Paul Murgnahan (IRL), Dragos Alexandrescu (FIN/ RO), Peter Lüttge (FIN/ DE), Tomaz Szrama (FIN/ PL), Jaap Klevering (FIN/NL)
and Otzir Godot (FIN).

A workshop on the politics and economies of independent inititives
6-11 October in Rome, organised by 1:1.

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Art Swap Europe

Live Action 2008

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An enormous ambiguous eye stares from the window. It appears physically and psychologically trapped in the confines of the window frame and alludes to a larger body within. Perhaps it merely observes, maybe it controls, … or positions itself in judgment. Perhaps it’s the eye of a neighbour, Big Brother, or an all-seeing God. Perhaps it is confused.

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Platform took part in the yearly West Coast Race in Ostrobothnia with a team of 13 artists, including the current artists in residence at Platform, Wolf von Kries (D), and in Nykarleby, Nika Oblak (SLO), and they almost got a bronce medal in its class.

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The fifth EKD took place at the old military barracks in Vaasa in collaboration with Joakim Hansson, Rasmus Hedlund, Peter Rosvik and Platform.

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In collaboration with the KulturÖsterbotten residency programme at Stundars, Platform
arranged an artist talk/opening with Maja Rohwetter, an artist based in Berlin.

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