LIFE-SAVING BUOYS

On September 28:th at 00.24, 1994, occurred what was said not to be possible - the great ferry-boat "Estonia" foundered. Eight hundred and fiftytwo persons lost their lives while one hundred and thirtysix persons were rescued.

I, myself, was on that particular night onboard Viking Lines "Mariella" on my way home from Helsinki. Mariella arrived at the place for the disaster about 25 minutes after the foundering.That night and the day following became a true night- mare for us passengers onboard Mariella as passive spectators to the rescue work.

Ever since then my artistship has partially been formed by this unbelievable tragedy. The result has been life-saving bouys of all sizes. It is now for the first time after the catastroph I am showing all my life-saving bouys together. They have been transported in a huge wooden box with a ferry- boat over the sea to Finland. On the route they passed close to the place for the disaster.

A life-saving bouy has the form of a ring. In the dictionary of symbolics you can read that the ring has the symbol of the circle, as eternity, continuity, divinity and life. The ring also stands for power and completion.

The colours of my life-saving bouys are often a mixture of black, brown, blue and golden. Blue is recognized as a symbol of the truth, the intellect and wisdom, while brown represents the earth and the soil. Golden is symbolizing the sun, divinity, power and immortality. Black stands for the original state of darkness, the invisible and hidden, evilness, sorrow and seriousness.

These form and colour symbolic interpretations are my clues to my Estonia exhibition. Maybe there is some light in the darkness. Sometimes perhaps it is enough with one life-saving bouy made of handmade paper to be able to make the journey.