EXTENDED FAMILY - The art of Outi Heiskanen on stage
GLIMS & GLOMS Dance Company's premiere for the year 2006, Extended Family, brought the world of artist Outi Heiskanen on stage. The familiar characters, animals and creatures from Heiskanen's images came alive in this silent theatrical performance, the developments of which were created by choreographer Tuomo Railo.
"I have always been fascinated by artists who recreate the world. Depending on their imagination, they redesign everything and do it so perfectly that the spectator immediately feels comfortable watching their art. The main character of Heiskanen's art is - as often in the best of narrative art - a community, an extended family."
The members of the extended family are, among others, the ancestors, a girl, a boy, an ape, a wolf man, a sheep, a bear and a horse. The stage performance grows into a family chronicle, in which the different phases and events of life, like childhood, youth, falling in love, marriage and parenthood are paralleled to the changing of the seasons. The thread running through the work is the love story of the girl of the family and a foster son.
The story of the extended family is told by means of motion theatre, dance, song and music.
The images of Heiskanen are realised on stage with masks, costumes and hand puppets. They create a powerful stage illusion that resembles the original images. The staging is dominated by a mountain in the shape of a bear's head, and a tent is pitched at its foot. The lighting design creates the rippling surfaces of Heiskanen's images and checkered floors.
The premiere of the work took place at the Almi Hall of Finnish National Opera August 31. 2006.