Ajankohtaista

Julkaistu 27.05.2021

Saimaa-ilmiö <3 Trenčín - Meet Kaisa and Filip

Savonlinna are Trenčín are candidates for Europen Capitals of Culture 2026. Welcome to meet our artists!

Saimaa: Kaisa Turtiainen, happy clothing and fabric design

I am Kaisa, a clothing and pattern designer from Savonlinna. I draw and color the world by creating wonderful and floral patterns and designs.

What is the role of nature in your art?

Huge! I am a dreamer by nature and like to look to the ground. Small things are often the most surprising and beauty can be found very near when you look closely. The roadsides are full of the most wonderful little flowers from spring to autumn and you just have to pay attention to see its enormous variety.

How has covid19 affected to your work?

This disgusting epidemic has brought my work miraculously sheer good! Going online with my art and business has been a good thing and it feels like people are longing for more happy and caring clothing and fabrics in their lives.

How would you like to develop your city in the next few years?

In Savonlinna, many things are already going in the right direction. Personally, I miss public art in the city center and such projects are also in my plans. Now there is too much grey concrete in the cityscape.

Why should we be chosen for the Capital of European Culture in 2026?

The authenticity is here! The nature here is in itself beautiful, but also people creating beauty and love around them are numerous. We are perfectly different , that is what this is all about.

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Trenčín: Filip Ovádek

Filip Ovádek is living in Trenčín and is a designer, street art artist, art director, DJ and most recently a father in one person. In addition to designing websites, apps and creating various visuals, he focuses on creating street art with an overlap into graphics and typography.

In 2018, he founded the art festival "Fest Art", which focuses on visual art in combination with street art and modern painting. He is also a member of the DJ crew Face2bass, which recently celebrated 11 years of existence and has had more than 50 events in Trenčín. In 2019, after 5 years of living in Munich, Germany, he moved back to Trenčín, where he currently works in the multimedia studio White Corner.

What is the role of nature in your art?

Nature is represented in my art, whether intentionally or subconsciously, as it is part of the life of each of us. Probably the most active I focused on the topic of nature at Fest Art in 2019. The main idea and assigned topic for artists were the basic natural elements - earth, water, fire and air, through which the overall concept was created on a wall about 90 meters long. This year, the festival will take place in the immediate presence of nature, by the river Váh and its theme will be "Water as a whole necessary for life".

How has covid19 affected to your work?

The pandemic situation, of course, affected all aspects related to the Fest Art event. We had to move or cancel events, in some cases reduce the possible capacity of people at events that we already had planned. In my professional life as a designer, personal meetings have moved from the real world to online space, but I have not felt otherwise in this area.

How would you like to develop your city in the next few years?

We have several projects under development, where we try to work with the improvement of community as well as cultural life in the city and the creation of facilities for artistic or other creative groups of people, but I can't say more about that yet.

Of course, the expansion of public spaces within Fest Art will certainly continue in the coming years, and events within it will be enriched with other activities.

Why should we be chosen for the Capital of European Culture in 2026?

Trenčín has a great perspective in development and a strong cultural background. The city has a very good strategic and an ideal location. There are a lot of creative and clever people who have a clear vision for improving life in the city. I think that the city's candidacy in the ECOC project and its possible victory would be a wonderful opportunity, help and support for these talented people.