MÄNTTÄ.- The internationally renowned Finnish artist group IC-98, consisting of Patrik Söderlund and Visa Suonpää, bring to Serlachius Museums their new animation work Lands of Treasure. The video work, commissioned by Serlachius Museums, addresses humankind’s search for a new direction in a world affected by climate crisis.

Lands of Treasure is based on an old Finnish folk tale about an encounter at night between a forest spirit and a stonemason in a forest. The stonemason shoots the forest spirit, which falls and creates a large clearing. People take advantage of this as they begin to divide up the land. The story can be interpreted as describing the birth of modern society and the alienation of humankind from nature.

IC-98’s animations combine classic drawing technique and digital effects. In the slow-advancing work, the viewer’s attention is drawn to the change taking place in the image. The black and white video work includes electroacoustic choral music, composed by Max Savikangas.

Lands of Treasure leads to the discovery of a new connection with nature

IC-98’s diverse, conceptual artistic output includes animation and other video works, books and site- and situation-specific art projects. Philosophical, ecological and socially critical thinking permeates the artist group’s production. During more than twenty years of collaboration, the issued addressed IC-98 in its art projects include the relationships between living and inanimate nature and between societies and natural systems.

The dark-toned works of recent years have largely depicted the destruction of humanity and the dystopian world that followed. The Lands of Treasure animation seeks a new direction and still gives humanity hope. It is possible to save the future, but this means abandoning humankind’s special status and finding a new connection with nature by listening to it. There is no going back to the past: a new direction must be taken that is in harmony with nature.

IC-98 were awarded the Finnish State Prize for Visual Arts in Finland in 2009. In 2015, IC-98 represented Finland at the Venice Biennale with the work Hours, Years, Aeons. The artist group has held many solo exhibitions and participated in group exhibitions in Finland and around the world.

Lands of Treasure is being exhibited at Serlachius Museum Gösta, 25 September 2021–6 March 2022.