In a bilingual city sometimes newspaper articles can come in pairs. Vasabladet, the Swedish paper in Vaasa, also published an article about Big Red and the upcoming Children’s Day at Stundars. Only the west coast of Finland is Swedish speaking and even then it is only about five percent of the total Finnish population. Here in Solf and Vaasa there are a lot of Swedish speaking Finns. Therefore there are two universities, two newspapers, two theaters, two names on street signs and two of everything else.
Translation from Swedish below:
VASABLADET
Culture
Like a figure from a video game settled among the cottages. So it seems when American guest artist Jimmy Kuehnle presents one of his inflatable suits at Stundars.
“Big Red” hovers between the houses
“Big Red” seems to float between the houses at the Stundars Museum grounds. Photo: Benjamin Suomela
Jimmy Kuehnle is currently working at Ateljé Stundars, and is engaged in making inflatable costumes. Kuehnle’s art is shown among the people on the streets instead of being displayed in art museums. In the evening you can see one of the characters walking around during Stundars Children’s Day.
SOLF
The sculpture “Big Red” (significantly about “the big red”) having been lifted out of his bag, looks at first like a shapeless fabric pile. As fans fill the suit with air, red cones slowly develop, and the several-meter-high suit takes shape before one’s eyes. Kuehnle puts on the costume and starts to walk away. Viewed from a distance the large red-green formation seems to float over the grass and white clover. The small cottages in the background reinforce the impression that “Big Red” is a creature from another world that has incredibly fallen down into the middle of the museum.
Jimmy Kuehnle sews his own costumes. For them to be sufficiently light he uses a similar type of fabric to that used in the manufacture of parachutes. Kuehnle is from Saint Louis in the U.S., and previously created art by welding together large metal structures. When he began to travel around with his art he had to find an art form that could be mobile.
“The thought process behind welding and sewing are very similar to each other, and you can still create large constructions.” said Kuehnle.
The large fabric suit is kept upright by air blown in by two battery-powered fans.
“The fans have a battery life of about three hours, and during that time, I can move around freely as I want.” said Kuehnle.
The inflatable suit, despite its solid appearance, is so soft and lightweight that it can thud against people and surrounding buildings without taking damage. The suit is vulnerable to tears, and Kuehnle admits that he devotes a lot of time to repair work.
Jimmy Kuehnle with his creation “Big Red”. Photo: Benjamin Suomela
“Big Red” and Kuehnle will participate in Stundars Children’s Day.
“During my performances in different cities it tends to be the children that follow me, and therefore I am participating in the children’s party.” said Kuehnle.
Kuehnle is often among people literally wearing his art.
“My performances are not made only for the art world, but for ordinary people. “Big Red” is so big that people expect it to stand still. When it starts to run toward them they forget all about their everyday lives.”
Last Saturday Jimmy Kuehnle wandered around the outdoor square in Vaasa wearing “Big Red”, and if weather allows, he will carry out further performances in Vaasa in July.
“There are many who start talking to me or help me during my performances. This human contact between strangers reminds us that life is short and that we must make the best of the chances we get.” said Kuehnle.
ERIKA RÖNNGÅRD
