Matleena Jänis: Time of the Isle

Time of the Isle exhibition deals with the layers of time, intergenerational memory and the joy of summer cottage living in a Finnish lake landscape. In the exhibition, Matleena Jänis combines her own documentary photographs with images from family archives and time-lapse films, in which the past and the present are placed side by side. The exhibition includes the photo series Saari, which documents everyday life at a summer cottage, as well as Muistokirjoitus/Saarelaiset, filmed on time-lapse film, which deals with the grief associated with the death of a mother.

The summer cottage is the most beloved place in the world for many people. It's there that they break away from everyday life and experience a special connection with nature, from which they seek mental and physical well-being. The photographs and time-lapse films taken at the cottage are associated with great joy in life and love of nature, but also with longing and nostalgia. In the film's time-utopia, the past and the present are present at the same time. Cultural heritage is living and changing. The meanings associated with the lake landscape are revealed in the flow of life, death and memory. By examining cottage life, we can critically reflect on our consuming lifestyle and what is ultimately most important to us.