Press and info page:

Art by Timo-Olavi Jalkanen
in Sala Barna, Barcelona, 14th to the 31st of July, 2003
30th Anniversary exhibition of Grupo Batik Art
Works from "When time stands still"-original art collection

Sala Barna exhibition works'

All the works are unique photo installations/reliefs. There are no copies of them.
The wood material was collected from the photo locations.
All the images are created using pigment colours on acid-free water-colour paper base
(colours should last more than 200 years without noticable fading).

Sala Barna

Larger press images here:  Aquatilis   Moment    Recreo
See also home page for more information: www.databooks.com/timojalkanen

Interview:
The man who knows how make time still
Timo-Olavi Jalkanen - "Romantic post-tec"

This text may be freely used

Question 1: You have been characterized as Romantic style artist. What do you think about it?

Answer: My works may have similarities to Romanticism from art history point of view. To be more accurate, I have said that if I have to be Romantic, I am "Romantic post-tec",  in the sense that my contemporary romanticism springs up from my very recent escape of decades long active high-tec career. My style was born in the beginning of 3rd millennium.

Question 2: So in your "previous life" you worked as a computer and microprocessor designer in high-tec companies around the world, including Nokia Corporation, and you met personally people like Bill Gates. Do you miss that life? What did you learn from there?

Answer: In high-tec development you learn to work hard, with commitment and concentration. Now I direct that intensity on art. I really do not miss the life I have just escaped. I am completely worn out by technology and by overwhelmingly flashy and aggressive era we are living in, generally. My works are spontaneous manifestos against all that. I have found quiet, small and local things to be more valuable than big, noisy and global. Moreover, the life-cycle of a leading-edge high-tec product can be less than a year. Many of the computer products I designed were after ten years ready to be set up into historical museum. Because of  realizing that, in my art there are no man made objects at all, instead I use eternal motifs. I have passed through a long urban culture journey, and now I have found something new.

Question 3: So does it mean that your works and your style is also "something new" ?

Answer: From my point of view my art is absolutely new kind. Actually, the first "When time stands still" -exhibition was almost rejected by the gallery, because some people there considered that it was not modern enough to their slightly avandgardistic profile. It took some time before they accepted my claim that I am the real avandgardist! I see myself as a forerunner who has already returned from urban, flashy, high-tech trip that many artists are still going to, or on the way. More than 30 countries I had to shuttle like a maniac, before I was able to see new, eternal, and sublime world just at the 100 meters radius from my home door. All my inspiration and works come from that area. I believe more artist will be in a similar situation in the future.

Question 4: You have said that in your art you do not search beauty --  work "Moment" used as an example.
 
Answer: "Moment", as well as many other works of mine, shows an object which is absolutely not beautiful in common sense. The main aspect for me is the emotion, not elegance. I view the world in my works at very instinctive level, and I believe many spectators do the same in my exhibitions.

Question 5: Also you have said that you capture "when time stands still" -moments  -- work "Solitudo" used as an example.

Answer: "Solitudo" is a kind of basic image of my preferred spiritual world just now. Very often I look at  the surrounding space through the reflection of a lake. I see remote and infinite sky and space together as an emotional image rather than a landscape image itself.

Question 6: Some people have seen Japanese or Zen-Buddhist philosophy and meditation in your works, for example in "Solitaire".
 
Answer: Normally I do not have many elements in my works, and I often show meaningless objects. In "Solitaire" you see only a stone. It looks lonely but proud and independent at the same time. It has all the important, simple elements for perfect existence. Maybe that characterizes certain philosophy or meditation.

Question 7: Your works "Recreo" and "Sanctuarium" have been interpreted religious.

Answer: Well, "Recreo" is an installation or relief. Its made of the bow of broken wooden rowboat. On a wall the bow is in vertical position, and the shape of it looks like a primitive temple. Together with the picture in  it "Recreo" is spiritual, or anciently religious without formal confession; an altarpiece if you want.
    One vernissage guest noted about "Sanctuarium", that only the missing Jesus from the beach in the image separates it from the religious fresco she had seen in the Mediterranean chapel. The waves and colours of "Sanctuarium" gave her that  impression. Anyway, for me the work represents an escape into the sanctuary of the scene, even the waves make it look a bit wild.

Question 8: What are your future artistic goals ?

Answer: I am going to complete what I have started -- finalising quite a many new larger works. In the end of 2003 I hope to have more than 100 major works ready. Then I am able to provide a complete exhibition in museum scale. That should express the ideology of my art in more precise way. Be welcome to propose good showrooms around the world.


Timo-Olavi Jalkanen in opening

Timo-Olavi Jalkanen

Born in Outokumpu, Kuusjärvi, Finland
Lives and works in Tampere, Finland

He has been working on "When time stands still" -theme since the beginning of the year 2000.
He has had exhibitions in several galleries in Finland.
Barcelona exhibition shows the first "When time stands still"-works outside Finland.
His works are in several private, corporate and public collections (e.g. UPM-Kymmene, Tampere Technical University, Epson)

tel. +358 44 3450257

email:             timo-olavi.jalkanen@databooks.com
home page:    www.databooks.com/timojalkanen

Sala Barna,  San Eusebio, 57.  08006 Barcelona,  SPAIN
tel: 93 4145655, fax: 93 4142885