Say NO to Reindeer Art!

I get tired of the attitude I frequently get from southerners - most often Helsinki people - that the only thing in Rovaniemi is darkness, mosquitoes and reindeer. But the blame for this phenomenon cannot be laid entirely with the people. This received 'wisdom' comes from how Northern Finland is represented in the media, and perhaps more disconcertingly, from how the north (and Rovaniemi) represents itself.

Here is a classic example: Rovaniemi city has announced it's latest and greatest cultural program, to involve and celebrate the arts and artists in the region. Exciting no? Rovaniemi's head of culture Marja Widenius excitedly announced the name of the project recently, and it is....wait for it....

Reindeer Parade

YES! Excellent! Just what we need! More reindeer references!

What is going on with Rovaniemi city? What is the obsession with Reindeer? More importantly: What do reindeer have to do with the arts?

The answer is simple: absolutely nothing. Once again Widenius reveals that she is unaware of contemporary artistic issues.

It seems that Rovaniemi city is unable to distinguish between nature and the arts. Perhaps I can assist in this problem by clarifying things for them.

Reindeer are medium-sized animals which roam the country freely eating mostly lichen. They are farmed. Their meat is used as a food product and sold in shops. Their fur and other leftovers are sold on to tourists as gimmicky souvenirs.

Art, on the other hand, is a means of expression of ideas and concepts. 'Artists' are people who work in different media producing 'art' (hence the name).

Now, here's the confusing bit, so pay attention: They are not the same thing. Reindeer are never artists. Artists are very rarely cut up and eaten. Artists are not farmed (although some graduates from the more critical art universities might argue with this). Reindeer never receive artist grants. I know this is very difficult to grasp, but it is absolutely essential: Reindeer have absolutely nothing to do with art.

I would like to continue to educate the staff of Rovaniemi's cultural department for a moment longer if you will permit me.

Although reindeer are very nice, and taste delicious, their mere presence does NOT mean that every artist in Lapland feels an urgent need to paint, photograph or otherwise represent reindeer.

This distinction between 'REINDEER' and 'ART' is important because it highlights another distinction which it would appear that many people - especially those in power - are unaware of. That is the distinction between 'ARTS' and 'CRAFTS'.

This is a little more problematic, so it's no surprise that Rovaniemi City Culture Dept. has some difficulties with it. Again let me clarify things. The arts could be said to comment on society. In one way or another artistic representation is a commentary which is filtered through the artist. Of course it gets much more complicated than this, but this is a blog not a BA in art history. Art is often produced at the inner behest of the artist, and is shown in places called 'galleries'. Although these galleries purport to sell art, very little is actually ever sold and most artists never dream of making any money. The crafts, however, although they might comment of some aspects of society, generally utilize local materials to produce material objects. Often these are sold in craft shops (a number of which can be found in Rovaniemi). Many craft practitioners aim to sell their works and make some form of living.

This is not to devalue either the arts or crafts. Both have their place in society. Both contribute to the wealth of experiences, emotions and activities that make humanity so occasionally wonderful (when we are not shooting or bombing the hell out of each other).

What I am trying to show here is that 'reindeer' has more to do with 'crafts' then with 'arts'. Craftspersons might make objects out of reindeer horn. I believe beer bottle openers are quite popular here. This is a good example - a beer bottle opener is not art, unless it is also more than a beer bottle opener. If, for example, I were to attach a beer bottle opener to a stuffed whole reindeer and exhibit it in a gallery, you might get away with calling that art because at the same time as being a beer bottle opener it is a comment on the industry of reindeer farming and tourism. It would NOT be a celebration of how wonderful reindeer are. This is another important point: just because it is art and it features a reindeer does not necessarily mean it is a celebration of the reindeer.

Perhaps I have complicated matters too much now. But in any case I hope my point has become clear. An arts event called 'Reindeer Parade' indicates a severe misunderstanding of both culture and the arts.

Unless the ridiculous attitude that the reindeer is some form of metaphorical signifier for art in the Northern Finland is constantly and repeatedly challenged we will be stuck with inaccurate opinions of life in Lapland. It just adds ammunition to the barrage of misinformed comments from those southerners!

So please join me, and say 'NO' to reindeer art.


Additional note:
In 2006 Rovaniemi entered the 'Cultural Capital' competition. The cover of the application featured - you guessed it - a reindeer.

Interestingly, although Magneetti were asked to write a resume of our plans for contemporary art in Rovaniemi for the application (which we happily did), this was cut from the application at the last minute. No mention of Magneetti appeared.

Rovaniemi did not win the Cultural Capital competition.