Mari Keski-Korsu

Video installation and documentation project

Greener Grass from mkk on Vimeo.

Greener Grass is a video installation, documentary and net art piece themed with Finnish immigration to North America. The work mirrors contemporary exile and immigration through the personal experiences of immigrants and their offspring. Can we learn from history to answer the challenges of contemporary immigration?

Independent Concept: She will take me across the ocean

Read Travel Diary of transatlantic crossing, retracing the steps of my immigrant ancestors.

First day at sea

My family is from the part of Finland (Northern Ostrobothnia) from where many left to North America in hope for better life. Immigration was very common in the end of 19th century and the beginning of 20th century, about 300 000 Finnish people emigrated.

Embraced by the U.S.A.

I don't have any idea who is that woman in black. Pic by David Brule

People went to work in mines, established farms, some were ashamed about their immigrant background and some kept the “old culture” alive. I travel by cargo ship to United States and follow the footsteps of my ancestors. My ancestors were looking for good life. They were environmental refugees (hunger due to small crops, lack of farming land) and political refugees (Russia wanted to Russianise Finland).

How to become an American?

What has happened to them and their offspring? What do their offspring think about immigration?

Eric: Second Generation Immigrant in United States

There has been a lot of discussions about immigration in Finland lately and some people are fiercely against it, even racist. Of course, this is the case in many countries. Racist opinions get stronger during economic depression. Just during this summer 2010, all the main political party leaders agreed that immigration to Finland will be the key discussion topic in the coming parliamentary election. I would like to simply show that people have left away from Finland to other countries. When I put this project to one sentence, I think it is a description of chasing dreams and what happens to the dreams when they are touched by the reality - over generations in people's identities.

Statue of Liberty

Naturally, I want to tell these stories from very human and grass root level through people's personal experiences. I believe knowing history is a key to understand future in some level.

Stuart, Evie, Joan and Beth

PROJECT OUTCOME – People, Emotions and Locations

Sea view from freighter, at my favourite place

I travelled by a freighter from Liverpool (UK) to Chester (PA, US) following the Finnish immigration routes of the past.

In US, I interview people with Finnish descent about their family history, immigration background's affect on their own identity and what they think about the contemporary immigration. The end result of the project is a video installation combining the sea travel, interviews and important places of the interviewees. There will be also a linear video documentary and website contains all the materials collected from the travel.

Benjamin Franklin Bridge - View from hotel.

I must admit, I was a bit shocked about people, colours, cars, noise, lights and everything after so many peaceful days at sea.

I have reached about 80 people in US. They identify to Finnish ethnic group in different ways. There are for example an immigration lawyer who has some Finnish relatives, second generation immigrant engineer working for Pentagon and many others. Naturally I can't interview them all, but I try to do as many interviews as possible.

Private jet from NYC to Michigan

The interview questions/themes are for example:

- What do you know about the family history? Especially from point of view of immigration?

- Do you remember what you family (for example grandparents) thought about Finland?

- What do you think about how your family integrated to US?

- Does immigration play a role in your own identity?

- What is your general point of you towards today's immigration?

Sieja

I composed a three channel video work with three simultaneous video parts:

1.) describing Transatlantic sea travel (follow the historical Nordic immigration route)

2.) interviews with the people (mainly immigrants offspring)

3.) interviewed people portrayed in locations they consider significant in their lives.

Elsa

The art work can be exhibited in gallery and museum spaces, but it can be also installed in public indoor spaces. The website includes own travel diary and also include materials that are not present in the video piece (i.e. video Skype interviews of people I can't meet in person). I'm also hoping to get permission from the interviewed people to ad their stories to the website in written format. In addition, I will create a linear documentary piece of the materials later on. This can be used for example by Institute of Migration (Turku, Finland) and shown in festivals.

Deer Food, Michigan

SCHEDULE

The actual journey is realised in October - November 2010. The art work is ready in spring 2011.

I wanted to see Walmart my own eyes and buy some ziplogs. Brule family is responsible for taking the most strangest photos of me on this travel. Pic by Elsa Brule