The Ticker-Tape Parade
At the opening of the TRIALOGIA exhibition with works of Aino Favén, Tiina Karhu and Anna Wilhelmus
Galleria K, Vantaa
February 26 2026
Galleria K, Vantaa
February 26 2026
“And now, something totally else”
Preparation
The first impression of Galleria K: what an impossible space for an exhibition. Windows along three sides, high ceiling and in the middle of the space, one floor deeper, a kind of atrium with a greenish vinyl floor. Back to the fifties. Must have been great as a library, its original function. But then, it’s always wonderful to get inspired by unusual spaces. The idea came immediately: to create a kind of ticker-tape parade with me as the unlikely hero.
So I started to cut the local newspaper “Helsingin Sanomat” for fifty days. Each day I put the scissors in the Very Famous Faces and brought back endless texts to 10 by 10 centimeters squares. Eight paper bags full with news and advertisements. I attached the bags to the railings alongside the deep atrium.
The exhibition
The subtle works of Aino were all on the entrance level. Down under Tiina placed an installation of old wooden paddles that were actually used in earlier times to bake bread. Anna hung a huge triptych on the wall opposite the stairs leading down. When I told Tiina my idea of hitting a ping-pong ball, she offered me to use a piece of one of the paddles, that looked almost like a ping-pong bat. Wonderful, the show could start.
The action
The audience was asked to stand along the railings. I was dressed in a black suit and a black hat. I came down with a black briefcase and took out the bat and the ball. As soon as I started to play around with the ball people started to throw the pieces of paper down. I was playing in a rain of paper, trying to keep the ball up or hitting it against the walls. When the bags grew empty and the floor fully covered with a thick layer of news, I lifted my hat and thanked the wonderful audience for their enthusiastic participation.
Aftermath
When home we were drinking some Yogi Tea. The message read: “Communicate sacredness, build it, share it and spread it”.
Preparation
The first impression of Galleria K: what an impossible space for an exhibition. Windows along three sides, high ceiling and in the middle of the space, one floor deeper, a kind of atrium with a greenish vinyl floor. Back to the fifties. Must have been great as a library, its original function. But then, it’s always wonderful to get inspired by unusual spaces. The idea came immediately: to create a kind of ticker-tape parade with me as the unlikely hero.
So I started to cut the local newspaper “Helsingin Sanomat” for fifty days. Each day I put the scissors in the Very Famous Faces and brought back endless texts to 10 by 10 centimeters squares. Eight paper bags full with news and advertisements. I attached the bags to the railings alongside the deep atrium.
The exhibition
The subtle works of Aino were all on the entrance level. Down under Tiina placed an installation of old wooden paddles that were actually used in earlier times to bake bread. Anna hung a huge triptych on the wall opposite the stairs leading down. When I told Tiina my idea of hitting a ping-pong ball, she offered me to use a piece of one of the paddles, that looked almost like a ping-pong bat. Wonderful, the show could start.
The action
The audience was asked to stand along the railings. I was dressed in a black suit and a black hat. I came down with a black briefcase and took out the bat and the ball. As soon as I started to play around with the ball people started to throw the pieces of paper down. I was playing in a rain of paper, trying to keep the ball up or hitting it against the walls. When the bags grew empty and the floor fully covered with a thick layer of news, I lifted my hat and thanked the wonderful audience for their enthusiastic participation.
Aftermath
When home we were drinking some Yogi Tea. The message read: “Communicate sacredness, build it, share it and spread it”.
photos: aida wilhelmus
video by antti ikonen:
vimeo.com/1170771081?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
vimeo.com/1170771081?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
