Installation in Ars Fennica 2009 exhibition

Dead spruce - dead pine, installation view (detail)

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Forest edge - primeval forest in moonlight (detail)

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First snow - small forest pond in the boreal forest belt surrounded by old forest and gradually being taken over by swamp vegetation in the moonlight after a snowfall. (Diorama)

Installation by Jussi Kivi in the exhibition Ars Fennica 2009 in Contemporary Art Museum Kiasma, Helsinki.

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An Expedition to the Little Night River 1995

In August 1995 a group of finnish, russian and komi biologists and artists mounted a joint expedition to the Voi-Vozh river valley in Komi, North Western Urals. 

The Voi-Vozh river runs between the Pechora plains and the Urals Mountains. It's a low tributary of the River Bol'shaya Synya which runs to river Usa, which in turn is a tributary of the Pechora River. In the Komi language, the points of the compass and the times of day are indicated with parallel constructions. The small southern branch of the river is called Day-River: the northern branch  is the Night-River.

The area is closed in by thick impassable forest, and is therefore entirely uninhabited.  It constitutes the single largest area of untouched forest on the European side of the continent. This remote and lonely region is dominated by dark forests, bogs, mountains, wild animals and millions of blackflies. Here, the human species (homo sapiens) exerts minimal influence. 

The place therefore affords unique opportunities for obseving  and studying "The UNTOUCHED."  

     The artistic aim of the expedition was to study untouched, pristine nature as a mytchical concept. This entailed viewing expedition itself as a mythical rite converging on pristine nature. The scientific interests focused on botany, zoology, ornithology, ecology and hydrobiology. Homever, the environment seemed supremely indifferent to our aims!

The expedition was organised by Pori Art Museum, Frame - finnish fund for art exhange and Komi University/ Biological department ( Syktyvkar. The Artistic results of the project was presented as a part of the exhibition "Strangers in the Arctic" 

in Rundetaar, Gopenhagen, The Art Museum of Atheneum, Helsinki and The Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. (1996-97)

Map: Ural mountains and Pechora plains in the surroundings

of River Voi-Vozh and River Vangyr. 1995

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The horizon of Urals from north to south-east seen from the point: 65°57N/55°58E

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Geological formations remind an ancient fortress,

 or a nose of a petrified Nenets soldier.

Jussi Kivi 1995-96

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Melancholic evening at Voi-Vozh River

by the edge of Ural mountains and Pechora plains.

On the way to Pechora, river meanderings seen from the aeroplane.

Panorama Urals 270°,  from west to south

RGS exploration dept. / J. Kivi

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 Sorbus Aucuparia (Uralin Pihlaja), Pinus Sibirica

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T. Kontinen RGS member of honour, photographed in the wild light of sunset

Repokaira Wilderness, Inari, Lappland

Wilderness & Backwoods archive Nr.  107 (photo: JK)

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Elimyssalo, old camp site in the vicinity of Saunaniemi, 1990

Wilderness & Backwoods dept. Nr. 2

Elimyssalo, camp site in the morning, near by Saunaniemi, Kuhmo, Finland 1990

Wilderness & Backwood dept. Nr. 3 (photos: J.Kivi) 

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Salamanperä, Koirajärvi ( The Dog Lake) 1977

Wilderness & Backwoods photo archive Nr. 6

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Crossing the great swamp, Repoaapa, Sompio, Finland  1981

RGS/ Backwoods & Wilderness archive nr.81 (J.Kivi)

The Geese hunters plastic tee-pee, Martimoaapa marshlands, Autumn 1984

Rgs Wilderness & Backwoods archives Nr.7 / Outdoor investigations department / Documentation dept. (photo: J. Kivi)

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RGS/Wilderness & backwoods archives nr.54.

 Mysterious abandoned lean to camp in Hammastunturi Wilderness.

Following things were found from the camp:

Camping matress, pullower (wool), Camel boots (in good condition), 

snowspate, kettle, spoon, knife, FOOD: severeal bags instant soup etc. 

dry dog food, hair schampoo, soap

Photo: JK. sept 1998 

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RGS/Wilderness & backwoods archives nr. 18  

Kirakkajärvi, Hammastunturi Wilds, Inari, Finland,  September 1994