an installation (2008–2010–) by TEEMU MÄKI  The overviews & details of the installation are from Helsinki Biennale 2008 (Design Museum Helsinki, Finland) and from my solo show How to Live? / Why to Live (Kemi Art Museum, Finland, 2010).   
 
   
   
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LIST OF CONTENTS: 1. Mother (Russia?) / Äiti (Venäjä?) sculpture (wood, metal, etc.) 2. In Memoriam Anna Politkovskaya / Anna Politkovskajan muistolle mixed media on paper, triptych, 310 x 460 cm, 2009–2010. 3. Neon Lights in Moscow / Rush Hour in Helsinki / War in Chechnya video loop, 10 minutes 4. Reapers (after A.G. Venetsianov, 1780–1847) / Niittäjät (A.G. Venetsianovin (1780–1847) mukaan) diptych, 2004, hard-ground etching & aquatint, 140 x 100 cm (image 90 x 63 cm) each 5. Russian Veteran Drinks, Bleeds and Begs on Ligovsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg, Russia / Venäläinen sotaveteraani juo, vuotaa ja kerjää Ligovski prospektilla, Pietarissa 17.4.2008, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 90 cm 6. Dudayev Dedication 1996/2008, collage with text and two photos, 60 x 41 cm 7. Four small drawings: Only the Poet Escapes... (...the Animal Rationalism of Mundane Hedonism.) / Vain runoilija pääsee karkuun... (...arkipäiväisen hedonismin eläimellistä rationaalisuutta.) 2003–2004, mixed media on paper, 27 x 35 cm Julia, mixed media on paper, 27 x 35 cm Ursula, mixed media on paper, 27 x 35 cm Epäuskoinen rukoilee / Disbeliever Praying, mixed media on paper, 27 x 35 cm ...and a copy of A.G. Venetsianov's (1780–1847) painting Reapers. 8. Numeroita / Numbers text in 3 languages, 30 x 21 cm each 9. The Civil War Goes On / Kansalaissota jatkuu an essay about the Finnish Civil War (1918) / essee Suomen kansalaissodasta (1918) 10. Love Is Flying So High a Human Mind Can Not Reach It / Rakkaus liitää ihmismielen tavoittamattomissa 11. Pondering Mattress / Pohtimispatja A few students from Aalto University / TaiK – Juho Hellsten, Katri Kainulainen, Salli Kari, Kristina Sedlerova and Johanna Torkkola – have helped me in creating some parts of this installation. * The next version of the installation will be expanded with a few added features: – Videotaped interviews of retired Chechnyan rebel fighters, now living in exile in Finland. – A collective oil painting dealing with Russian oligarchy and patriotism. – Water color portrait of a Chechen mother * |
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The core
text:
NUMBERS (23.1.2010) CHECHNYA – In the most recent Russian caucus (2002) the population of Chechnya was 1 103 686 and that of the whole Russia 145 166 731. – In the last two Chechen wars (1994–1996 & 1999–) [i] 150 000 – 200 000 Chechen civilians and 20 000 – 40 000 Chechen rebels have been killed. That's 15 – 22 % of the population of Chechnya. – 20 000 – 40 000 Russian soldiers have died in these wars. That's 0,0137 – 0,028 % of the population of Russia. – Other consequences: In 2004 Russia designated one-third of Chechnya "a zone of ecological disaster" and another 40% "a zone of extreme environmental distress". Chechnya's water resources are polluted and undrinkable to a depth of 250 m. IRAQ – In 2003 the population of Iraq was approximately 28 000 000 [ii]. – In the most recent attack (2003) USA killed 13 500 – 45 000 Iraqi soldiers [iii]. – The ensuing occupation of Iraq by USA has led to the death of over one million Iraqi civilians. That's 3,53 % of Iraq's population [iv]. – In the war and during the occupation USA has lost 4 287 soldiers so far. That's 0,00141 % of USA's population [v]. In comparison it's good to remember: FINLAND – In 1917 the population of Finland was 3 134 300. – In the Finnish Civil War (27.1.–15.5.1918) 36 640 Finns were killed. That was 1,17 % of the population. Two thirds died in executions, murders and prison camps [vi]. – In 31.12.1938 the population of Finland was 3 672 100. – In the Winter war, Continuation war and Lapland war (1939–1945) 86 413 Finnish soldiers and 2 500 civilians were killed. That was 2,42 % of the population [vii]. – 400 000
Russian
soldiers and 7 000 civilians were killed in these Finnish wars. That
was 0,21 %
of the population. [i] Exact figures not
known. The numbers are based on
various estimates for example by Amnesty International (http://www.amnesty.org/),
Jane's Information Group (http://www.janes.com/),
Prague Watchdog (http://www.watchdog.cz) and Russian-Chechen Friendship Society
(RCFS, http://www.uic.nnov.ru/hrnnov/rus/friend/2003e/indexe.htm). [ii] CIA World Factbook https://www.cia.gov. [iv] ORB's research, published in January 2008
(Opinion
Research Business, London, http://www.opinion.co.uk). Up till then, counting from the
beginning of the
war (20.3.2003), 1 033 000 Iraqis had died because of the war. In April
2008
the population of Iraq was 28 221 181. A completely
different estimate has been published by
Iraqi Body Count (http://www.iraqbodycount.org/). According to them by 31.3.2008 there
had been only
84 389 – 92 067 certified Iraqi deaths. However, both ORB's
and IBC's numbers can be correct,
even though the former ends up with an estimate that is ten times
bigger than
the latter's estimate. The difference results from the differences in
measuring
criteria. IBC lists only violent deaths that have occurred in military
action
or terror strikes – and of those only the deaths that have been
confirmed
and identified by multiple sources. ORB in turn observes the raise in
general
mortality rate of Iraq and claims that all of the increase must be
assumed to be
caused by the war and occupation – meaning that for example the death
rate increase caused by the collapse of the Iraqi health care system is
included in the ORB's war casualties statistics. [v] According to the US military it had by
31.12.2009
lost 4 287 soldiers in the war & occupation (http://icasualties.org / http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq_casualties.htm) and the population of USA was 304 289
000 in 2008. [vi] According to the Finnish National Archive
(http://vesta.narc.fi/cgi-bin/db2www/sotasurmaetusivu/stat2) 9 403 died in battle, 9 720 were
executed/murdered,
13 446 died on prison camps, 613 soon after been released froom prison
camps, 2
193 disappeared and 1 265 were killed by other means. |
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NUMEROITA (23.1.2010)
TŠETŠENIA
–
Venäjän tuoreimmassa väestönlaskennassa (2002)
Tšetšenian väkiluku
oli 1 103 686 ja koko Venäjän 145 166 731.
–
Kahdessa viimeisimmässä Tšetšenian sodassa (1994–1996 &
1999–) [1]
on tapettu 150 000 – 200 000 tšetšeenisiviiliä ja 20 000
– 40 000 tšetšeenikapinallista. Se on 15 – 22 %
Tšetšenian väestöstä.
–
20 000 – 40 000 venäläistä sotilasta on kuollut
näissä sodissa. Se on
0,0137 – 0,028 % Venäjän väestöstä.
–
Sotien muita seurauksia: Vuonna 2004 Venäjä luokitteli 33%
Tšetšeniasta "ekokatastrofialueeksi" ja sen lisäksi 40%
"äärimmäisen ympäristöhaitan alueeksi".
Tšetšenian
pohjavedet ovat saastuneet juomakelvottomiksi 250 metrin syvyyteen
saakka.
IRAQ
–
2003 Irakin asukasluku oli 28 000 000 [2].
–
Viimeisimmässä sodassa (2003) USA tappoi 13 500 – 45 000
irakilaissotilasta [3].
–
Sotaa seurannut miehitys on johtanut yli miljoonan irakilaissiviilin
kuolemaan.
Se on 3,53 % Irakin väestöstä [4].
–
USA:n sotilaita sodassa ja miehityksessä on tähän
mennessä kuollut 4287. Se on
0,00141 % USA:n väestöstä [5].
Vertailun
vuoksi hyvä muistaa:
SUOMI
–
Suomen väkiluku 1917 oli 3 134 300.
–
Kansalaissodassa (27.1.–15.5.1918) tapettiin 36 640 suomalaista
sotilasta
ja siviiliä (1,17 % väestöstä). Kaksi kolmasosaa
teloitettiin, murhattiin tai
kuoli vankileireillä [6].
–
Suomen väkiluku 31.12.1938 oli 3 672 100.
–
Talvisodassa, Jatkosodassa ja Lapin sodassa (1939–1945) tapettiin 86
413
suomalaista sotilasta ja 2 500 siviiliä – yhteensä 2,42 %
väestöstä [7].
–
Venäläisiä sotilaita näissä Suomen sodissa
tapettiin 400 000 ja siviilejä 7 000
(0,21 % väestöstä).
[1] Tarkkoja lukuja ei tiedetä. Numerot kertovat missä haarukassa mm. seuraavien tahojen arviot liikkuvat: Amnesty International (http://www.amnesty.org/), Jane's Information Group (http://www.janes.com/), Prague Watchdog (http://www.watchdog.cz) ja Russian-Chechen Friendship Society (RCFS, http://www.uic.nnov.ru/hrnnov/rus/friend/2003e/indexe.htm). [4] ORB's research, published in January 2008 (Opinion Research Business, London, http://www.opinion.co.uk). Up till then, counting from the beginning of the war (20.3.2003), 1 033 000 Iraqis had died because of the war. In April 2008 the population of Iraq was 28 221 181. A completely different estimate has been published by Iraqi Body Count (http://www.iraqbodycount.org/). According to them by 31.3.2008 there had been only 84 389 – 92 067 certified Iraqi deaths. However, both ORB's and IBC's numbers can be correct, even though the former ends up with an estimate that is ten times bigger than the latter's estimate. The difference results from the differences in measuring criteria. IBC lists only violent deaths that have occurred in military action or terror strikes – and of those only the deaths that have been confirmed and identified by multiple sources. ORB in turn observes the raise in general mortality rate of Iraq and claims that all of the increase must be assumed to be caused by the war and occupation – meaning that for example the death rate increase caused by the collapse of the Iraqi health care system is included in the ORB's war casualties statistics. [5] According to the US military it had by 31.12.2009 lost 4 287 soldiers in the war & occupation (http://icasualties.org / http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq_casualties.htm) and the population of USA was 304 289 000 in 2008. [6] Suomen Kansallisarkiston (http://vesta.narc.fi/cgi-bin/db2www/sotasurmaetusivu/stat2) mukaan 9 403 kuoli taisteluissa, 9 720 teloitettiin/murhattiin, 13 446 kuoli vankileireillä, 613 niiltä vapauduttuaan, 2 193 katosi ja 1 265 tapettiin muilla tavoin. |
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| О ЧЁМ ГОВОРЯТ ЦЫФРЫ (1.5.2008) (...sorry, not as complete as the Finnish/English version...) По данным переписи населения Российской федерации (2002) население Чеченской республики составляло 1 103 686 7. В двух последних войнах было убито (1994 - 1996 & 1999) 8: - 150 000 – 200 000 гражданского населения - 20 000 – 40 000 чеченских боевиков - 20 000 – 40 000 русских солдат Другие последствия войны: - В 2004 году по российским данным 33% Чечни находились на грани экологической катастрофы, кроме этого, 40% вошли в разряд к экологически неблагополучных территорий - Подземные воды территории Чечни загрязнены в такой степени, что являются непригодными для питья до уровня 250 метров. Для сравнения:
- Население Финляндии составляло 31.12.1938; 3 672 100 - В зимней войне, войне продолжения и лапландской войне (1939-1945) было убито 86 413 финских солдат и 2 500 гражданского населения 9. - Русских солдат в этих финских войнах было убито 400 000 и гражданского населения 7 000. 7: При том, что население
Российской Федерации составляло 145 166 731.
8: Точные данные не известны. Следующие инстанции дают статистические данные в своих цифровых пределах: Amnesty International (http://www.amnesty.org), Jane’s Information Group (http://www.janes.com), Prague Watchdog (http://www.watchdog.cz), Russian-Chechen Friendship Society (RSFS, http://www.uic.nnov.ru/hrnnov/rus/friend/2003e/indexe.htm). 9: Статистический центр Финляндии (http://www.stat.fi/org/index.html) |
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 90 sec TRAILER of the Neon Lights in Moscow / Rush Hour in Helsinki / War in Chechnya video loop The duration of the whole loop is 10 minutes. |
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