Since 2019, the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme has funded 10 Artist Residencies across Europe, supporting artists to explore the role of the arts for land and seascape restoration. Musician Jukka Takalo and dancer Heli-Maria Latola have recently undertaken an artist residency in the Koitajoki Watershed restoration landscape with Snowchange Co-operative in Finland.
Helping people to understand the importance and benefits of restoration is challenging, and Snowchange Co-operative are using their artist residencies to help make these connections within the community. “We have amazing landscapes. Restoration helps protect species and habitats like fish and peatlands, and also is important in our fight against climate change. These are big narratives in themselves. But how do we communicate these things in a meaningful way?” says Tero Mustonen, Koitajoki Watershed project lead.
“Jukka and Heli-Maria went on location and filmed some of our key restoration landscapes like peatlands and burnt forest areas to create a music video for Jukka’s new song ‘Ding Dong’. They aimed to narrate the world on fire through dance and music,” says Mustonen. “We don’t need to seek magical solutions to solve these problems. Instead, why not refocus and explore new, open ways to address what’s right in front of us?”
In September 2024, the Festival of Northern Fishing Traditions will feature a performance by Jukka and Heli-Maria, who will present their interpretation of peatland restoration in an aquatic theatre. The audience – including delegates from Greenland, Alaska, Canada and the Pacific Ocean – will gather on land in one of the Koitajoki villages, while Jukka and Heli-Maria perform on stand-up paddleboards. This performance will be part of a cultural sharing day, alongside performances from Greenlandic singers and Pacific Islanders.
Iona Haines speaks with Jukka and Heli-Maria about their inspiration behind the project, and their new music video.
Iona: Jukka, could you provide some background on your music career?
Jukka: I have had a long career as a songwriter and artist. Around the year 2000, my band was at the peak of its popularity, playing indie guitar rock influenced by bands like The Smiths, Blur, and Stone Roses. We sing in Finnish, as I believe it captures a unique identity and rhythm that’s integral to our music. Since 2005, I’ve pursued a solo career, blending music with my other passions like film and literature.
Iona: And Heli-Maria, could you tell us a bit about your dance practice?
Heli-Maria: I’m still exploring who I am and what dance means to me. The key is understanding how my inner self responds to external stimuli. I start with my eyes closed, then open them, letting my instincts and senses lead me while observing my internal reactions. The body holds a wealth of knowledge, and by looking inward, I can connect with the world around me.
Iona: How did the collaboration with Snowchange come about?
Jukka: Even though peatlands cover about one-third of Finland’s landmass, their importance is often overlooked. They have been degraded and drained for agriculture because they are seen as wastelands. In Western Finland, where I’m from, an old superstition holds that peatlands are inhabited by the dead, which contributes to their negative perception. I have been advocating for their restoration and dam removals for over 20 years.
When the “Suomaa matkatoimisto” (Peatland’s Travel Agency) project started with Heli-Maria Latola, we wanted to take performances to natural settings. Snowchange immediately came to mind for their environmental work. We found synergy in combining their scientific efforts with our artistic vision to create meaningful art about pressing issues.
Snowchange does significant environmental work, and as artists we aim to make these crucial issues more visible through art. We believe art can engage and inspire people in a way that complements scientific efforts.
Iona: Can you explain how the concept for this song developed?
Jukka: The musical idea was to make as catchy a melody as possible and a striking hit with the lyrics commenting on environmental and social issues. Maybe a bit like Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning as an example. And of course, a little ABBA spice. The lyrics are intentionally snarky and I use Finnish clichés. The darkness of these times, with the loss of nature, climate change, wars and pandemics seem to call for lightness and flamboyance.
Iona: Can you explain the different characters in your video and what they represent?
Heli-Maria: The main concept revolves around the contrast between nature and people. Some characters in the video are engaged in a wild, chaotic party. Then, there are archetypal figures resembling Barbie and Ken, who see themselves as gods, surfing atop the world. We also used a sack made of a substance reminiscent of oil to symbolise the extraction of resources from the earth. This represents the idea of people taking everything they can, with each of the characters metaphorically draining life from the planet.
Iona: How would you describe the relationship between people in Finland and nature?
Jukka: Finns consider themselves a forest people. However, I think the forest and nature have long been seen as just a resource to be used. Throughout our history, wetlands have been perceived quite negatively. In our oral histories, they have been associated with bringing frost and damaging harvests. Attempts have been made to turn them into a forest. One of our big goals is to make people aware of the benefits of wetlands. Swamps sequester carbon and are helping to save the world. That’s why we make songs about it and take performances to the swamp. In the language of advertising: we are making the swamp sexy!
Iona: What do you hope people will think or do after watching the video and listening to the song?
Heli-Maria: I hope it makes people think about our impact on the planet and the power of restoration. When you touch someone’s feelings, it often leads them to reflect deeply.
Jukka: I hope that people wake up to realise that nothing is like before. We live in a time of change. At the same time, we want to inspire hope. Without joy, there is no life. We can make restoration visible with art and with music videos. Heli-Maria can evoke emotions in people, which connects them to these scientific things. That’s our mission.
To find out more about the Koitajoki Watershed artist residencies, visit their project page.
Ding Dong
(original lyrics: Jukka Takalo, English version: Kai Latvalehto)
If you ever feel like the bushes are talkin for you
Maybe they have something to say
I you ever feel like the sky is falling
It’s not falling, it’s just calling on you
If it feels like it, then it feels like it
it makes no difference
just take the punches
snow on the bruises
Clunking like a bad wall clock
The world is completely ding dong
Hammered and wasted
Three sheets to the wind
Who am I to say
All ding dong myself
Legless and pickled
Like a smoked big fish
If you ever feel like the crosswalk is biting you
It’s not biting, it’s just smiling
If you ever feel like your legs are trembling
Let them tremble, it’s just a tremble
If it feels like it, then it feels like it
it makes no difference
just take the punches
snow on the bruises
Clunking like a bad wall clock
The world is completely ding dong
Hammered and wasted
Three sheets to the wind
Who am I to say
All ding dong myself
Legless and pickled
Like a smoked big fish
If it feels like it, then it feels like it
it makes no difference
If it feels like it, then it feels like it
