Helsinki Shipyard / Port San Juan 2003

English | Deutsch | Suomi

Helsinki Shipyard / Port San Juan presents two videos—the first filmed in a Finnish shipyard building cruise ships and the second shot on operational cruise ships at a port of call in Puerto Rico. At these two distant geographical locations, nearly sixty protagonists earning their living from the cruise liner industry were interviewed: welders, engineers, and designers as well as hotel directors, storeroom managers, bartenders, tour guides, and travel agents. With one exception, all the interviews were conducted during the employees’ working hours. Participants were asked to describe their work and their views on different aspects of the industry. The piece was produced for PR’02 (En Ruta), a Biennale event in Puerto Rico organised by M&M Proyectos and was premiered at Diner’s, a restaurant in Old San Juan whose customers are mainly cruise ship employees.

Two videos, 14 / 17 min, 4:3, colour, sound

Finnish with English subtitles, English

Installation: Two monitors, two pedestals (50 x 50 x 50 cm), four stools (45 x 45 x 45 cm), four headphones

Interviewees: Anthony, Antero Apajalahti, Jani Arkiomaa, Beauty Therapist, Cherry, Dino, Luis Gautier, Mabrouk Hassan, Bengt Hellstedt, Nina Henriksson, Markku Hokkanen, Buba Jabang, Jason, Taina Johansson, Kaitsu, Tarmo Kankaanniemi, Laila, Ana Lucia, Tania Melkonian, Tuula Ojaluoma, María Plá, Michael Rasmussen, Martin Rissley, Ari Saarinen, Addu Stephen, Jouni Suomalainen, Tafeng, Hannu Vanhanen, Heikki Virtanen

Assistance: Carlos, Michelle Marxuach (M&M Proyectos), Paula Toppila, Manuel Valdés Pizzini

Sound design: Thomas Wallmann

Produced for PR’02 (En Ruta), Puerto Rico; M&M Proyectos with support from FRAME Finnish Fund for Art Exchange