It's Time to Talk About Monstrosities

Exhibition & Discussion Event

In collaboration with Ella Kaira

Location: Hotel Rantapuisto, Helsinki

Construction materials, demolition, art

Supported by: Porin Kulttuurisäätö and City of Helsinki

“Such ugly shacks, monstrosities are being protected, this reaches the limits of unintentional comedy. This fervent desire to protect buildings went too far a long time ago” writes a commenter by the nickname “Näin se vain on” (“That’s just how it is'') on an article in Helsingin Sanomat in 2019 on the topic of Hotel Vuoranta being under a building protection law.

You Tell Me Collective was invited to contribute to the Pori Biennale 2022 organized in Helinki's Meri-Rastila and Kallahti area by Porin Kulttuurisäätö. As the starting point for our work we took the local land mark Vuoranta an old Alko training center turned hotel turned center for asylum seekers. The building had stood empty since 2017 and was left in poor condition under no maintenance and exposed to weather. As of 2022 the building is getting a new life as a center for assisted living.

The work studied Vuoranta's history, renovation and partial demolition. Many building components from the facade bricks to interior walls were demolished due to the reuse plan and poor condition. By documenting the construction site and the materials collected from the site the piece aimed to raise discussion on the value of buildings, processes related to construction materials, and demolition as a phenomenon. As part of the opening of the piece we hosted a guided tour at the construction site and facilitated discussion on the topics with locals.

The piece was part of the artist collective Porin kulttuurisäätö’s Pori Biennale 2022 – Visitors, a site-specific, process-based event taking place in Eastern Helsinki on 14.–24.7.2022 The exhibition, situated mainly in public places, explored the unique environments of the Meri-Rastila and Kallahti area from architecture to nature.