Mysterious moss giants take over Lasipalatsi Square – Amos Rex’s exhibition invites us to ask questions and dream fearlessly like children
A green moss giant with skis and poles has arrived at Amos Rex’s domes, ready to explore unfamiliar terrain. Wanderer sees the world as being best explored by travelling, but also with the sense of touch – especially the touch of the hand. That may be why the giant is moving two fingers across the palm of his other hand, forming the sign that means to walk or to wander.
Wanderer is one of four bright-green, giant-like figures who have temporarily set up camp in the courtyard at Lasipalatsi Square and on the terrace of Bio Rex. Kim Simonsson’s (b. 1974) are about four metres high and communicate with each other through Finnish sign language. They have been acquired for Konstsamfundet, which has one of Finland’s most extensive private art collections.
Kim Simonsson is available for on-site interviews in Helsinki on 22–26 April.
The moss giants’ long journey home passes through the centre of Helsinki
The giants – Wanderer, Collector, Friendship and Bringer of Light – are on their way home to the forest. During the summer, they will take a break at Lasipalatsi Square, after which they will gradually continue to their final destination: a leafy forest glade at Amos Anderson’s summer residence, Söderlångvik manor on Kimito Island. There they will stay permanently, gradually becoming part of the forest ecosystem.
“I had a vision of a large moss figure in the forest, so people would accidentally meet a friendly giant in the woods. That dream will now become a reality, with the four giants moving to a forest glade at Söderlångvik,” Simonsson says.
The moss giants will be discoverable in the forest at Söderlångvik from spring 2025 onwards.
Simonsson describes his giants as utopian moss children. He has given each individual in the group their own specific task, with each task being equally important. One carries tools, while another has skis on his back. It is also worth paying attention to the moss giants’ hands, which play an important role: they communicate with each other, and with the outside world in sign language.
Sculptor Kim Simonsson lives and works in the artists’ village of Fiskars in Western Uusimaa. He has been working with ceramic moss figures for almost a decade – the moss giants are his most large-scale works so far.
The Moss Giants will be at Lasipalatsi Square 29 April–20 October 2024. The exhibition is curated by Kai Kartio.
Sign language is for everyone
Sign language is a visual language used by deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing people. It consists of various signs, combining facial expressions, hand body and mouth movements. Two different sign languages are used in Finland: Finland-Swedish and Finnish Sign Language, which is also used by Kim Simonsson’s Moss Giants.
Spring exhibitions
Amos Rex’s Spring exhibitions offer experiences for our emotions and all of our senses – the first-ever collections exhibition I feel, for now and Josefina Nelimarkka’s studio exhibition The Cloud of Un/knowing. The exhibitions are open 27 March – 8 Sept 2024.
Contacts
Iiris MattssonCommunications SpecialistAmos Rex
Tel:+358 (0)50 302 2260iiris.mattsson@amosrex.fiImages
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Latest releases from Amos Rex
Enorma mossjättar väcker stort intresse på Amos Rex bakgård – Kim Simonssons utställning öppnar idag 29.4.202429.4.2024 11:46:04 EEST | Tiedote
Kim Simonssons (f. 1974) utställning Mossjättar öppnar idag, måndagen den 29.4.2024, passligt inför första maj och återinvigningen av Glaspalatstorget. Mossjättarna har väckt stort intresse bland både stadens invånare och turister under installationen.
Valtavat sammaljätit herättävät kiinnostusta Amos Rexin takapihalla – Kim Simonssonin Sammaljätit -näyttely aukeaa tänään 29.4.202429.4.2024 11:46:04 EEST | Tiedote
Salaperäiset sammaljätit valtaavat Lasipalatsin aukion – Kim Simonssonin (s. 1974) näyttely aukeaa tänään maanantaina 29.4.2024 sopivasti vapuksi ja Lasipalatsin aukion uudelleenavajaisiin. Sammaljätit ovat herättäneet jo installoinnin aikana valtavasti kiinnostusta sekä kaupunkilaissa että turisteissa.
Huge moss giants have captivated the interest of many in the backyard of Amos Rex – Kim Simonsson's exhibition Moss Giants opens today on 29 April 202429.4.2024 11:46:04 EEST | Press release
Mysterious moss giants have taken over Lasipalatsi Square – Kim Simonsson's (b. 1974) exhibition opens today, Monday 29 April 2024, fittingly for May Day and the reopening of Lasipalatsi Square. The moss giants have sparked immense interest among both locals and tourists during the installation.
Amos Rex samlingar som visas så här brett för första gången – och Josefina Nelimarkkas studioutställning öppnar imorgon26.3.2024 14:27:59 EET | Kutsu
Samlingsutställningen Så känns det, tillsvidare och Josefina Nelimarkkas utställning The Cloud of Un/knowing öppnar imorgon på onsdag 27 mars 2024.
Amos Rexin kokoelmia ensimmäistä kertaa näin laajasti esittelevä näyttely sekä Josefina Nelimarkan studionäyttely aukeavat huomenna26.3.2024 14:27:59 EET | Kutsu
Musta tuntuu, toistaiseksi -kokelmanäyttely ja Josefina Nelimarkan näyttely The Cloud of Un/knowing aukeavat samanaikaisesti huomenna keskiviikkona 27.3.2024.
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