English
Heini Nieminen, Kotka, Finland, 1979 / Sandra Nyberg, Pargas, Finland, 1977.
They lives in Finland.
ELIN&KEINO is a co-operation between finnish artists Sandra Nyberg and Heini Nieminen that started in 2009. From the beginning of our collabration, we have been concerned about environmental and ecological issues. We focus on the field of environmental and community art. Site-specifity and temporality are emphasized in our works.
Website: elinkeino.carbonmade.com
Artificial Astronomy
Artificial Astronomy is an installation that consists of 7 artificially constructed star constellations. Light pollution, also known as photo pollution or luminous pollution, is excessive or obtrusive artificial light that has made the stars almost impossible to see. Approximately half of the Europeans live in an environment where it’s impossible to perceive the Milkyway with bare eyes.
There are severe issues related to this phenomenon and the ecological effects of artificial night lighting are profound and increasing. Animals that need darkness are suffering from the light pollution; increased night lighting associated with human civilization disrupts some important behaviors and physiological processes with significant ecological consequences. Light pollution has also been implicated as a factor in the disruption of the human and animal circadian rhythm, and is strongly suspected as a cause of suppressed melatonin production as well as depressed immune systems.
Artificial Astronomy can be seen as a humble homage to the greatness off the night sky or, more importantly, as a reminder of these harmful effects and their causes. It’s a comment on the alienation from what should be natural for us – stars just being one elements of the decreasing organic environment surrounding us.
