Teemu Kivikangas

Birds of Passage is a site-specific documentary film that was commissioned by ANTI Contemporary Art Festival 2005 and projected on four different screens on facade of Lyseo upper secondary school in Kuopio, Finland, during the festival (16.-19.9.2005).

The work deals with globalization from the point of view of a small, remote city. It explores migratory movements, an individual's relationship with his place of living, young people's expectations and fears regarding the future and the means with which they strive to plan and direct this future.

Birds of Passage tells a story about the present and former students of the school. The work sheds light on the local way of life, the connection between history and locality, and on the other hand globalization and the growing instability of the world, the movements of people and global media culture. Kuopio-born people who have moved to Helsinki give a voice to those who have crossed the gulf between two different urban environments.

Working Method

Most important parts of the film where created in co-operation with the students of the Lyseo. First I arranged a writing workshop during communication classes fro 20 students from seconds and third grades of Lyseo. They were students in stage of planning the graduation and getting ready to apply to universities and other institutes of further education.

During these workshops I discussed with students issues like the themes of the work and how these themes relate to the students' lives. The students then wrote short essays from their personal viewpoints. I felt that it was important for me to let the students choose the subjects of their essays and write freely about their own interests, rather than just interviewing them.

Birds of Passage
(Muuttolinnut)
2005
Documentary film and site-specific installation
Digital video transferred to DVD
24 min

Written and directed by
Teemu Kivikangas

Producers (ANTI Festival):
Jere Ruotsalainen
Maija Eranen

Students of Lyseo Upper Secondary School:
Mathias Cramm, Joonas Helotera, Maija Hamalainen, Jasmin Johansen, Esko Juutilainen, Inka Jaaskelainen, Veera Karvonen, Miika Koistinen, Henri Linnainmaa, Simo Makinen, Mia Parviainen, Ville Pietahinen, Harri Pitkanen, Riikka Pollanen, Jussi Poyhola, Riku-Pekka Syrjanen, Tatu-Pekka Tanhonen, Jannina Viljakainen, Retu Ylinen

Thanks to
Maija Eranen, Paivi Kiiski, Arja Lehtimaki, Kari Pietikainen, Jere Ruotsalainen, Erkki Soininen

Institutional partners:
Kuopio Lyseo Upper Secondary School
Helsinki Academy of Fine Arts

Commissioned by
ANTI Contemporary Art Festival, 2005
Kuopio, Finland

This method of working gave them chance to find their own viewpoints and insights into the subject presented on a very general level, and also enough time to develop the and organize their thoughts and ideas. Results were very good and included some rather impressive essays - ranging from poetic contemplations on the nature of the future to detailed plans of the rest of their lives.

Next I asked the students to read their essays to the camera, in order to get the student's own voice heard on the final work that was to be a documentary film. Most of the students volunteered for this and in addition, based on their essays, answered a few interview questions going deeper into their personal viewpoints.

Finally I cut this material together with interviews of former students and material filmed at various locations around Kuopio, Helsinki and Berlin to compile the final document. The final work consisted of four different screens, each with a film with length of 24 minutes.

Birds of Passage was exhibited as a four-channel video installation. Synchronized video projectors projected the film on windows of the main stairs on two levels, and two separate class room windows. The windows facing the inner courtyard were used, the yard providing a peaceful and quiet environment of sitting down to view the film.

Conclusions and evaluation

In editing I took a great care to make everyone's voice heard without censorship. The nature of the work was social rather than political. I avoided making a political statement myself, rather I wanted to let the 20 individual voices speak for themselves. I believe I succeeded - hearing and seeing the students speaking about their futures made them close and intimate characters to the viewer. They are portrayed honestly, with all their small and big plans and dreams, fears concerning the future, uncertainty on their plans and in the end, always rather hopeful.

According to the organizers, over 5000 people participated in the festival although it is difficult to estimate the number of people who experienced the works such as Birds of Passage that were shown in public spaces.

Feedback on the work has been thoroughly positive. The documentary in this format was highly site-specific. Without further editing and research the Birds of Passage should be exhibited in the context of the Lyseo school. Thus, work has not been seen since the festival. Related to the context, it is worth noting that most of the people in the documentary are students of an highly respected elite school. They speak easily about making choices, which might be luxury that not all people of their age have.

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