MNEMONIA

Mnemonia is a collaboration between Emilia Tikka, Oula A Valkeapää and Leena Valkeapää. The work consists of three stories where centuries-old migration in the rhythm of the reindeer intertwines human, reindeer and landscape.

The first part is an autobiographical short film (2022) by Oula A Valkeapää. He is a reindeer herder who lives in the reindeer's time and follows their movement. When migration based on the natural rhythm of the reindeer has become impossible, connection to reindeer and the landscape fades. The second part is a speculative short film directed by Emilia Tikka. This story, set in the future (2102), features a bioscientist called Marja. The Gulf Stream has collapsed and the climate slowly cools after decades without snow. Marja arrives to the beaches of the arctic ocean to search for the remains of a by-gone reindeer. She believes that this particular reindeer carries epigenetic memories of her ancestors in its bones. The third part of the work takes the viewer further into the future in the year 2152. Speculative artefacts tell a story of a nomadic world where living connection with the land and reindeer is central and where interspecies memories can be revived with mnemonic bioscience.

The work aims to imagine new entanglements between human, nature and technology through a concept of shared interspecies memories.

Mnemonia is part of the Creative Europe collaboration project, Art4Med, by Bioart Society and other European associations.

Emilia Tikka is a multidisciplinary designer, artist and researcher. In her work, she investigates the impact of new biomedical technologies on humanity and everyday life through speculative stories and objects. Emilia's work combines moving image, design and laboratory research. She is currently writing her dissertation at Aalto University's School of Arts and Design. Emilia's ongoing research is supported by the Kone Foundation. Oula A Valkeapää is a reindeer herder in a long chain between generations. He lives and works together with Leena Valkeapää, who is an artist, researcher and Doctor of Arts. The joint works of Oula and Leena deal with the coexistence of reindeer and people by combining sound and moving images. They are currently working in a research project (PAES) supported by Kone Foundation.