The Old Mine Residency in Outokumpu invites artists and researchers from around the world to focus on their projects within a historic mining area.
At the residency, Iuliia and Natalia worked on a close examination of the materialities of mining production: the tunnels, ore extraction and enrichment machinery, and the infrastructure of the mining site. We also visited Outolampi—a nearby lake rendered lifeless due to mine waste dumping. Beyond understanding the material processes of ore extraction and enrichment, we also experimented with various artistic practices. Natalia engaged deeply with the environment through sketching. Iuliia shot several rolls of film, which will be soaked in water and mud from the contaminated Outolampi area. We are curious to see what emerges from this chemical encounter, as the sulfuric acid present in the lake water interacts with the film’s chemistry. Inspired by the mining environment, we initiated a side photo project tentatively titled A Body of Copper. This project portrays Iuliia’s body moving through the tunnels, the crushing plant, and the waste area. It reflects the journey of copper—extracted and exposed—but also the vulnerabilities of human bodies, through which the extraction of ore from once uninhabitable subterranean environments has been made possible. The work we carried out in Outokumpu is contributing to our upcoming exhibition in Tampere, Frontiers and Temporalities of Extractivism, which will be held at Hirvitalo – Pispala Center for Contemporary Art from September 14 to October 5, 2025.
Our post in the residency’s digital guestbook: “Earth’s waters and substrate under extractive capitalism”, https://oldmineresidency.fi/earths-waters-and-substrate-under-extractive-capitalism-2/
