De profundis – theme and variations is a multidisciplinary show-installation-performance-sculpture-concert-project combining opera-theatre and visual arts. It began with visual artist Raimo Törhönen and soprano Jenni Kinnunen creating a piece together to the Night of the Arts Oulu in 2019 as a part of Pikinen Poloku environmental art exhibition. Kinnunen performed part of her monologue Tub inside the Malevits’ Garden which was Törhönen’s fenced cube.
Törhönen and Kinnunen developed the idea further for the Oulu Museum of the Art in September 2022. The basis was now two board fence works called De profundis and Brave, strong Nation which were on display at Törhönen’s exhibition in Oulu Museum of Art. Both of the cubes were 2 x 2 x 2 metres, and the main idea considered boarders, excluding and including, emptiness, abandonment and despair.
De profundis tries to combine sculpture-installation and live music to an aesthetic and equal entity. On the other hand, it searches a new form between a concert and an art exhibition. What happens when the audience has the chance to move around the piece and the performers stand still? What are the fenced cubes prohibiting and enabling? How is the connection between performers created? Is the fenced bube always a fenced cube or can the shape vary?
As music the piece utilizes Psalm 130, De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine (Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, o Lord), which was newly arranged on the basis of a gregorian chant.
The Evening of Performances at the Oulu Museum of Art 6th September 2022.
Artists
Dramaturgy & performer — Jenni Kinnunen
Music arranger & performer — Tuomo Rahko
Visual artist & concept — Raimo Törhönen
Recording, filming & editing — Mika Friman
