The Helsinki-based artist Iisa Lepistö takes part in our first Ecologies in the Making residency This residency is the first in a four year programme developed by the Academy of Fine Arts Uniarts Helsinki, Cove Park and Scottish Sculpture Workshop.

The residencies are designed to focus upon making practices at a time of climate breakdown and are aimed at MFA alumni of the Academy of Fine Arts, particularly those with sculptural methods or material processes. The programme supports research and the development of new work, and Iisa will be based at Cove Park for eight weeks, with the opportunity to develop new projects and connect with students and tutors at Glasgow School of Art, before moving to SSW for a further eight weeks and the opportunity to produce new work in the residency’s workshop.

Iisa works with writing and sculptural objects. Her interests include the origins of sculptural materials and their possible futures, feminist theory and the combination of linguistic and sculptural expression. She graduated with a Master’s degree in Visual Arts from the Academy Of Fine Arts Helsinki in 2020, and also studied at Taipei National University of Arts in Taiwan and at École Supérieure d’art et de Design in Marseille, France.

We  would like to thank our colleagues at SSW and in Helsinki for this collaboration. The project is made possible by a donation to Uniarts Helsinki from the Saastamoinen Foundation. Further information is available here.

Image: courtesy of the artist.