Opening on Thursday 30th October 5pm-7pm.
Guided tour on Sunday 23rd November 1pm.
The truth is, I’m afraid of everything. If I’m distracted enough by a TV show or a gallery opening, or if I’m a little bit tipsy, then maybe the feeling of fear calms to 70%. I’m afraid of heights, death, illness, bad people, flying (actually, any form of traveling — cars, buses, trains) enclosed spaces, forests, glaciers, elevators, public bathrooms, basements, attics, war, climate change, bugs, bears, barking dogs, sharks, snakes, wolves, loud noises, strong smells, mold, mushrooms. I’m afraid of falling and chipping my teeth (again). I’m afraid of old cis men, especially doctors, actors, musicians, men with white beards and US Americans. I’m extremely afraid of getting raped again. My walls are up and my fists are high. Hello, anxiety! One of the hardest things about living in Finland is the darkness. I’m 47 years old and, yes, I’m afraid of the dark.
My therapist tells me that adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse have two common reactions to darkness: They either love it because they can hide and be invisible, or, like me, they’re afraid of the dark because that’s where the bad things happened.
Upstairs gallery is bright in color but eerie with the faces staring at the viewer. There is a combination of analog photos and collages on large scale hand dyed household fabrics. Here one can face their fears in brightness. In the gallery downstairs, the works are darker and spatially intrusive. The dark humor steers us through the dark thoughts. If you need, I will be your friend and guide you through.
Juliana Irene Smith is a half-Californian, half-Iranian artist, mother and activist based in Helsinki. Prior to moving permanently to Finland in 2017, she lived in Cape Town with her artists-run non-profit ALMA MARTHA. She has a BFA in Photography from Parsons School of Design in New York and Masters Degree in Public Art from the University of Applied Arts and Sciences in Lucerne, Switzerland. In Cape Town she trained to be a volunteer Rape Crisis Counselor. She has participated in three Triangle Arts Workshops: Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine as well as Art Omi in New York. Selected exhibitions include the Central Switzerland Annual Exhibition at the Museum of Art Lucerne, RIWAQ Biennale in Bir Zeit, Palestine, Beneholz Space for Contemporary Art, Dienstgebaude Project Space, Why We Worry at Gallery Supernova in Riga, Cultural Transference, at Elizabeth Foundation in NYC curated by Sara Reisman, Jerusalem Show with Al Ma’mal Foundation curated by Lara Khaldi, Let’s Dance at Nitra Gallery in Slovakia, Lactose Intolerant at Photographic Gallery Hippolyte in Helsinki, Haihatus 25th Summer Exhibition curated by Elham Rahmati, Unknown Benevolence curated by Þórhildur Tinna Sigurðardóttir at Hafnarborg Museum in Iceland and Summer Rain curated by Eeva Holkeri at the Art Hall in Helsinki in 2025. This is her first exhibition in Turku.
