25.7.-31.7.2024

In the spring of 2024, I was in Madrid watching pigeons living on the streets. Their delightfully rich plumage flickers in shades of white, purple, green, black and brown. Their eyes and feet are a beautiful yellow and coral red. In big and old cities, as they organise their lives from generation to generation, their plumage has evolved to become fanciful. In the absence of natural predators, the original rock dove’s camouflage has not been necessary in the city and the escapade with colours has been allowed to begin. Today, the greatest threat to pigeons is man, from whom there is no protection through colouring. 

This exhibition opens a process in which I have studied pigeons by drawing from photographs I took in Madrid. The images on display are sketches in which I have documented the shades of the feathers for future works. I have combined watercolour and ink in the drawings. Also on display is a black and white series of a pigeon washing. Also included are some quick croquis. Pigeon Sketches is my first exhibition of drawings. 

I am often inspired by observations of other species of animals in my own habitat. I am particularly interested in the culturally adopted human attitudes towards other animals, based on their benefits and drawbacks. In my Master of Arts thesis Cats of Athens – A study on interspecies art (Aalto University ViCCA 2019), I implemented participatory art interventions for free-living cats in Athens. It revealed the complexities of the relationship between humans and other animals and the animal issue became an important theme in my work. 

The project is supported by Alfred Kordelin Foundation.

Siina Levonoja is a visual artist who lives and works in Helsinki. Levonoja’s diverse practice includes performative interventions and installations, interspecies art and sculpture. The closest material to her is fired and unfired clay. Levonoja graduated with an MA from Aalto University (ARTS), Visual Cultures, Curating and Contemporary Art (ViCCA) in 2019. Besides private collectors, also The State Art Commission and Aalto University Student Foundation have Levonoja’s works in their collections.