On Oblivia

Founded in 2000 in Helsinki, the international performance company Oblivia is a unique force on the Finnish performance scene. Oblivias collectively devised, interdisciplinary and minimalist performances merge the boundaries of art forms and nationalities. The background of Oblivias members from Finland and UK are in music, dance and text. This mixture creates a vibrant and special tension and humour in the work. From the beginning the core members have been working together creating a common performance language. Guest collaborators are invited to partake in individual projects.

		Everything You Say Will Become Dust Anyway consists of a minimalistic choreography on the verge between dance and performance art. Knut Ove Arntzen, Shakespeare og teatertidskrift 2007
		Oblivia is one of the most vital live art groups working today. Entertainment Island gives us three astonishing pieces in one evening, exploring the liminal space between culture and entertainment. This key work by the group was created over three years, with some of the project devised during a Creative Lab residency at the CCA. Francis McKee, director, CCA

Oblivia was house artist at the Kiasma Theatre in Helsinki for the Entertainment Island project 2008-2010.

Entertainment Island took Oblivia other important collaborators: PACT Zollverein in Essen, Germany and Center for Contemporary Art in Glasgow (UK). Entertainment Island has been touring internationally and received great acclaim. In 2011 Oblivia was chosen as one of the companies of the year in the Tanz Year book by Esther Boldt.

Alongside the touring of Entertainment Island, Museum of Postmodern Art (MOPMA) is the new project for the next five year period 2012-2016.


Working process

Oblivias working process begins with a grand idea. One that is so grand at first that it seems impossible to handle. Through diligent and persistent deliberation we begin to filter our grand idea until it becomes tangible. Through this filtering we aim to arrive at the crux of the subject matter. Our process is dense and layered yet what we present on stage is minimal and spare. However, one soon becomes aware of the traces that remain and how the process is woven into the structure of the work. Ours is a process of observation, of seeing and connecting and finding ways to communicate our concerns and concepts through performance. We work with methods of devising, creative responses, collective work and improvisation.


People

Annika Tudeer (FIN) - founder/artistic director/performer After working as a dancer/choreographer, Annika completed her MA in literature at Helsinki University. She worked as a dance and performance critic writing extensively on new trends in the performing arts, thus receiving a broad understanding of the European dance and performance scene.

Anna Krzystek (UK) – core member/performer Anna is a Glasgow based performer and choreographer. She has been with Oblivia since 2000 devising and performing the work.

Timo Fredriksson (FIN) – core member/performer Timo is a classical pianist graduated from the Sibelius Academy. He started working with Oblivia in 2000 as a musician and has since been drawn into performing and devising the work.

Marina Andersson-Rahikka (FIN) – administrator, tour manager
Eija Mäkivuoti (FIN) - photographer, webmaster
Meri Ekola (FIN) – light designer
Juuso Voltti (FIN) – composer/sound designer
Pia Pettersson (FIN) – graphic designer