House of Khronos is a conceptual environmental art work by the artist duo IC-98 (Visa Suonpää & Patrik Söderlund). The artwork is located in Ortenoja in the municipality of Pöytyä in Southwest Finland. Consisting of a property surrounded by a gateless chain link fence, it is a space removed from human influence where nature is allowed to take over. The long duration project explores time and its effects from the perspectives of organic nature and built environment. House of Khronos is the first contemporary art project produced by the Lönnström Art Museum. It was executed in 2016–2017.
House of Khronos
House of Khronos (Khronoksen talo in Finnish) is a property where Time itself dwells. A property was bought, the grounds with its flora and fauna were documented, and a fence was built around the perimeter. The site was donated to the municipality of Pöytyä. After this, people are forbidden to interact with the house and garden in any way. We are only allowed to observe the decay of the house as nature takes over during centuries passing by. The property will be preserved and protected with all legislative means to ensure its detachment from society, the first step being an application for the status of a nature reserve. Theoretically, the final state will be terra nullius, a status of no man’s land.
IC-98
IC-98 (founded in 1998) is best known internationally for their animated film installations, which combine classical drawing and digital effects. Thematically their work explore apocalyptical and teleological issues as well as contemporary social questions related to history, politics and ecology. Recently they have concentrated on site-specific installations.
Lönnström Art Museum
In 2015, the Lönnström Art Museum sold its house in Rauma that it had used as an art museum. It has since then operated as an art museum without walls, conducting annual contemporary art projects in close collaboration with artists. The projects are selected from among submissions to an open call. The museum pays the chosen artist or group for their work and also covers the cost of the production of the project. The Lönnström Art Museum is run by the Teresia and Rafael Lönnström Foundation. The purpose of the foundation is to promote the visual arts. It also maintains the Teresia and Rafael Lönnström Home Museum in Rauma.
Pöytyä
Pöytyä is a municipality along trunk road number nine, about 40 km northeast of Turku. Part of the cultural landscape of the River Aura valley, the municipality is first mentioned as far back as 1319. One of the natural sights in the area is the Kurjenrahka National Park. With its 29 square kilometers of pristine marshland, the park is the largest protected wetland area in Southwest Finland and the home of many rare and endangered species. The Kuhankuono trekking network comprising over 200 km of marked trails is located in the area. A new learning centre called Luontokapinetti was opened in Pöytyä in 2002. It offers experiences as well as information about nature to serve as a basis for a better understanding of the environmental questions.