MeWeArt – In the Power of Nature was a community art project that wove together traditional Ostrobothnian craft heritage, recycled materials, and large-scale collaborative artworks. At its core were the elements that shape life on the coast: the sea, shifting sand, and the force of natural extremes. These themes guided both the making and the experiential nature of the project, grounding participants in the rhythm and unpredictability of their environment.

Storm-like painting sessions, held outdoors and often in direct dialogue with weather, were once again captured through Marja Haapakangas’s video works and complemented by sound compositions created by Ville Palin. Together, these moving-image and sonic impressions formed an atmospheric archive of the project’s emotional and elemental landscape.

A key moment of the project unfolded in an immersive workshop at the museum yard of K.H. Renlund’s Museum in Kokkola, where participants worked collectively on heirloom linen sheets passed down through generations. This act connected the past to the present, merging inherited domestic traditions with contemporary communal expression.

The community artworks will continue to evolve through wild, expressive embroidery created together with local children and seniors, expanding the project’s reach across ages and experiences. Throughout the process, natural colors held a significant role, linking the artworks materially and symbolically to their environment.

The project included dozens of workshops highlighting craft skills and resulted in two exhibitions: one in Kalajoki and one in Kokkola.
MeWeArt – In the Power of Nature stands as a celebration of shared making, ecological awareness, and the potency of tradition transformed through community.